This article describes a pilot study that evaluated the efficacy of a computer-based, behavioral skill-building program in reducing aggression and improving academic performance among middle school students. The program is Ripple Effects'"Relate for Teens," a media rich, interactive application based on combining a proprietary learning…

This report describes a program for improving the retention of science concepts and motivation through the use of technology. The targeted population consisted of seventh grade students in a suburb of a large Midwestern city. The problem, due to lack of access to technology, was documented through student surveys, teacher observation, previous…

First Steps is a program instituted by the Western Australia Ministry of Education to improve the literacy and numeracy of primary school students, particularly those at risk of academic failure. First Steps is organized around reading, writing, spelling, and oral language; children's skills are organized along developmental continua. This study,…

A culturally and economically diverse group of 361 urban seventh graders rated their perceptions for liking and difficulty of core academic subjects and their attributions for mathematics test performance. Results suggest that boys and girls are not significantly different in their perceptions and in their attributions for lack of success. (SLD)

The development, school district implementation, and initial validation of the Wicat Skills Assessment Test--a computerized testing system for state assessment objectives--are described. Testing with 10,000 students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 began in Texas in 1986-87 and 1987-88. Results support the feasibility for districtwide computerized…

Discusses a study which examined whether the social skill of responding appropriately to teacher questions could be taught using repeated (daily) exposure to an interactive video-based modeled sequence, and whether the use of role-play would have additional positive effects on rates of appropriate responding. (AEF)

The relationships among attributional beliefs, self-perception of competence, knowledge, and reported use of learning and reading strategies were investigated with 104 fifth graders, 133 seventh graders, and 101 ninth graders with and without learning difficulties. Mediating effects of strategic learning and implications for instruction are…

Using survey and observational data on 74 2-parent families in a midwestern rural county, 4 important mechanisms are identified that link economic hardship to the aggressive behavior of adolescents. Economic pressure appears to affect the marital relationship, and consequently parenting, through the negativity of fathers. (SLD)

Reports on conceptual understanding and solution strategies for percent problems of (n=31) students representing 2 ability levels from grades 5, 7, 9, and 11. Strategies evolved from intuitive to formal and increased in diversity with increasing age. Appendix includes concept and computation interview questions. (Contains 15 references.) (MKR)

Relationships among student motivational orientation, self-regulated learning, and classroom academic performance were examined for 173 seventh graders. Results provide empirical evidence for considering motivational and self-regulated learning components in models of academic performance. Involvement in self-regulated learning is tied closely to…

The nine-factor productivity model of science achievement of H. J. Walberg (1981) was tested through structural equation modeling using national longitudinal data on middle-school seventh grade students' science achievement (n=3,116). The better fit provided by a revised model with eight factors is discussed, and implications for educational…

Investigation of the roles of pubertal timing and pubertal status on school achievement for 115 boys and 137 girls followed through grades 6, 7, and 8 indicates that late-maturing boys have the lowest school achievement, whereas late-maturing girls have the highest. Followups at grade 12 indicate few long-term effects. (SLD)

Two studies conducted with 244 academically gifted seventh graders and 1,996 high school students indicate that specific content knowledge taught during a short time does not increase Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, but that educational experience over 5 years does relate to development of abilities measured by the SAT. (SLD)

This study compared fitness outcomes of regular physical education (PE) programs to special PE programs that implemented a curricular module. Fifth and seventh graders who were exposed to the fitness module did not make significantly greater gains in selected fitness scores than students who participated in regular PE programs. (SM)

Summarizes a study that maintains that students who work together in small groups had a better understanding of map concepts. Discusses why making maps in groups can enhance students' conceptual geographic understanding and offers suggestions for improving geography instructions using small group configurations. Includes statistical and graphic…