The NCTM Standards call for the introduction of challenging mathematics content for all students beginning in the early grades. If teachers are to guide students in their exploration of mathematics concepts, they must themselves have a firm grasp of powerful mathematics concepts. This paper uses data from the 1993 National Survey of Science and…

This commentary responds to a critique (EC 601 711) of a paper (EC 211 387) concerning use of cluster analysis to develop a taxonomy of lifestyles of families with severely mentally retarded children. The commentary considers the model to be useful in social science inquiry, and properly validated when using cluster analytic techniques. (JDD)

Literary case studies do not offer solutions to problems but allow readers to engage in life with other human beings and empathize, understand, and share responses with others. This involvement and willingness to admit human frailty and vulnerability provide a type of learning for prospective teachers not found in pedagogical textbooks. (five…

The relationship between visual stimulus intensity and directional finger movements was examined in infants of two age groups (16 infants, 10 to 15 weeks old, and 8 infants, 20 to 25 weeks old). Two hypotheses derived from Schneirla's Approach-Withdrawal Theory were examined: (1) that responses of the younger, but not of the older infants, would…

Four questions concerning the relationship between results of cloze test scores and individual reading ability are investigated: (1) Is there a relationship between the cloze results and individual reading ability? (2) Should cloze tests be written at mean grade level? (3) Which provides higher correlations--giving credit for exact responses only…

The authors, directors of the Chicago-based Pritzker Early Childhood Foundation, advocate "replication," the adaptation of a successful model program or practice to new locations or to new populations. Studies have shown that successful replications of early childhood programs that help at-risk children and their families can have long-term,…

In order to study the appropriateness of different structured classroom settings for children's learning and development, the Columbia Classroom has constructed IRIS (Involvement Ratings in Settings) and PRIN (the Pupil Role Interview). IRIS, a seven dimensional scale of affectivity by non-verbal indices, has been employed in two classrooms for…

The rising demand over the past 2 years for interactive radio instruction (IRI) in Papua New Guinea has been unexpected and has come primarily from educators who have seen the difference it can make in the classroom. This enthusiasm was unexpected because it was not clear at the end of the Papua New Guinea Radio Science Project in 1990 how…

Sought responses of teachers of 4- and 5-year-olds to the Foundation Stage of the English national curriculum. Found that teachers welcomed the Curriculum Guidance because the document acknowledged the value of play for young children's educational needs and endorsed their return to what they believed were sound educational practices. Found that…

Findings are presented from studies on the use of radio for teaching primary school children mathematics in Honduras and Bolivia and English as a Second Language in Lesotho. Interactive radio instruction (IRI) is so called because of the active participation of the students. Although lessons are presented by conventional radio, scripts are written…

Online delivery is becoming more widely used to enhance face-to-face provision within the higher education sector. What is the value of such supplementation in the learning process? This notion of value is explored through examination of the responses and online output of over 50 students involved in two third year units, each of which used online…

In response to findings from a study of community college students' motivations for studying a foreign language that indicated that many students cited "personal fulfillment," a second study was undertaken to determine factors that affected students' sense of fulfillment. Specifically, the study sought to determine the relationship between…

This manual is the response of a National Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) Prime Study Group to charges given to the group by the National IRI Planning Committee to develop a meaningful training and resource document on the multidisciplinary approach to vocational rehabilitation. The guide is organized in seven chapters that cover the…

Claims that in the conventional administration of the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) comprehension diagnosis is inordinately influenced by the reader's ability to recall information. Suggests that allowing reinspection by the reader restores recall to its proper function and may result in other advantages. (NH)

A study was conducted to determine the primary reasons that community college students enrolled in foreign language classes. Surveys were distributed to 61 students in 6 German and Spanish language classes at California's Chaffey Community College, requesting information on their motivation for enrolling in the class, level of satisfaction, and…