Reviews current research on different learning styles and capabilities of experts and novices which may guide software design: memory, cognitive processing, and performance differences; automatization, and coping strategies. Procedures which may enhance expert and novice performance when built into software are outlined. (MBR)

Explains some of the objectives for a pre-first-grade reading program, describes what children know about oral and written language before they come to school, expresses some professional concerns about pre-first-grade reading programs, and offers recommendations for improvement. (HOD)

Argues that new vocabulary words should be presented in concept clusters and related to prior knowledge to facilitate organization in memory. Presents a sample lesson for science vocabulary. (HOD)

To investigate the effectiveness of integrating abstract and realistic visualization, the effectiveness of four treatments was measured for: (1) facilitating student achievement of different kinds of educational objectives; (2) students possessing different levels of student ability; (3) externally paced and self-paced methods of instruction; and…

Reports on a study providing evidence that prior knowledge influences the comprehension of texts and that the effect is not because of contrived materials or other validity problems. (FL)

Compares interactional rules in the lessons of a teacher who taught in a culturally congruent way and one who did not. Concludes that control over topic of discussion was maintained only by the teacher who used culturally congruent interactional patterns, and that the lessons of the other teacher were frequently sidetracked because of conflicts…

There is a wealth of information available on the World Wide Web that can assist pre-service teachers in their course studies. Yet observation of students in a technology integration class indicated that students were not able to find resources efficiently or reliably. The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline of what undergraduate,…

This publication is a transcription of a forum held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 19, 2006 on background knowledge and reading proficiency. This topic goes to the heart of the education reform agenda, according to the first speaker, Eugenia Kemble, executive director of the Albert Shanker Institute, the sponsor of this…

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Student Traffic: Two-Way Movement between Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education," [ED495183] and is an added resource for further information. The original report investigated the extent and nature of student traffic between the two…

This study by the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD), California, aims to determine the impact of prerequisite enforcement on retention and course completion rates in English and math courses among underrepresented students. The report analyzed a subset of the more than 300 prerequisite-enforced courses offered by the SDCCD. The course…

This paper reports on findings from a research project aimed at examining teachers' change over time (the first 2 years of teaching) through their own perceptions, the perceptions of their students, and analyses of the school culture in which they work. Overall, a general pattern was found: most teachers developed according to a narrow, individual…

Help struggling readers understand content area texts with research-based, innovative classroom tools that foster lifelong reading comprehension habits. This book presents easy-to-use activities organized around six habits of reading comprehension: (1) Organizing text information by sculpting the main idea and summarizing; (2) Connecting to…

With the increased use of computerized adaptive testing, which allows for continuous testing, new concerns about test security have evolved, one being the assurance that items in an item pool are safeguarded from theft. In this paper, the risk of score inflation and procedures to detect test takers using item preknowledge are explored. When test…

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is a new field, but it has a long history, since children have always learned from adults and demonstrated their competence by observation of their work or by the quality of their products or services. Later, formal learning became more valuable and recognized school credentials paved the way to…

This report contains suggestions on how adults can secure college credit for past education and life experience. According to the report, there are eight categories of life experience that can be worth credit: work; homemaking; volunteer work; noncredit learning; travel; recreational activities and hobbies; reading, viewing, and listening; and…