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This article describes results of a reading comprehension intervention for students with adequate decoding but poor comprehension skills. Five teachers and 25 students in grades 3-5 from two rural public schools participated in this naturalistic experimental research study. Teachers met with identified students in a small group setting for 30 intervention sessions. The intervention involved explicit teaching and gradual release of instruction in three phases: metacognitive strategies, comprehension strategies, and peer-led discussions. To measure growth in reading comprehension, the Qualitative Reading Inventory-3 (Leslie & Caldwell, 2001) was administered as the pre- and posttest and analyzed through t-test comparisons. Interactive teaching is characterized by a dynamic flow of instruction with a powerful use of questioning used as a tool to assist students in understanding what they read. Recitative teaching is marked by static interactions that did not change across treatment intervention. Subsequently, the groups receiving the interactive instruction were compared to those receiving recitative instruction, and growth in reading comprehension for each group was compared. While all students gained in reading comprehension, students in the interactive teaching groups gained more in reading comprehension than those in the recitative teaching groups. Instructional implications of this research are presented and discussed, providing suggestions for teaching reading comprehension.

College students face a myriad of pressures and challenges in the academic environment as they seek to maintain optimal performance or even to remain in the academic program. In 2002, it was reported that more than 30% of first-year students did not return for their second year of college (Smith), and only 40% are reported to actually compete their degree and graduate (Newby, 2002). This information suggests that either due to problems with integration or other difficulties encountered in the social or academic culture of the institution, a significant proportion of college students fail to attain an acceptable level of academic achievement and ultimately withdraw (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991). The better we understand the factors that contribute to academic success, the greater the potential for positive and timely intervention to improve the chances of undergraduates earning adequate grades and successfully completing their higher educational experience. One of the factors shown to correlate with a successful academic career is that of the student's ability to delay gratification (Muraven, Baumeister, & Tice, 1999). This ability is contained in the personality trait of self-control. This study surveyed 304 undergraduates on a northeastern public college campus to address the question, "Do high academic performers differ from low academic performers in terms of their reported level of self-control?" The study found a significant difference between high and low academic performers in terms of their overall level of self-control, as well as significant differences in various other subdimensions of the self-control construct such as impulsivity, risk-seeking behavior, and a preference for physical activity. From an educational policy perspective, one implication of our findings is to offer administrators better information on how self-control (or the lack thereof) manifests itself in college students. Programs aimed at improving students' self-control, and ultimately academic performance, could focus on helping undergraduates recognize, monitor, and regulate their tendencies toward excessive risk seeking or physical activity, thereby balancing the challenges of self-discipline and self-regulation. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study examined the relationships between students' attendance at full-day, half-day, or no preschool and first grade reading achievement. 214 urban, low SES public first grade students of mixed ethnicities were studied. Using the students' Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) scores (Beaver, 2006), results indicated that by the middle of first grade students who completed one year of full-day preschool significantly outperformed students who did not attend preschool. Students who completed one year of full-day preschool also outperformed students who completed half-day preschool, although not to a significant degree. Additionally, students who completed half-day preschool outperformed students who did not attend preschool, although not to a significant degree. The results further showed that significant differences between the groups were not apparent at the start of first grade, demonstrating that preschool attendance may not show immediate, positive benefits. (Contains 11 tables.)

This paper will outline answers to the two central questions regarding improving engineering education: (1) What is the full set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that engineering students should possess as they leave the university, and at what level of proficiency?; and (2) How can we do better at ensuring that students learn these skills? The suggested answers lie within an innovative educational framework, the CDIO (conceive-design-implement-operate) Initiative. This initiative will be described along with the needs it meets, its goals, context, vision and pedagogical foundation. The first question is answered by the CDIO Syllabus and the process for reaching stakeholder consensus on the level of proficiency that students should attain in a given program. The second question is addressed through a best practice framework, which discusses curriculum design, design-implement experiences, teaching and learning, student assessment, program evaluation and faculty competence. Examples are provided of the implementation of best practices within the CDIO program in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Validation of assessments intended to improve instruction and learning should include evidence of instructional sensitivity. This study investigated the instructional sensitivity of a standards-based ninth-grade performance assessment that required students to write an essay about conflict in a literary work. Before administering the assessment, teachers of 886 ninth-grade students were randomly assigned to one of three instructional groups: literary analysis, organization of writing, and teacher-selected instruction. Despite the short duration of instruction (8 class periods), results support the instructional sensitivity of the assessment in two ways: Instruction on literary analysis significantly improved students' ability to analyze and describe conflicts in literature, and instruction on the organization of writing led to significantly higher scores on measures of coherence and organization. (Contains 9 tables. Appended are: (1) Example of Writing Group Lesson; (2) Example of Literary Analysis Group Lesson; (3) The English-Language Arts Grade 9 Performance Assessment Rubric; and (4) CRESST/LAUSD Instructional Sensitivity Study Score Sheet.)

This study examined the effects of assisted-repeated reading on four first-grade students whose reading ability varied (a special education student, a non-classified poor reader, an English Language Learner (ELL) student, and a general education student) to determine if an assisted-repeated reading intervention is differentially effective for students of differing academic profiles. The students engaged in assisted-repeated reading two times a week for eight weeks. Each session lasted 10 to 15 minutes. A baseline was established for each student prior to the start of the intervention. Subsequently, initial and final readings were recorded at each session. The findings of this study support a positive relationship between assisted-repeated reading and improved reading fluency, with the greatest gains made by those students whose reading difficulty stemmed from a decoding deficiency--the special education student and the non-classified poor reader. Results are interpreted in light of LaBerge and Samuels (1974) Automatic Information Processing Model.

Interactivity is defined by Henri (1992) as a three-step process involving communication of information, a response to this information, and a reply to that first response. It is a key dimension of computer-mediated communication, particularly in the one-on-one communication involved in an electronic mentoring program. This report analyzes the interactivity between pairs of corporate research scientists (mentors) and university biology students (proteges) during two consecutive implementations of an electronic mentoring program. The frequency and structure of the interactions within each pair were examined to provide context: 542 messages were posted among the 20 mentors and 20 proteges. These messages were formed into 5-10 threads per pair, with 3-4 messages per thread, indicating a high level of interactivity (there were more responses posted than independent messages). Mentor-protege pairs rated as effective by both mentors and proteges posted more messages overall, had well-structured threads, had protege and mentor postings that were similar in topic coverage and message length, and had little overt "management" behavior by mentors. However, there appears to be no clear recipe for successful interaction. Not only are there a variety of factors at play in developing an online relationship in this context, but mentor-protege pairs can falter at various stages in the process and in various ways.

Capstone is defined in the dictionary as "putting the final stone in place." Business Policy or Strategic Management is typically the capstone class in a business management degree program. As such, there are prerequisite requirements in terms of courses and specific knowledge. We have implemented a competency test for the capstone class and tested various methods of administration. We used logistic regression to test the various methods for first-time pass and ultimate pass rates of students. Our results indicate that while there was a difference in first time pass with and without review sessions, there was no difference in the ultimate pass rate when review sessions were held. We also found that infinite opportunities for taking the exam made no significant difference in the ultimate pass rate. (Contains 1 table.)

College students face a myriad of pressures and challenges in the academic environment as they seek to maintain optimal performance or even to remain in the academic program. In 2002, it was reported that more than 30% of first-year students did not return for their second year of college (Smith), and only 40% are reported to actually compete their degree and graduate (Newby, 2002). This information suggests that either due to problems with integration or other difficulties encountered in the social or academic culture of the institution, a significant proportion of college students fail to attain an acceptable level of academic achievement and ultimately withdraw (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991). The better we understand the factors that contribute to academic success, the greater the potential for positive and timely intervention to improve the chances of undergraduates earning adequate grades and successfully completing their higher educational experience. One of the factors shown to correlate with a successful academic career is that of the student's ability to delay gratification (Muraven, Baumeister, & Tice, 1999). This ability is contained in the personality trait of self-control. This study surveyed 304 undergraduates on a northeastern public college campus to address the question, "Do high academic performers differ from low academic performers in terms of their reported level of self-control?" The study found a significant difference between high and low academic performers in terms of their overall level of self-control, as well as significant differences in various other subdimensions of the self-control construct such as impulsivity, risk-seeking behavior, and a preference for physical activity. From an educational policy perspective, one implication of the findings is to offer administrators better information on how self-control (or the lack thereof) manifests itself in college students. Programs aimed at improving students' self-control, and ultimately academic performance, could focus on helping undergraduates recognize, monitor, and regulate their tendencies toward excessive risk seeking or physical activity, thereby balancing the challenges of self-discipline and self-regulation. (Contains 2 tables.)

Describes a repeat-measure study that provided data regarding learning styles based on social interaction and perceptions of a scientific collaboratory system from 40 university science students working face-to-face and remotely. Results showed students with strong competitive learning style preference had slightly more positive perceptions of the collaboratory system. (Author/LRW)

Describes collaboration among a group of scientists and considers how their experiences are socially shaped. Data analysis of interviews, observations of videoconferences and meetings, and a sociometric survey led to the development of a framework that identifies forms of collaboration that emerged among scientists and factors which influenced collaboration. (Contains 51 references.) (Author/LRW)