Describes a study of sixth and seventh grade students that investigated the effects of cooperative group composition, student ability, and learning accountability on achievement, interaction, and instructional efficiency during computer-based instruction. Pretests and posttests are described, data analysis is explained, and recommendations for…

Professional Development Schools (PDS) have become a widely used vehicle for the educational and professional development of both preservice and in-service teachers. Three key stakeholders are generally identified in the research about PDS--preservice teachers, experienced teachers, and K-12 students. The purpose of this research was to examine…

This is a study of two sixth-grade classes at Bayshore Middle School (Middletown, New Jersey) who were enrolled in a 7-week keyboarding class. The first class met from October 31 through December 23, 1994; the second class met from January 3 through March 1, 1995. The instruction of the first group was teacher directed, and the students typed from…

Results are summarized for the Austin, Texas, Independent School District (AISD) achievement testing program during the 1984-85 year. The data are presented to compare AISD results to national and urban averages. The performance of AISD students on other tests is presented, as well as two-year and six-year trends. Both percentile and grade…

There are a number of issues involved in the validation of measures of teacher effectiveness, that is, a teacher's ability to promote student learning. Teachers' characeristics may be assessed at five different points: (1) pre-existing teacher characteristics--knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are necessary for success in the teacher…

In the quest to improve public schools, an education in basic technological concepts and systems, or "technological literacy," has been viewed as an important part of a school curriculum (Dugger & Yung, 1995, pp. 7-8). Proponents of technology education have claimed that technological knowledge may be critical to the future needs of…

The Occupational Proficiency Training (OPT) Program was initiated to identify potential dropouts and place them in an alternative vocational education program. Remedial communication and mathematics classes were also included in the program's design. In the first year 21 ninth grade students 14 years of age and two years behind grade were…

This longitudinal study examined two groups of children, boys in one sample and girls in another, to assess whether programs such as Head Start and Follow Through produce lasting measureable effects. Low-income children were examined separately from middle-income children and, within the low-income sample, a separate analysis was made for…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two generative learning strategies, concept maps and manipulation of objects, and to determine if either works better with individual learners or in cooperative learning groups. A total of 80 sixth-grade students in science education were randomly assigned to group or individual…

Recent work in small-group computer-based training (CBT) reveals that the approach does not necessarily lead to higher achievement. Many of the studies, however, have methodological weaknesses. If proper guidance and structure can be provided to group members, using small group CBT should lead to higher achievement than individual CBT. (Contains…

A unit designed to cover the topic of genetic engineering and its ethical considerations is presented. Students are expected to learn the material while using a debate format. A list of objectives for the unit, the debate format, and the results from an opinion questionnaire are described. (KR)

Discusses the instructional effects of item organization and feedback density on posttest scores when using multiple-choice questions in computer-based instruction, based on two studies: one with third- and fourth-grade students, and one with eighth-grade low ability students classified as at risk. (27 references) (LRW)

A study funded by the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (Benson, Johnson, Taylor, Treat, Shinkareva, & Duncan, 2004) investigated the course structures and environments used for online career and technical education (CTE) courses and compared their effectiveness to equivalent campus-based courses in terms of the extent to…

A study investigated the extent to which students' inquiry skills can be facilitated through the use of a computerized science database (Birds of the Antarctica) and specially designed curriculum materials. Much attention was given in the program to developing both students' inquiry skills and their subject-matter knowledge. Grade 11 and 12…

This paper assesses the credibility of a single total instrument score and various logical sub-scores derived from a series of summative judgments about the quality of teaching performance. The objectives were to compare the generalizability of alternative Teacher Performance Assessment Instrument (TPAI) scores, to compare the dependability of…