Follows up an earlier age cohort study done in the 1980s. Discovered that, although differences in achievement related to gender and socioeconomic factors remained consistent and generally increased over time, greater change was found in patterns of ethnic differences. Discusses possible explanations for the findings and implications for…

Presents four categories of motivational characteristics for science students: achievement, curiosity, conscientiousness, and sociability. Asserts that most students exhibit one or more of these traits. Discusses changing correlations among characteristics, gender, and grade level. (MJP)

Examines the background and implementation of a student research project exploring the decisions of 16-year olds to leave or stay in school. Offers a critique of the methods of student researchers focusing upon five main issues, organization, time, equity, research style, and clashing cultures. (MJP)

Reviews the current literature concerning the dichotomy between providing quality higher education and meeting the needs of foreign students. Discusses both the philosophical and logistical aspects of the dilemma. Concedes that Eurocentric concepts may exacerbate the problem but questions how that insight can be effectively incorporated into…

Investigates the influence of the teacher's presence/absence on primary children's group work in a World Studies class. Discovered that, although children generally remain on task, the teacher's presence resulted in improved quality and consistency. Includes tables of statistical and observational data, as well as excerpts from the students'…

Explores the changes wrought in subject discipline classroom cultures by the introduction of computers. Discovered different adaptations and approaches among the subject discipline cultures. Art, technology, and family studies adjusted easier than social studies. Social studies teachers often felt computer instruction stole time away from content…

This article presents an interview with Professor Ralph W. Tyler (a pioneer in the field of education and assessment) that lends some historical perspective to the current alternative assessment movement. After highlighting Tyler's contributions, the article provides six caveats on assessment, then reflects on Tyler's work. (SM)

This study assessed the extent to which teacher practical knowledge was student centered and practiced schoolwide in three high schools nationally recognized as pioneers in school restructuring. Teacher and student interviews indicated that the pedagogy practiced within the schools differed little from that of typical suburban and urban high…

This study examined the relationship of writing achievement and attitude toward writing and the relationship of grade level and gender to attitude toward writing among elementary students. Analysis of students' writing competence and attitudes toward writing indicated that grade level, gender, and attitude were good predictors of writing…

This study examined whether graphic organizer instruction would facilitate comprehension, recall, and information transfer, and how much explicit instruction was necessary for independent generation of graphic organizers. Fifth graders read social studies information with or without graphic organizers and explicit instruction. Explicitness and…

This study examined the impact of explanation seeking on the achievement and attitudes of students in grades 7-10 learning to solve correlational reasoning problems in a cooperative learning setting. Results provided little support for explanation seeking as an achievement strategy due to students' inability to recognize when they needed help and…

This study examined gender-related issues in four Canadian and Asian education systems based on algebra and geometry achievement data. Results suggested that each system affected the academic achievement of males and females in similar ways, although one gender might be affected more seriously than the other. (SM)

High school students enrolled in a French course learned vocabulary words under conditions of either massed or distributed practice. Though performance of the two groups was virtually identical immediately after completion of the study, the students who had learned the vocabulary by distributed practice did substantially better on a second test…

A meta-analysis of findings from 65 independent evaluations of school tutoring programs showed that these programs have positive effects on the academic performance and attitudes of both tutees and their student tutors. Tutored students outperformed control students on examinations and developed positive attitudes toward the subject matter…

Eight studies that explored the effects of vocabulary instruction on subsequent reading comprehension found an increase in work knowledge but only a few studies reported any reading comprehension improvement. Methodological and instructional differences across studies are examined in an attempt to account for the different results. (Author/PN)