Bill Snider

The Impact of Group Processing on Achievement in Cooperative Learning Groups.

Abstract The impact on achievement of (a) cooperative learning, in which members discussed how well their group was functioning and how they could improve its effectiveness, (b) cooperative learning without any group processing, and (c) individualistic learning were compared on daily achievement, postinstructional achievement, and retention. Third-grade American students (N = 84) were randomly assigned to the three conditions, stratifying for sex and ability level. The results indicate that the high-, medium-, and low-achieving students in the cooperation with group processing condition achieved higher on all three measures than did the students in the other two conditions. Students in the cooperation without group processing condition achieved higher on all three measures than did the students in the individualistic condition.

The effect of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences on positive and negative cross-handicap relationships

Abstract The effects of cooperative and individualistic learning contingencies on interpersonal attraction, social acceptability, and self-esteem between handicapped and nonhandicapped fourth-grade students were tracked and compared. Sixty-nine students were assigned to conditions on a stratified random basis controlling for handicap, sex, and age. They participated in the study for 45 min a day for 54 instructional days during science class. Nonhandicapped peer ratings of the social acceptability of each handicapped student and several attitude measures were obtained four separate times at 18-day intervals. The results indicate that continued use of cooperative learning contingencies promote positive growth in interpersonal attraction, social acceptability, and self-esteem between handicapped and nonhandicapped students. The results also indicate that when cooperative learning contingencies are replaced with individualized learning contingencies, decay in the above-mentioned variables occurs.

An Analysis of Accidents at A Day-Care-Center

An analysis of 1324 accidents over a 42-month period at a university day care center revealed that toddlers had the highest average number of injuries, most of them self-induced, that accidents peaked in mid-morning, and that September was the month with the highest accident rate. Although accidents were frequent, injuries were minor. Results are contrasted to those of earlier studies.

The Participation of Retarded Children in Junior High Academic and Nonacademic Regular Classes.

A sociometric instrument was administered in 30 regular junior high classes to measure various aspects of the acceptance of 23 educable mentally retarded special class students participating in these classes with 1,010 nonretarded students. The retarded were found to be (a) significantly less accepted than the nonretarded, (b) equally low in the social structure of both the academic and nonacademic classes in which they participated, and (c) seemingly unaware of their low social position in regular classes. Their level of acceptance in the special class was positively related to their degree of acceptance in regular classes. A discussion of implications for educational placement and areas in need of further study concludes the article.

Variables Related to the Decision of Young Adults with Learning Disabilities to Participate in Postsecondary Education

This article examines the relationship between specific factors and the decision to participate in postsecondary education by young adults with learning disabilities. Data concerning 539 subjects with learning disabilities were included in this study. T test and chi square indicated that involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school, use of community resources, intelligence quotient, and reading and mathematics grade equivalent scores were important factors that differentiated between subjects choosing to participate or not to participate in postsecondary education during the year after high school. Implications and recommendations for secondary school curriculum are discussed.

Elementary school principals assess services of school psychologists nationwide

Abstract A one-page questionnaire was sent to 400 elementary school principals nationwide to assess their opinions regarding services of the school psychologist. These elementary school principals indicated that the school psychologist was found to be most helpful when providing the traditional services of psychological testing, personality and emotional assessment, consultation, and screening. Changes in school psychological services desired by the elementary school principals were more time from the school psychologist and an increase in individual and group counseling, preventive mental health, and inservice training. If elementary principal opinion is to be regarded, gross alterations to existing services of the school psychologist are not indicated by the results of this study.

Is day care safe for children? Accident records reviewed

Accident records for 133 normal children, aged two months to under six years, attending a well‐supervised day care center were reviewed. Eighty children were involved in 488 accidents (range = 1 ‐19, mode = 1). Sex differences were not statistically significant, although more boys were accident repeaters. Only six injuries(1%) required physician referral even though 73% involved the head. Washing, ice or Tender Loving Care were sufficient treatment for 96% of the injuries. Despite numerous accidents, serious injury was very rare, and day care, indeed, seemed safe.

The Effect of a Program of Guided Learning Experiences in Developing Probability Concepts at the Third Grade Level

IN THE development of a scientific-causal or iI entation by a child toward his environment both J physical and social the ability to think in proba bility terms plays a significant part. In any com plex phenomenon, such as an instance of human be havior, the factors which underlie and produce the behavior are manifold. Furthermore, information about these factors, as is the case with all empiri cal knowledge of the social and physical world, is characterized by greater or lesser unreliability and this characteristic has to be recognized when using knowledge to estimate the probable way in which the behavior developed or what its effects may be. When a child is confronted with an instance of be havior, such as when his teacher does something and he has to respond to it, a logical reaction would require him to think of some of the probable rea sons for the teachers action instead ofmaking a snap judgment about it. There is some evidence that childrens understanding and appreciation of the dynamics of behavior can be extended through a learning program in behavioral science and that such experiences help them in their daily interac tions (10, 12, 13). In developing an understanding of behavior, how ever, the concept of probability constitutes an im portant item. To increase the effectiveness of such programs, it appears helpful to investigate further how the ability to think in probability terms can be developed most effectively. The purpose of this study was to devise a program of guided experi ences for helping a child learn the elementary as pects of probability and to test the effectiveness of this program at the third-grade level. In recent years a number of investigators have been interested in probability concepts of children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). Most of these have been concerned with the effects of extrin sic rewards on reactions at various input levels (2, 6, 8, 15, 16, 19). The investigation by Stevenson and Zigler (18) compared behavior of children com ing from two types of environments which differed in the degree of success the children had learned to expect. The present investigation differs from these in that it is interested in testing the effects of a con sciously planned sequence of guided experiences de rived from an analysis of the nature of the learning task and of the learners, as will be described later.

Variables Related to the Type of Postsecondary Education Experience Chosen by Young Adults with Learning Disabilities

This article examines selected variables related to the type of postsecondary education experience chosen by young adults with learning disabilities (N=225). A oneway analysis of variance was utilized to identify significant differences between groups participating in alternative postsecondary education experiences. Variables related to use of community resources, community mobility, participation in vocational education while in high school, autonomy, peer influence, and gender were found to be significant factors that differentiate among groups. Recommendations for further research are discussed.

EFFECTS OF GUIDED LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN DEVELOPING PROBABILITY CONCEPTS AT THE FIFTH GRADE LEVEL

A program of learning experiences designed to develop an understanding of selected probability concepts was administered to fifth grade Ss. An equated control group viewed two films which did not deal with probability concepts. Four post-tests were used. Results indicated significant differences in favor of the experimental Ss, including a test of “maximizing success” when prior knowledge as to input level was not available and no extraneous rewards were used.