This study examines the effect of formal representation of blue and yellow color mixtures as rational numbers on students' ability to solve ratio problems comparing the mixtures. Sixty subjects participated, 20 from each of grades 7, 8, and 9 from a Haifa (Israel) junior high school. Introducing the formal representation improved performance for…

Investigates how different practice techniques (physical, mental, and alternating physical/mental) and aural knowledge of results improve the piano performance of 40 graduate and undergraduate music students. Reveals all three practice modes, especially physical practice, improved performance, whereas aural knowledge of results had little effect.…

Researchers tried training preservice teachers to make clearer presentations and produce greater student learning and satisfaction. Subjects received training in 17 instructional clarifying behaviors. Researchers videotaped their teaching pre- and posttraining. Learners rated content and satisfaction. Results indicated significant improvement in…

Offers suggestions for improving classroom lecturing in terms of the sender, the content, and the receiver. Provides guidelines for lecture preparation. Explores importance of format, delivery, and timing in presentations. Discusses value of assessing the lecturer and states good lectures attract students, while bad ones drive them away. (NL)

Though leanness in athletes is often a natural state, it can pose long-term liability to some athletes' performance and/or health. The physician must determine when leanness is reason for clinical concern. Athletes who do not eat enough to sustain training must either reduce the exercise load or increase nutritional intake. (Author/SM)

Reviews 10 computerized business simulations used to teach business policy courses, discusses problems with measuring performance, and presents a statistically based approach to assessing performance that permits individual team goal setting as part of the computer model, and allows simulated firms to start with different financial and operating…

Spanish-speaking preschoolers learning English in a bilingual preschool program were videotaped while working independently on tasks to examine their spontaneous private speech. Results show that the private speech of bilingual preschoolers appears to develop normally. Positive effects of second-language learning in a bilingual program on the…

The evaluation of teaching by the use of self-assessment, fellow specialists, and students is discussed. The use of questionnaires, videotapes, tape recordings, checklists, and suggestion boxes are described. Examples of evaluation-form statements are included. (KR)

A study examined effects of consultant observation and peer mentoring on anxiety and effectiveness in 13 teaching assistants at a research university. These and a control group of 14 teaching assistants also attended a 1-week workshop and 16-week theory/pedagogy course. Anxiety was lower and student ratings of effectiveness were higher in the…

Two studies compared the performance of students (total n=66 and ages 5-21) with autism or developmental disabilities in one-to-one instruction to performance of those transitioned to small groups. Results indicated successful transition to small group formats across curriculum areas including language, math, readiness, and shopping. (Author/DB)

Presents a model for evaluating performance-based instruction that is intended for use by human resource development/performance technology professionals. Highlights include goal setting; program design and implementation; evaluating the use and impact of training; instructional tasks, including sequencing; quality of student products; and…

Study of New Zealand public library effectiveness duplicates research by Childers and Van House which examined the multiple constituencies model of organizational effectiveness. Librarians, users, and councillors rated performance indicators identified from the literature, and similarities and differences between the two studies are reported. A…

Research indicates faculty and preservice teachers rank abstract foundations of education courses lowest in contribution and interest level, whereas concrete courses receive high rankings. The paper recommends eliminating student evaluation of faculty and implementing a system of external review of faculty teaching competence and scholarly…

Twenty-eight children with and without disabilities were observed during free play in integrated early childhood programs, and associations among program quality indicators and children's play were analyzed. The study attempted to predict dynamic/process measures of program quality (teacher behavior) from global and structural measures of quality…

Describes a study that was conducted to examine the influence of institutional type, as defined by the Carnegie Classification, on tenure and promotion criteria at academic libraries. Highlights include faculty status; academic degree required; job performance; service; research and publication; teaching; and similarities of criteria for…