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This study investigated the developmental acquisition of cognitive structures, which influence the encoding and retrieval of story information. Examined were the between and within group differences among young children in the acquisition of story schema and in the processing of story information. A series of four experimental tasks were administered individually at the start of the academic year and again at the end to each of the 156 four, five, six and seven year olds in the sample. Tasks chosen were selected on the basis of research suggesting their viability as measures of schema acquisition and related processing. Specifically, they assessed: metacognitive knowledge of story structure; detection of structural deviation; recognition and retrieval of missing information; and inferring between and within episodic relationships. In a fifth task, first and second graders wrote two stories in the spring of the year based on picture stimuli. In addition, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was administered to each subject in the fall of the year. The first two hypotheses predicted significant between group differences at the fall administration of the tasks and significant within group gains over the course of the year. In general, findings supported these hypotheses (p <.05). The third hypothesis predicted that fall performance on tasks one through four would account for a significant amount of the variance in reading growth over the year. This hypothesis was supported for the first graders relative to tasks one, two, and three (p<.10). For these subjects, level of structural complexity present in written stories was significantly different for good versus poor readers (p<.05). For second grade subjects, performance on task four was shown to contribute a significant amount of the variance in reading growth (p<.07). In general, correlations between performance on the tasks and IQ were low. Findings from task one suggest that young children acquire the concept of a story in the same developmental manner that other concepts and knowledge structures are believed to be acquired. Children's performance on the experimental tasks two, three and four suggest age related differences in monitoring, recognition, reconstruction and retrieval operations on story information. However, improvement in the ability to deal with story information does not appear to be attributable to the developmental acquisition of schemata but rather to its increased accessibility, engagement, and efficiency as a processing and production mechanism. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interpretation of numerical data when presented in four different graphic formats to different age groups and sexes. Fifth and sixth grade students (N=129) and eleventh and twelfth grade students (N=129) were assigned to four treatment groups. Each group viewed a different treatment slide with the same data displayed in one of four formats: table, line, Iine·tabIe, or bar. After a narrative introduction, the students, while viewing the treatment graph, were asked to answer three types of questions: specific amount, static, and dynamic comparison. The students were then asked to continue viewing the graph for one full minute. After the minute elapsed, the projector was turned off and the students were asked to answer questions concerning the data presented on the graph. A 4 (Graph Type) X 2 (Age) X 2 (Gender) multivariate analysis of l variance (MANOVA) with repeated measures for the four types of questions was implemented to determine the relations among graph type, age, gender, and four types of questions. The independent variables were type of graph (between), age (between), gender (between), and type of question (within). The dependent variable was the interpretation of quantitative information as measured by the test questions. The findings indicated that graphic format, age, and gender did affect the ability to interpret numerical data. The analysis demonstrated several statistically significant interaction effects: age and type of questions, graph and type of questions, and graph, age and type of questions. High-school students scored higher than elementary-school children on all four questions. Table graphs were effective for answering amount and static questions. As the questions became more complex, such as in a dynamic question, the table graph was one of the least effective means of graphic communication. For recall, the line-table format and line format were the most effective graphs. Age and gender differences emerged for particular graphs. Findings were discussed with regard to cognitive development implications. / Ed. D.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of retrieval on memory for prose in second-graders and adults. Specifically, this study assessed the effects of retrieving an interleaved story in canonical form on the subsequent retrieval of that story in its originally presented interleaved form. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of five conditions. The critical comparisons were between the invalidation condition and its control condition. In the invalidation condition, the experimenter said that the initial instructions to recall the story were incorrect and that the subjects should now recall the story exactly as presented. Subjects in the control condition were asked to recall the story exactly as presented after recalling the story canonically. The results indicated that the nature of recall was greatly influenced by the demands of the retrieval task. Second-graders and adults made more theme-irrelevant elaborations in the invalidation condition than in the control condition. Second-graders' recall protocol was more congruent with the most recent recall instructions when their former recall instructions were invalidated than in the control condition. In contrast, adults' recall protocol was congruent with the most recent recall instructions whether or not their initial recall instructions were invalidated. Congruence was measured by episode clustering (ARC) and by input-output Spearman Rank Order Correlation. These findings suggest that conditions at retrieval and not at encoding appear to determine what form recall will take. Further, the findings of this study suggest that second-graders are more likely to internalize experimenter provided retrieval plans than are adults and are more likely to abandon these retrieval plans when provided with negative evidence for their internalized plan. Schmidt and Schmidt (in preparation) have recently argued that recall is influenced by a retrieval plan and that one of the sources through which a retrieval plan can be generated is through the retrieval context. They also argue that the retrieval context should have its most powerful impact when limited or inappropriate retrieval plans are available to the subject. The differences between second-graders and adults reported here serve to support this view. / Ph. D.

Research findings emphasize the need for programs for the gifted reader, particularly the need to determine which methods or programs best benefit the gifted student. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the Junior Great Books (JGB) literature program on reading comprehension achievement of gifted fifth grade students due to the factors of a) discussion/non-discussion and b) levels of students' experience in the JGB program. This study was replicated to determine if similar results in reading comprehension achievement occurred by using different JGB stories. In addition, the study explored methodological issues of cross-level inferences to determine if different results were obtained when applying the General Linear Model to individual-level and aggregate-level data. The research was experimental in design. Seventy-eight fifth grade gifted students were randomly assigned to eight groups in two schools, four treatment groups with discussion and four control groups without discussion. Students in one school had no prior JGB experience; students in the other school had a range of one to three years JGB experience. Two different JGB literature stories, randomly selected, were read by all groups. Reading comprehension was measured, pre and post, by an instrument that emerged from the JGB stories using the cloze procedure. Additional data to measure students' achievement in the form of responses to openended questions about the JGB literature stories were collected. Observations of groups featuring discussions/non-discussions were taped and rated to determine whether appropriate formats were followed by the leaders. Individual-level data and aggregate—level data were analyzed using a two—way ANOVA with nesting using the General Linear Model of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). lt was found, and supported by study replication, that there were no significant differences between those fifth grade gifted students who participated in the JGB s program with discussion and those who did not. Nor were there differences due to level of experience in the JGB program. Similar results were obtained when applying the General Linear Model to individual—level and aggregate-level data. Further investigation of the JGB program and related methods and procedures involved in the study were suggested. / Ph. D.

According to the current literature, dysfunctional social behavior in children is purported to be strongly related to adult behavior problems. Hersen and Bellack (1977) reported that deficits in children's social skills are generally the result of "a deficient learning history, wherein the necessary responses never became a viable part of an individual's repertoire, or the result of the disruptive effects of anxiety that inhibit behavior" (p. 510). Thus, social skills training usually consists of a behavioral-acquisition procedure designed to provide the necessary skills repertoire, promote more skillful response alternatives, and reduce social anxiety. Based on social learning theory (Rotter, 1972) and Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy, individuals who display dysfunctional social behavior in a given situation may be handicapped by perceived inefficacy, rather than, or in addition to, a lack of appropriate social knowledge of social skill. To date, no research has examined the relative roles of self-efficacy and children's self-efficacy appraisal in producing social skill deficits in either aggressive or withdrawn children. The purpose of the present research was two-fold: (l) to assess and investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, self-efficacy appraisal skills, and social behavior, and (2) to examine the relative effectiveness of a social skills training group, a social skills plus efficacy appraisal group, and a discussion group in remediating social skill deficits in children judged to exhibit aggressive and withdrawn behaviors in the classroom and on the playground. In general, the results of the current research failed to support the experimental hypotheses. Nevertheless, posttreatment changes in efficacy appraisal and self-efficacy were obtained, and some differential effects of treatment attributable to status of subject were reported. Unfortunately, however, post-treatment changes on measures of efficacy appraisal and self-efficacy did not generalize to produce subsequent changes in social behavior. Several alternative explanations for these results are discussed. / Ph. D.

This study has examined the effectiveness of a neuropsychologically based learning programme aimed at enhancing the seJt:.actualisation of learners. The aim of the programme is to create awareness of one's unique purpose in life. The need for motivation, commitment and determination must he realised. llolistic thinking is an important concept throughout the programme, in that it is aimed at unlocking latent potential through the encouragement of lateral thinking. The awareness of underlying potential enhances the realisation of each Ieamer's uniqueness and individual contributions to society, and facilitates awareness of the need to accept responsibility for one's own future. 'Ibis failure to fully utilise the potential of the brain has implications for education. A teacher who is made aware ofthe huge untapped storage ofhuman brain potential could be trained to disclose a learner's unused abilities, through adjusted education, thus infonning learners of the intrinsic abilities oftheir brains. / Educational studies / M.Ed.

This study has examined the effectiveness of a neuropsychologically based learning programme aimed at enhancing the seJt:.actualisation of learners. The aim of the programme is to create awareness of one's unique purpose in life. The need for motivation, commitment and determination must he realised. llolistic thinking is an important concept throughout the programme, in that it is aimed at unlocking latent potential through the encouragement of lateral thinking. The awareness of underlying potential enhances the realisation of each Ieamer's uniqueness and individual contributions to society, and facilitates awareness of the need to accept responsibility for one's own future. 'Ibis failure to fully utilise the potential of the brain has implications for education. A teacher who is made aware ofthe huge untapped storage ofhuman brain potential could be trained to disclose a learner's unused abilities, through adjusted education, thus infonning learners of the intrinsic abilities oftheir brains. / Educational studies / M.Ed.

The purpose of this project is to examine the power of play, guided discovery, and hands-on experiences in the early childhood classroom, specifically as it relates to early childhood science experience. This paper will also propose a science curriculum encompassing a hands-on, guided discovery, play-based approach.