This paper provides an example of how elementary school curriculum leaders can be mindful of student intelligences and can utilize the strengths of their student populations. It presents the findings from a national study that examined how 17 schools using a curriculum based on Multiple Intelligences Theory improved the self-concept and positive…

The Stephens-Delys Reinforcement Contingency Interview was administered to 78 subjects, 6.5 years to 7.5 years, who were enrolled in "traditional" or "open" educational programs. Scores are categorized by sex, race, economic level, and educational program, and treated by analysis of variance. (Author/PN)

Evaluation policies of constituents, clergy, lay educators and religious educators were analyzed using judgment analysis techniques. A large metropolitan archdiocesan school system was rated by 674 subjects. Only one policy was found, and factor analysis assisted in describing that policy. A strong traditional orientation toward school was…

Analyzes the effects of mandated innovations (away from the traditional purely academic curriculum) in Belgian high schools on the rate of educational democratization and on student study commitment. (Author/BE)

Examined effects of schooling on a geometric misconception by comparing the performance of Israeli students attending ultraorthodox schools with that of peers attending mainstream schools. Found that mainstream students did better on the misconception task, but the advantage of the mainstream students was limited to mathematics. Factors of both…

Reports a study that examined the use of phonics instruction in fundamentalist Christian schools. Interviews with Christian educators and professionals at conferences indicated that support for phonics (because it is felt to be more traditional and to work) and distrust of the whole language approach is common among Christian educators. (SM)

Distance educators need to forge new partnerships with the traditional university and collaborate in creating new systems, academic course software, and supporting networks for information transmission. (Author/AEF)

Proposes a typology of reform within the public education system so that reforms can be characterized as conservative, liberal, or radical, depending on the degree to which they cause the traditional standards of public schools to change. The model is applied to educational reform in Chicago (Illinois) public schools. (SLD)

A longstanding debate in education pits advocates of liberal curricula against advocates of "back-to-basics," fundamental education. The study described in this publication examined the long term results of a fundamental elementary school that began operating in August 1978 with 347 students. During the 1989-90 school year, the first…

This paper explores three research issues on adolescent development using an elaborated effects model: (1) Are there consistent sex main effects on a variety of student outcomes? (2) What are the relative influences of family status, family processes, school processes, and individual ability on academic and nonacademic behavior of males and…

The purpose of this study is to determine whether locus of control scores for students in "open" programs changed significantly over a one-year period and whether there was any change different from change experienced by students in a "traditional" program. The lack of significant group main effects indicated that students in the open programs did…

Considerable research has focused on comparative studies of open and traditional classrooms which have used standardized test scores as well as measurements of self-perception, creativity, adjustment to school, classroom structure, and teacher control. This paper briefly reviews some of these research findings and discusses the implications of…

Although the literature abounds with speculation about open education, there are few experimental studies designed to test its effects. This research compared an open education program with a traditional program at the middle school level. Subjects were randomly assigned to comparison groups. Dependent measures included a self-concept scale, a…

This report describes work done on the project, "Individual Characteristics and Children's Performance in Varied Educational Settings," up to June 30, 1974. This research addresses two issues: the interaction of individual student characteristics with aspects of educational environments, and the relative educational benefits of…

New patterns of organization are required to make openspace work in order to achieve the individual learning goals of students working at their own level, seeking information independently, and interacting freely with other students when required. A comparison of the traditional classroom with what is happening in the more "open" openrooms reveals…