Examined the correlates of within school socioeconomic gaps in academic achievement corresponding to subject areas across schools using data for 6,883 students from 148 New Brunswick, Canada, schools. Results show that within-school socioeconomic gaps were similar between reading and writing as well as between mathematics and science.…

Studied correlates of academic performance across mathematics, science, reading, and writing for 6,883 Canadian students in grade 6 in 148 schools (the New Brunswick School Climate Study). Results show that students were differentially successful in different subject areas, that schools were differentially successful in different subject areas,…

This cross-cultural study tests a model of motivation on children's learning. Participating in the study are 805 Chinese students and 740 Canadian students. Students answered survey questions related to their perceptions of parents and teachers as well as their motivation orientations and the perceived level of control in learning; their homeroom…

This bulletin provides general information about the achievement testing program and specific information about the design, the composition, and the scoring of the Grade 6 Science Achievement Test in Alberta. Contents included are: (1) "General Information," describing the purpose, nature, and administration of the program; (2)…

A two-year study in Alberta on the effects of classroom lighting found that elementary school students exposed to full-spectrum lighting with measurable ultraviolet output had fewer dental caries, larger gains in height and weight, larger gains in achievement, and better attendance. Students exposed to high-pressure sodium vapor lamps had the…

Presented academically low-, average-, and high-achieving fifth graders with information about animals and assigned students to one of three strategy conditions: elaborative interrogation (EI), repetition, or provided elaboration. Average- and high-achieving EI group students outperformed repetition group students on a test of their memory of the…

Used hierarchical linear modeling with data from the New Brunswick School Climate Study (Canada) to examine student background, school context, and school climate effects on Grade 6 student achievement in mathematics, science, reading, and writing. Gender, socioeconomic status, and Native ethnicity were significant predictors of academic…

Eighty fourth-graders enrolled in an English/French bilingual program in Canada were administered an auditory skills battery of six tests to measure auditory discrimination and short-term auditory memory. It was concluded that a relationship exists between certain auditory perceptual abilities and school achievement independent of cognitive…

Test components and results of the Grade 6 Social Studies Achievement Tests in Alberta, Canada administered to 28,566 students are described in this booklet. All questions were drawn from three prescribed topics: Topic A--"How People in Earlier Times Met Their Needs"; Topic B--"How People in Eastern Societies Meet Their Needs…

Compared smoking rates among 1,428 Canadian children in grade six in 1975 or 1978 and examined variables related to smoking. Results indicated peer smoking and attitudes toward cigarettes were significant predictors both years. Academic achievement and aspirations entered the 1975 model while smoking exposure variables entered the 1978 model. (JAC)

Investigated sex-related differences in science achievement from a science assessment project in British Columbia. Findings (obtained from students in grades 4, 8, and 12) confirm earlier findings that boys outscore girls on items testing understanding and application of scientific knowledge. No sex-related differences on process skills were…

The performance-based assessment was developed to assess students' higher order thinking skills in real-life problem-solving situations in Alberta, Canada. These tasks assess aspects of science that cannot be measured easily by regular paper and pencil tests. The purpose of this document is to provide teachers, administrators, students, and…

Thirty teachers and 718 students in grades 4, 5, and 6 in Edmonton, Alberta participated in a study to determine the value of simultaneous one-way television and group telephone conferencing (compared to conventional instruction) for teaching LANDSAT imagery. Results indicate that: (1) a 5-hour instruction period is sufficient to train elementary…

This report describes a 2-year study of the effects of various lighting systems on elementary school students' dental health, attendance, growth and development, vision, and academic achievement. The four light types used were: (1) full spectrum fluorescent; (2) full spectrum fluorescent with ultraviolet light supplements; (3) cool white…

A Canadian study examined the feasibility of establishing achievement criteria for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students based on their age and length of residence (LOR) in Canada. Such criteria would permit comparisons between the academic and linguistic development of ESL students and that of both Canadian-born, English-speaking students…