College students were randomly assigned to eight groups defined by the possible combinations of teacher-vagueness conditions, teacher-mazes conditions, and additional-unexplained-content conditions. The groups whose lessons contained no teacher mazes performed better on the test than the groups whose lessons contained teacher mazes. (Author/MK)

The Mathematics Attitude Inventory, designed to measure the attitudes toward mathematics of secondary students, and its accompanying user's manual, are described. The six scales measure perception of mathematics teachers, value of mathematics, self-concept in mathematics, and anxiety toward, enjoyment of, and motivation in mathematics. (MK)

The purpose of this study was to identify potential sources of individual and group differences affecting formal thought, and to examine the relationship between the performance of college students on a specific formal operational task and their performance on other cognitive measures identified as possible sources of individual differences. (MK)

The investigation reported pursued the possibility of cross-cultural differences between American and Swiss children in terms of how they perceive and conceptualize spatial figures. There was statistical evidence that the preferences of American and Swiss children were different when compared as a whole or by sex and test version. (MK)

Ordering theory was used in two studies to empirically determine hierarchies of developmental precedence for Piaget's 16 logical combinations. In study 1, subjects (N=94) responded to statements about odd and even numbers; in study 2, 30 subjects responded to statements about line segments. Results are reported and discussed. (Author/JN)

Five preservice teachers' perceived sources of teaching decisions were studied as they proceeded through a secondary mathematics education methods course and through student teaching. Sources cited most often included methods course content, school textbooks, suggestions made during teaching episodes in the methods course, past teachers'…

Describes the van Hiele levels of reasoning in geometry according to responses to clinical interview tasks concerning triangles and quadrilaterals. Subjects were 13 students from grades 1 through 12 plus a university mathematics major. Students' behavior on tasks was consistent with the van Hiele original general description of the levels.…

Data were collected on mathematics achievement, spatial visualization ability, student attitudes, sex, parent attitudes, and student career interests of 1982 seventh- and eighth-grade students from 13 midwestern junior high schools. Parent attitudes and student career interests were significant predictors of mathematics achievement over and above…

Investigated long-term retention of mathematical concepts in a Keller plan course conducted without a final examination as compared to a conventional lecture course with a final examination. Results indicate greater long-term retention of concepts for students taking a traditional lecture course with final examination rather than the Keller plan…

The late 19th and early 20th centuries child-study movement called for the widespread "scientific" observation and study of children. Movement leaders sought to reform the public schools and to make them more child-centered. Music educators adopted some child-study principles, incorporating them in textbooks. Psychological literature on music…

The entrance of music into the antebellum common school was extremely important in shaping American musical culture. This early public school music is examined within the context of its musical heritage in New England's churches and the reform spirit of social thought in that era. (Author/RM)

Secondary and college musicians performed four diatonic intervals (major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, and major sixth) both melodically and harmonically. Results indicated no significant differences in overall intonation accuracy in relationship to performed ascending and descending directions or among the four test intervals. (Author/RM)

Both methods of instruction--the personalized system of instruction (PSI) and lecture-demonstration method--produced statistically significant changes in student achievement and in listening opinions. No significant differences occurred between the two methods. The experimental students gave a rating of slightly above average to the PSI method of…

In this study college band students expressed a preference for the musical selections that required the fewest timeout periods. Student offtask rates increased slightly as timeout frequency increased. No significant difference in offtask rates was evident between timeout periods of 15, 30, or 45 minutes duration. (Author/RM)

A naturalistic inquiry study of sixth grader's response to literature-based history was influenced by their "need to know," their desire to explore broader areas of human experience, the emotional impact of the historical narratives used and by the teacher's ability to encourage a critical analysis of multiple data sources in seeking historical…