The study was conducted to determine the effects of experimentally-arranged success and failure experiences on the subsequent performance of learning tasks by educable mentally retarded (EMR) students. Subjects were 68 EMR intermediate grade children, divided into four groups. Prior to the learning task on each of 5 subsequent days, subjects in…

Four groups of gifted, underachieving students in intermediate grades were given different treatments for 6 months during the school year 1961-62. Results were based on 36 students, 10 in the human relations group, 11 in the academic group, 8 in the individually counselled group, and 7 in the control or maturation group. Following the treatment…

This study compared the system of presenting all spelling words at the beginning of the week and testing at the end of the week with a system of presenting a portion of the words each day and daily testing. Subjects were 13 fourth grade students. Results are discussed. (Author/MT)

This article evaluates five causal model of educational productivity applied to learning science in a sample of 882 fifth through eighth graders. Each model explores the relationship between achievement and a combination of eight constructs: home environment, peer group, media, ability, social environment, time on task, motivation, and…

Analyzes the effects of selected deletion patterns, blank conditions, and scoring modes on the cloze test performance of sixth-grade students. (FL)

Effects of goal setting on motor skill performance were studied with 93 fifth graders who were asked to set their own performance goals, given high but attainable teacher-set goals, or given a general goal (do your best). Specific goals set by student or teacher produced higher levels of performance. (JHZ)

Recent literature on motivation has documented that perceptions of self-competence and motivational orientations for learning are interrelated. This study focuses specifically on childrens perceptions of their scholastic abilities, how these perceptions develop and how they relate to intrinsic motivation for learning. The rationale for this study…

This paper describes the organizing and purpose of a conference on curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the middle grades that focused on higher achievement for all adolescents, especially those who are poor. The paper also contains a synthesis of the conference presentations and recommendations for policy and practice. Approximately 200…

This report contains the results from the first administration of the fourth and sixth grade science and social studies portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). As such, they are an important part of the state's efforts to educate all students to a higher level. Science and social studies data for grades 4 and 6 are summarized…

This study was a secondary analysis of data collected by staff of the Program for Complex Instruction (PCI). The purpose of the larger study was to investigate the effect on learning gains of having students know the content and performance standards on which they will be judged as well as the effect of using evaluation criteria. This study looks…

Describes a framework for moving from the general school effectiveness factors to specific practices and behaviors focusing on strong leadership by the principal. Outlines the general functions of instructional leadership, then narrows to one function, monitoring student progress, and derives specific principal behaviors. (MLF)

To determine whether cooperative learning methods could be used to replace traditional methods, the simultaneous use of three student team learning methods with fourth and fifth grade students was evaluated. This involved students working in teams to master academic materials. Positive outcomes resulted from intensive use of these methods.…

This study revealed (1) a negative relationship between behavior norms and performance for fourth and sixth graders, (2) negative personal assurance/performance relationships with fourth graders, (3) positive performance/acceptance relationships for fourth graders, and (4) no significant relationship between self-perceptions, peer acceptance, and…

Analyzes parental variables investigated in the Longitudinal Study of American Youth. Analysis revealed that not all parental variables investigated had significant relations to students' mathematics achievement at the seventh-grade level. Findings indicate that parent education and encouragement are strongly related to improved student…

How certain ability-related academic self-perceptions are organized in the self-systems of fifth graders was studied with 190 children who completed questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that children differentiate their ability-related perceptions in ways that current models of academic self-perceptions cannot account for fully.…