Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) refers to individual's learning endeavor occurring in out-of-class environments in a naturalistic way independent from the requirements of a formal education program including assessment. Learners' IDLE experiences in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts are quite important to understand their…

Lack of commonly used vocabulary for informal learning environments hinders precise communication concerning what is observed, assessed, and understood about the relationship between space and learning. This study empirically extends taxonomies of terms and phrases that describe such relationships through content analysis of descriptions of…

This paper presents an investigation into how students studying at university engage actively with learning technology in their self-directed study time. The case study surveyed 250 students studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level from a purposive sample of departments within one institution. The study has also conducted focus groups and…

All students are entitled to a respectful and meaningful education in this decade of No Child Left Behind, and yet attention to the gifted wanes with the emphasis on standards-based education and testing. Educators of the gifted have wrestled with this dilemma for many decades, even as early as the 1920s when Leta S. Hollingsworth, noted…

A group of eight gifted junior high students was presented programed units of psychology instruction based on Fred Keller's model of personalized instruction. Compared to a control group which received traditional lecture-format instruction, subjects completed the material in less time and scored significantly higher on the final test. (Author/JDD)

A study explored the extent to which 142 undergraduate students' willingness and perceived capacity to engage in self-directed learning, and ability to think critically, were explained by psychological type. Results indicate extroverted intuition is a strong predictor for self-directed learning; psychological type did not predict critical…

Four preschool boys learned to conduct self-assessments of their independent work behavior and compare their ratings with teacher ratings. The treatment produced immediate and substantial improvements in child behavior, and it was possible to systematically withdraw each treatment component while maintaining a high level of appropriate child…

Examined the effectiveness of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic interaction patterns in promoting acquisition of science process skills during biology laboratory activities. Results (from 720 secondary students--352 girls and 368 boys) show that competitive interaction was superior to cooperative and individualistic interaction…

Two studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of using study guides with learning-disabled, remedial, and regular education students enrolled in secondary social studies and science classes. Results indicated that study guides, whether teacher-directed or student-directed, produced significantly higher performance than self-study.…

The extent of use of the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), also called the Keller Plan, at a large university campus was investigated. Attention was also directed to the features of PSI used: mastery criterion, self-pacing, proctors, number of times students could retake an exam, and the number of forms of each examination used. The PSI…

An independent study project for gifted elementary students successfully included online bibliographic database searches in the student research process. Database searching, placed in a meaningful and supportive context, helped to individualize the students' learning and became an extension of their own wondering into the wider world. (Author/JDD)

Two studies, involving 2 students (aged 11 to 12) with severe behavioral disorders, demonstrated that the use of cognitive behavior modification components, including self-instruction and self-monitoring, led to increased academic performance, and academic skill improvement led to a reduction in inappropriate classroom behaviors. (Author/JDD)

Reviews research on the relationship between self-directed learning and selected demographic predictors. Concludes that student age may be an important determinant of success at the college level but is not significant in postsecondary art education programs. Finds that education level is a more accurate predictor among older adults. (CFR)

A survey of 335 registered Ohio pharmacists concerning specialized continuing education investigated practitioner interest in 28 specific course topics, perceived importance of certain program attributes (e.g., academic credit, instructional format, experiential components), and preferences for seasons, days, and hours of course offering.…

This study examined two approaches to self-instruction by hearing-impaired students through use of instructor-developed science modules. Subjects were 24 students (ages 18-28) enrolled in allied health programs at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The first approach involved the reading of science modules and writing answers on study…