A sample of 60 children in Grade 3 was followed over one year. In the first year, an extensive battery of assessments was used including aspects of reading, arithmetic, and working memory. Teachers rated the children on 7-point scales on various motivational dimensions summarized to a total score tentatively called task orientation. In the…

Investigates the relationship between school size and science and mathematics achievement in Dutch, Swedish, and American secondary education. The analysis revealed little evidence of any school-size effects on achievement in any of the three countries, possibly because school size and curriculum comprehensiveness are not strongly related in these…

This study of motivational differences in the school situation and the development of a sensation-seeking scale of preadolescent children rests upon an interactive psycho-biological theory formulated by Farley (1981). Stimulation-seeking and arousal in relation to instructional features are central concepts. As a point of departure for the…

Introduces reading research from Great Britain, Sweden, and Australia. Discusses three conclusions from this literature particularly relevant to college reading specialists. (SR)

Addresses questions of how students learn to play the piano and what is the role of the teacher. Discusses a project in which piano students were allowed to set their own learning goals. Shows that most students had favorable opinions of the project and felt that their playing improved. (DSK)

This paper presents an overview of adult basic education in Sweden, focusing on what types of adults take advantage of basic educational opportunities and when they do so. It includes two case studies, one of auxiliary nurses and one of factory workers, that describe what motivates these employees to take literacy education or further education…

A study was conducted in Sweden to gain an understanding of the learning conditions for educationally disadvantaged female distance education students. The research methodology included questionnaires on background and attitudes distributed to the 280 students who had enrolled in a television course on child psychology in 1993 (83% responded) and…

This paper reviews the history, definitions, descriptions, and current trends in whole language, an alternative language teaching philosophy. The entire construct of motivation is reviewed and defined. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the implementation of the whole language approach affects student motivation in an English as a…

The Swedish 25/5-rule for eligibility in higher education allows adults over 25 with at least five years' work experience to enter certain parts of the higher education system. The background, objectives, enrollment trends, student motivation, and comparison with traditional students are discussed. (JMF)

Effects of student grouping on academic achievement were examined in research among high school students in Israeli kibbutz schools, and in a nationwide sample of middle school students in Israel. Data analysis was based on a model developed from research findings in the United States, Sweden, Great Britain, and Israel. The treatment variable was…

The academic achievement of students in Nigeria, Sweden, Canada, and other countries demonstrates that students will work hard and achieve at high levels if they know what is expected and if serious consequences are attached to achievement. External curriculum-based examinations have great potential for educational improvement in the United…

A teacher of student teachers at Lulea University of Technology in Sweden uses fantasy and story telling to integrate mathematical thinking and problem solving into adventure-education programs for elementary students in nearby forests. Maps, magic places, rituals, mysterious signs, audiovisual aids, actors, and darkness restore a sense of magic…

A total of 318 grade-5 pupils in Swedish schools were questioned in regard to why English is a compulsory subject. Two hundred and one pupils thought that English is compulsory because it is a world language, 94 thought so because it is useful, and 23 thought so because some authority decided so. Contains 22 references. (MDM)

A large number of factors are considered in their role in second language learning. Individual factors include language aptitude, personality, attitudes and motivation, and the role of the speaker's native language. Teacher factors involve the method of instruction, the sex of the teacher, and a teacher's training and competence, while…

In response to the growing dissatisfaction of students in the late 1960's to the traditional educational system, where the student felt forced into a role of dependency and passive consumption, the Swedish Commission on University Education suggested an instructional system of supervised student teams as a supplement to regular instruction. The…