A series of articles focuses on artificial intelligence research and development to enhance information systems and services. Topics discussed include knowledge base designs, expert system development tools, natural language processing, expert systems for reference services, and the role that artificial intelligence concepts should have in…

Discusses the impact of research in artificial intelligence and human computer interaction on the design of bibliographic information retrieval systems, and presents design principles of a prototype system that uses semantically based searches and a knowledge base consisting of conceptual frames. (10 references) (CLB)

Emic (culture-specific) and Western-type (imposed-etic) strategies were applied to the assessment of intelligence in 67 rural Filipino children. Imposed-etic tests measured a concept of intelligence that only partially overlaps emic conceptions, and were better predictors of school performance, which was not predicted by indigenous (emic)…

Spion, an adventure game for intermediate and advanced college German students, requires players to communicate with a fictitious agent in complete, correct German sentences. The spy game was written in PROLOG, runs on an IBM-PC, and is available at no cost for noncommercial purposes. (Author/CB)

Analyzes computerized reference and information services with respect to problems in the areas of (1) communication barriers between the user and the information specialist; (2) local resources development; (3) external resources policy; (4) search strategy development; and (5) artificial intelligence. (24 references) (Author/MES)

Compared individual and familial adjustment of 40 battered women and their children with that of 40 community families. Abused women were much more distressed than were community women. Found significant differences between children on internalizing and externalizing subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist. Found no between-group differences in…

The nonverbal Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised can provide insight into students' learning characteristics, when diagnostic interpretations of subtest results offer meaningful information. Sample report statements are given for such subtests as picture completion and arrangement, block design, object assembly, coding, and puzzles,…

Covariance structure modeling by LISREL was used in an analysis of relations between intellectual ability, as measured by the Finnish version of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA), and achievement in reading, writing, foreign language, and mathematics in longitudinal data on 234 Finnish school children. The validity of the ITPA…

Educators have shown great interest in teaching thinking in the last five years. This overview introduces thinking skills instruction as the theme of this issue of "Educational Leadership" and distinguishes three different approaches: teaching for thinking, teaching about thinking, and teaching of thinking. (TE)

The notion that thinking can be taught as a separate skill is a philosophical mistake. Teachers who are knowledgeable about their subject, who understand how it differs from other disciplines, and who can convey this to their students are already teaching thinking skills. (TE)

Criticizes Lawrence J. Schweinhart and David Weikart's article on early childhood development in this "Educational Leadership" issue for overemphasizing inadequacies of the direct academic approach. Claims that findings were based on insufficient data and disclosed no significant differences in self-esteem, locus of control, suspension,…

An alternative way of studying group differences is proposed based on ordering analysis using item hierarchies as a basis of comparison between two groups. Subjects were sets of twins in elementary school. Results showed that blacks and whites and males and females had similar item hierarchies for complex items. (Author/LMO)

Two studies examined the relation between current developmental levels, as estimated by IQ, and proximal levels of development, as estimated by the efficiency of learning and transfer in assisted contexts. Subjects were 8- to ll-year-old children. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (HOD)

Examines role and contributions of natural-language processing in information retrieval and artificial intelligence research in context of large operational information retrieval systems and services. State-of-the-art information retrieval systems combining the functional capabilities of conventional inverted file term adjacency approach with…

Explores age differences (6 to 22 years of age) in conceptions about the nature of the skills required by verbal and nonverbal (abstract) intelligence tests. (HOD)