Describes a study of undergraduate students that investigated the effects of two types of learner control and two types of incentives--task-contingent and performance-contingent--on learners' achievement, attitudes, use of options, and time on program using computer-delivered instruction. Implications for instructional design and research are…

Recent research is revealing a great deal about how changes in educational practices and policies can revamp classrooms and schools to close the achievement gaps and promote excellence in learning for all students. This working paper examines best practices that shift classroom management's emphasis from controlling students' behavior to creating…

Despite a growing trend toward retention in grade of low-achieving students and apparent public support for the practice, many educators and psychologists disagree with the perception that flunking is an appropriate response to poor academic performance. Research reported in the past two decades indicates that grade-level retention produces little…

A discussion of the literature on cooperative learning and demographic trends in American education focuses on factors contributing to academic achievement in an increasingly multicultural school population. Research suggests that cooperative learning groups achieve only in the presence of two essential conditions: group goals and individual…

This report investigates low academic achievement and high dropout rates among Hispanic female students in San Diego (California) City Schools. The study examines factors contributing to the academic success of high achieving Hispanic female students and looks at causes of lower achievement among other Hispanic females. It also identifies…

This paper discusses the modern American junior high and middle school from the perspectives of an interested observer, the educational researcher, and the students themselves. Discussed briefly are three factors that place junior high/middle school education in a unique context--the developmental stage of the students who are served, the…

Based on theory and previous research done on the factors that affect student ratings of college instruction, it seems clear that different types of students prefer different types of instructors. The type is apparently a function of naturally occurring needs in the students' personalities and naturally occurring teacher behaviors which student…

Research which has investigated factors affecting pupils' attitudes toward school subjects is reviewed, examining descriptive, correlational, and experimental research on students' attitudes toward several different school subjects at various grade levels. Although many weaknesses exist in the methodology and theoretical basis of much of the…

Adults may seek out learning at different times in their lives, for different reasons, and for vastly different purposes. Some of the reasons are to achieve pre-determined goals; to fill education gaps; to explore options and make choices; to develop personally; to perform a job or role better; or to enhance employment prospects. Learning itself…

Describes a blending of Glasser's Choice Theory/Reality Therapy with transition and pragmatic language theories to establish a process that speech/language pathologists may use in managing and implementing transition services. A rationale and blended model is provided, and sample Individualized Education Program objectives are given. (Author/CR)

Explains nondirective or pupil-centered teaching, an alternative to traditional education in the Soviet Union. Uses Vygotsky's area of proximal development to envision teaching methods that anticipate and promote higher development levels. Stresses humanistic approach, involving students and responding to individual needs. Also proposes in-depth…

The purpose of this report is to determine the feasibility of and need for a series of social indicator reports on the status of women and disadvantaged minorities in education, as students, teachers, and administrators. Further, it addresses questions concerning the form, issues to be covered, and data that should be used if such reports are…

The two essays in this report were presented at a colloquium on behavior variables related to citizenship education. The first essay, "Political Socialization and Citizen Competencies," by Byron G. Massialas, reviews behavioral science research as related to citizenship education and identifies the most significant findings in the field.…

This chapter discusses the development of achievement motivation during adolescence from the perspective of expectancy-value theory, and explains how adolescents' expectancies for success and achievement values change during adolescence, particularly during educational transitions such as that from elementary to middle school and from middle to…

Indepth research on Chinese students questions Western notions regarding motivation and memorization. Chinese educators believe creativity and understanding require much effort, repetition, and attention. Time on task and behavioral problems may be less relevant. Reform efforts using transplanted ideas must consider both societies' contexts.…