set 1977 : no. 1

While the role of mothers is often emphasised in discussions of child development, fathers are usually considered only in the context of the role of parents. Recent research suggests, however, that more recognition could be given to fathers' share in parental responsibility and to its significance to school attainment and social adjustment.

The main reason for the use of essays is probably the belief, usually unwarranted, that essay  tests do a better overall job than objective tests of measuring educational achievement. The argument goes something like this. A major purpose of education is to prepare individuals to interact effectively with others in the realm of ideas; the basic tool of interaction is language; the student performs by speaking and writing; the essay is a sample of a student's performance, hence it… Read more

Benjamin Bloom claims that, regardless of the differences among students that may be suggested by intelligence tests or assessments of achievement, about 95 percent of all students can master the school curriculum at practically the same level of mastery. Slower learners, he says, can learn as much as fast learners. His Book, Human Characteristics and School Learning, is reviewed in this set item by well-known educational psychologist Robert J. Havighurst