Two studies are reported in which supervisor observations of teachers' performance rate and accuracy were found to result in positive changes in teacher performance and the behaviors of their severely handicapped students (ages 6-21), when compared with baseline supervisor observations that did not specify rate and accuracy feedback. (Author/JDD)

Ten children, adolescents, and prelinguistically deafened adults implanted with cochlear implants exhibited substantial postoperative benefits in open-set speech perception, with some improvement in closed-set speech recognition. Results are discussed with reference to such variables as age at onset of loss, duration of profound loss, age at…

Reports on a study of the ability of preschoolers and first, second, and third graders to use three computer input devices: a joystick, a mouse, and a keyboard. For all grade levels, the mouse offered the greatest ease of use in manipulating icons, followed by the joystick and the keyboard. No effect for gender was found. (Contains 30 references.)…

Two studies, each involving four intermediate grade students with learning disabilities, examined the differential effects of attention monitoring and performance monitoring on spelling study behaviors and story writing behaviors. Both interventions had a positive impact; neither was clearly or consistently superior to the other. (Author/JDD)

This study examined the arithmetic calculation abilities of kindergarten and first-grade children (n=108) with different patterns of cognitive functioning: low language, low spatial ability, general delays, and nonimpaired. Nonverbal, story, and number fact problems were differentially sensitive to variation in cognitive ability. (Author/JDD)

Discussion of human/system interactions that are fundamental to online searching focuses on studies that examined online searchers' performance on DIALOG when they searched specific users' questions. Cognitive tests that were given to searchers are described; and calculating the odds for relevance, precision, and recall is explained. (four…

Provides personal perspectives from teachers about the prospects and problems illuminated by Stanford University's Teacher Assessment Project. Teacher remarks address the portfolio development process, assessment centers, implications for national board certification for teachers, personal thoughts and perspectives on teaching, and the future of…

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.…

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…

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…

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…