This article examines the persistent gaps in academic achievement among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The magnitude of the gaps is documented and potential causes summarized. One of the causes, and potential solution, is social capital. Research documenting the strong correlations between social capital and academic…

The purpose of this study was to investigate three types of academic advisement used in computer based instruction (CBI) with learner controlled conditions and their effects when used among learners of varying locus of control orientation. There were three advisement treatments: (1) adaptive, which gives information related to the amount of…

Concerned with a high failure rate in computer programming courses, two studies were undertaken to discover if two individual cognitive styles--"analytic" (formal thought) and "heuristic" (concrete or pre-operational thought)--were predictors of performance in a beginning computer programming course. To appropriately measure…

During Summer 1986, the Division of Special Education of the New York City Board of Education operated a Chapter 1 Summer Program, Reading and Math with Athletics, which served a total of 1,625 students at 13 sites for six weeks. Students received morning instruction: one period per day each in reading, mathematics, and in athletic and…

Historical regression uses the assumption that without intervention, growth at post-test will proceed at the same rate as at pre-test. Several methods of historical regression are compared with an illustrative example. (JKS)

This article lists psychometric problems encountered when measuring change in achievement by improved test scores as is done in performance contracting. Examined are: regression toward the mean, reliability of gain scores, the nature of grade norms, and test content as representation of educational objectives. (SB)

Hypotheses from self-efficacy theory in the area of children's arithmetic achievement were tested. It was hypothesized that compared with didactic instruction, cognitive modeling would result in higher arithmetic achievement, self-efficacy, and accuracy of self-appraisal. (Author/GK)

Investigated the effects and efficiency of mandatory and optional note taking by undergraduate students (n=81) during computer-based instruction. The required note takers entered notes on every screen of the HyperCard lesson; this group scored significantly higher on the post-test and took significantly longer to complete the instruction than did…

Ninety preservice teachers completed the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), a diagnostic inventory of 10 scales, before and after an educational psychology course that included learning strategies instruction. By course completion, student LASSI mean scores improved on six scales but continued to show a need for remediation. Scores…

Presents study which extends the analysis of economic understanding and attitudes of high school students using a national data set of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL). Using matched pre- and posttest scores, the study investigated factors that explained level of posttest economic achievement or attitudes and analyzed reasons for gains in…

Fifth and sixth grade children were assigned to three pretesting conditions: a full-length pretest, an adaptive pretest that exited learners when nonmastery was indicated, and a no pretest control. Learners in the adaptive treatment demonstrated higher levels of performance on the posttest and had greater motivation to continue the instruction.…

Educational psychologists find that prior knowledge influences new learning. We examined whether course achievement for introductory psychology students is facilitated or impaired by their prior knowledge of psychology. We administered a pretest exam to 422 students early in the semester and gathered subsequent exam scores and other measures of…

There is a host of research examining the equivalence of alternative modes of technology-facilitated educational delivery (such as computer-based or online instruction) and traditional classroom instruction. While various studies have promoted each of these modalities for specific populations or topic areas, the bulk of research supports relative…

Background: Children who have poor vocabulary knowledge are at risk of wider language weaknesses and reading comprehension difficulties, which will impact upon their educational achievement. The central question addressed in this paper is how best to teach new vocabulary items to these children. Aims: To investigate the effects of two different…

This study assessed the effects of varying degrees of elaboration in a prose format using computer-assisted instruction (CAI) with accompanying slides on posttest scores of college age learners. Four instructional treatments were used: control, embedded questions (TR1), computer generated feedback (TR2), and computer generated feedback with a…