This study investigated the effect of task difficulty, evaluation condition, and sex of subject on continuing motivation of fifth-graders. Results indicted higher return rates for teacher evaluation and for boys over girls. Boys returned to a challenging task more than girls did, whereas girls preferred the easier task. (Author/JAZ)

This study examined the differential influence of a traditional and a contemporary playground on preschool-age children's social, cognitive, and physical play behaviors. It appeared that the different playground settings had little influence on children's verbal interaction or social and cognitive play behaviors. Support for differences in…

Sources for thinking about and doing new paradigm research are reviewed. A variety of nontraditional approaches that address the role of subjectivity and consensus in research are discussed. The effect of personal and social processes on the researcher, including how one's construction of reality depends on the chosen methodology, is emphasized.…

A sample of education literature from four journals spanning ten years is reviewed to determine the extent to which race, social class, and gender tend to be treated as integrated issues. Little integration was found. The paper argues that attending only to one issue oversimplifies behavior analysis. (Author/JAZ)

The research literature on the effects of factual and higher order adjunct questions is reviewed. The influence of 13 design variables on the direction and size of adjunct-questions effects is investigated. It is indicated that higher order adjunct questions may have a more general facilitative effect. (Author/JAZ)

Based on data from 22 controlled studies, this article presents a meta-analysis of the effects of examiner familiarity on children's test performance. It was found that examiner familiarity raised scores especially when subjects were: (1) of low socioeconomic status; (2) tested on difficult tests; and (3) knew the examiner for a long duration.…

Argues that affective education is important and inevitable. Notes, however, that it does not seem to be an important topic in British and U.S. educational research. Discusses the difficulty in assessing any development in the affective domain and reviews several programs which attempt to do so. Concludes that if affective aims are important, they…

Examines the relationship between pre-school reading and reading achievement among 343 seven year-old students. Pre-school reading scores were significantly related to word matching ability, concepts about print, letter identification, word reading, and oral vocabulary. (RKM)

Considers some of the pros and cons of using group interviews in educational research. Illustrates some of these issues by examining a recent study in science education. (RKM)

Discusses the limitations of personal construct theory for research that investigates teachers' thinking. Argues that repertory grid studies, which are often a part of personal construct research, are inconsistent with personal construct theory. Outlines an approach more congruent with the personal construct method. (RKM)

Examines the characteristics of students showing signs of deficiency in their reading performance at 16+. Reports on a research study which concludes that reading failure at 16+ is related to the incidence of two or more adverse characteristics. Identifies and investigates some of these characteristics. (RKM)

Examines the movement in Britain toward mixed-sex grouping in physical education classes. Discusses several problems that mixed-sex grouping causes, such as how teaching should be approached, what activities are suitable for whom, and when and how students should be organized and assessed. Notes the negative impact mixed-sex grouping can have on…

Notes that problems of measurement in educational research are often addressed by using the terms validity and reliability. Discusses the meaning given to these terms and how they relate to the aims of the measurement process in educational research. (RKM)

A survey was made of 99 students at a large university to determine how prevalent 10 grading practices were and how these practices were evaluated by students. Recommendations to improve communication of grading standards to students are offered based upon survey results. (Author/MT)

This study was undertaken to determine whether afternoon reading instruction results in greater achievement for beginning readers than does morning instruction. One hundred first grade pupils participated in the study. Implications for practice and continued research are discussed. (Author/MT)