Two open plan elementary schools were chosen together with the two traditional schools that most matched in size, location, and socioeconomic backgrounds of pupils; and standardized tests of curiosity and creativity were administered to students in grades 2 and 5. The results of the analyses show that some differences exist on a few of the tests…

Traditional-classical programs, individualized instruction, differentiated staffing, flexible-modular scheduling are all programs and ideas much discussed in the field of education today. However, science instruction is still in the logarithmic phase of change. Curricular and instructional styles alter so rapidly that often reference points are…

The primary focus of this study was on differences in satisfaction with school between seventh grade students enrolled in the two junior high schools. One junior high school had made major modifications in its environment, the other maintained a more standard approach to education. A second focus was to investigate the relationship between these…

Academic anxiety, person/group relations, and subject satisfaction were investigated in three secondary schools in various stages of curriculum reform: a traditional school, a school in which a short-course elective program was being implemented, and a school in which such a program was fully implemented. Attitude measures were completed by 482…

Word recognition, factual recall, and inferential comprehension skills of 30 fifth-year students who had been in an open education classroom for four years were compared with similar skills of fifth-year pupils who had been in a traditional classroom for four years. Pupils had been placed in an open or traditional classroom by parental choice, but…

Traditional measures of academic performance, attitudes, expectations, self-esteem, and learning transfer were compared at formal and informal schools. Informal school students showed more positive attitudes toward school and teachers and greater transfer of training of learning to nonschool settings. No differences were found for academic…

Through this report, the Coalition for Community Schools, an alliance of more than 160 national, state, and local organizations, makes the case that community schools offer a practical and effective strategy for educating all children to their full potential. It outlines the advantages of community schools and the conditions for learning that…

This paper provides an example of how elementary school curriculum leaders can be mindful of student intelligences and can utilize the strengths of their student populations. It presents the findings from a national study that examined how 17 schools using a curriculum based on Multiple Intelligences Theory improved the self-concept and positive…

The Stephens-Delys Reinforcement Contingency Interview was administered to 78 subjects, 6.5 years to 7.5 years, who were enrolled in "traditional" or "open" educational programs. Scores are categorized by sex, race, economic level, and educational program, and treated by analysis of variance. (Author/PN)

Evaluation policies of constituents, clergy, lay educators and religious educators were analyzed using judgment analysis techniques. A large metropolitan archdiocesan school system was rated by 674 subjects. Only one policy was found, and factor analysis assisted in describing that policy. A strong traditional orientation toward school was…

Analyzes the effects of mandated innovations (away from the traditional purely academic curriculum) in Belgian high schools on the rate of educational democratization and on student study commitment. (Author/BE)

Examined effects of schooling on a geometric misconception by comparing the performance of Israeli students attending ultraorthodox schools with that of peers attending mainstream schools. Found that mainstream students did better on the misconception task, but the advantage of the mainstream students was limited to mathematics. Factors of both…

Reports a study that examined the use of phonics instruction in fundamentalist Christian schools. Interviews with Christian educators and professionals at conferences indicated that support for phonics (because it is felt to be more traditional and to work) and distrust of the whole language approach is common among Christian educators. (SM)

Distance educators need to forge new partnerships with the traditional university and collaborate in creating new systems, academic course software, and supporting networks for information transmission. (Author/AEF)

Proposes a typology of reform within the public education system so that reforms can be characterized as conservative, liberal, or radical, depending on the degree to which they cause the traditional standards of public schools to change. The model is applied to educational reform in Chicago (Illinois) public schools. (SLD)