Prior professional development studies have identified discrepancies between what teachers' report (espoused practices) and demonstrate (enacted practices) during classroom teaching. This has proven particularly evident in studies examining classroom implementation of standards-based practices such as learner-centered instruction. The authors…

Investigated middle school students' computer tool use in managing and manipulating Internet-based hypermedia resources, hypothesizing that tools would let students process hypermedia resources at higher levels to solve complex, open-ended questions. Tools alone did not help students manage hypermedia information for solving these problems.…

In order to study the effects of a year-long word processing program on holistic writing skills, seventh-grade students used a word processor three times per week to complete writing assignments while the control group used pen and paper. Writing samples taken upon completion of the treatment were analyzed. Results are discussed. (Author/MT)

The effects of systems-based mathematics instruction on students' mathematics achievement were studied over a two-year period. Students taught by that method for the full two years outscored those receiving one year of systems-based instruction, those previously taught by that method, and those taught exclusively by conventional methods.…

A study found that notetaking training affected sixth grade students' notetaking style but did not result in superior retention of aurally presented material. There were significant interactions between instruction in notetaking and the recording of notes, sex of student and notetaking, and notetaking and time. (Author/PP)

Results of a study of 117 eighth-grade math students suggest: mastery-based methods were more effective than non-mastery methods in improving lesson achievement; computer-based and traditional delivery systems are of greatest value when complementing each other; and student attitudes were only nominally affected by various treatments. (IAH)

This looks at studied the effects of cognitive and behavioral orienting activities and practice on learning of cued and uncued information by 54 ninth-grade students. Variables are orienting activity, student ability, content cueing, and practice. Results are presented. (Author/MT)

Research on varying the instructional locus of control between students and teachers indicates that individually-set goals were attained more often by students than those set by their teachers. Students who set their own goals also had better attitudes and higher evaluations. (CJ)

Study examined the impact of word processing on sixth graders' writing and revision skills. Students used pencil and paper or word processors, or both, to write and revise compositions. There were significant revision differences. Word processing students corrected more and made fewer errors. Overall writing quality did not differ significantly.…

Reports a study that examined the effects of conceptual orienting questions and differences in prior knowledge on factual learning and problem solving in biology. Tenth graders who participated in control or orienting questions groups completed posttests. Results indicated that question groups outscored the control group. (SM)

Describes study that compared the achievement of high and low ability eighth-grade students working cooperatively during computer-based instruction. Homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping based on ability are explained, posttest results are analyzed, and implications for instructional design are discussed. (23 references) (Author/LRW)