Reports on a study of 129 secondary students' cognitive style as related to instructional effectiveness. Finds that graphic and pictorial information improves fact retention. Recommends that teachers and teacher trainers should be aware of students' learning styles and attempt to meet their needs. (CFR)

Two instructional design alternatives are described and discussed: (1) the supplantation model of Ausburn and Ausburn (1978), where learning strategies are built into the instructional materials; and (2) a generative design model, where strategies are "built" into the learner. These contrasting models are proposed as representing the…

Arguing that the failure of instructional materials is frequently due to misconceptions held by their developers concerning the nature of comprehension, this chapter examines the factors involved in comprehension and relates them to the design of instructional materials. Three types of errors in comprehension are discussed, and ways to avoid them…

This report outlines the current status of the social studies field in three parts: (1) the intellectual history of the social studies, the dominant conceptual approaches in the past, and a new way of looking at the field; (2) the goals and objectives of the social studies, state requirements and mandates, practices of social studies education…

Presents an instructional development model that incorporates formative evaluation techniques, and explores the possible application of the model in developing computer-assisted instruction courseware. Advantages and disadvantages of this approach are identified and implications for research on formative evaluation are discussed. (31 references)…

This discussion of formative evaluation as part of the instructional design process focuses on developmental testing and expert review. A review of the literature helps define each approach, research on formative evaluation is reviewed, and 37 references are provided. (LRW)

After a brief overview of the research on social comparison in young children, a depiction is provided of how young children exhibit social comparisons during two types of play activity--physical object and social fantasy play. Research and pedagogical implications are discussed. (PCB)

Students at the University of Mississippi were surveyed to compare the usefulness of two types of workbooks in a library/freshman English bibliographic instruction program. The workbook used in the first year of the study required short answers to reference questions; the revised workbook, used the second year, required answers related to term…

Reviews the literature pertaining to the design of the layout of computer text screens as a means of maximizing comprehension in computer-assisted learning. The literature on the design of instructional text is also examined to extrapolate principles that may apply to screen design. (Author/LRW)

This paper summarizes the state of instructional software being produced by commercial sources in the United States as of late 1984, and reports some of the trends which led up to that state. After a brief background synopsis and description of the procedure used to obtain information, the document discusses such topics as: amount of software…

Discusses previous pictorial research and its limited potential, and describes function-based research approach, which attempts to make findings relevant by identifying potential picture functions in terms of contributions to instructional processes and procedures broadly applicable to various objectives and strategies. Relevance of this approach…

Discussed are methods which can be used to stimulate creative thinking in geology students by focusing on what is not known about sandstone petrology. The impact of recent advances on graduate geology teaching are highlighted. (CW)

Stressed is the interrelationship among the three major groups of sedimentary rocks and the potential benefits in understanding of sedimentary processes to be gained by a petrosynthesis. Listed are 59 references. (CW)

Briefly reviews 12 available bibliographies of Holocaust literature. Cites publisher information and costs. Evaluates entries on the basis of author's teaching experience and personal experience as a Holocaust survivor. Precedes bibliographical entries with a discussion of the Holocaust and resistance movement, identifying camps and estimated…

This paper contains summaries of the findings of research and meta analyses conducted on the effectiveness of computer-based instruction (CBI) on student achievement. Eight conclusions, based on the CBI research are then given: (1) when CBI and traditional instruction are compared, students receiving CBI demonstrate equal or better achievement;…