This study examined the effect of activating metacognitive process on university students' information retrieval from the Internet search engine, Yahoo. In Experiment 1, the effect of teaching techniques in using Yahoo was investigated. One group was taught with the basic technique while the other was not. Based on the outcomes and process of retrieving information of the two groups, it was found that the instruction did not facilitate efficient information retrieval. In Experiment 2, the effect of asking questions that activate metacognitive process was investigated. Results showed that the group asked with the questions reduced inappropriate behavior than the group not asked with the questions. In Experiment 3, all participants were asked with questions that activate metacognitive process. They were then classified into four groups based on their outcome. Results showed three groups of information searchers : those who improve their information retrieval skills and did more monitoring and planning by promoting their metacognition, those who did not obtain skills or did monitoring or planning because they did not promote their metacognition, and those who already possess both the skills and metacognition. Findings revealed three benefits from activating metacognitive process : 1) reduction in the amount of time to retrieve information, 2) plan and monitor their search activities, and 3) improvement of their Internet information retrieval skills. Findings indicated the need for practice and/or instructors' support in order to strengthen activation of students' metacognitive process. This support will develop appropriate search behavior and well-balanced retrieval skills amoung students.

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We developed a network-based, overall multistage support system for children avoiding school and handicapped children. This system provided the following four-stage support. In the first stage, about 16 areas, 480 multimedia Q & A contents were provided. In the second stage, simple virtual counseling by a computer system was provided. In the third stage, professionals provided videophone counseling. Then, in the fourth stage, professionals provided face-to-face counseling for users who had not solved their problems on-line. We made two booths in which the first, second, and third-stage support was provided within two public facilities of Sendai City. The first and second stages were configured for use on the Internet. We analyzed the operating result of this support system for one year and discussed its usefulness. This system suggests a new model for a network-based support system for the future, for school-avoiding children and handicapped children.

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This study aimed to examine students' evaluation of children's compositions. Specifically, it aimed to test the validity and reliability of the 18 evaluation items derived from the Japanese National Standards and to find out students' use of the items. Subjects were 29 students in a teacher-training course, who were divided into two groups based on their attitude towards compositions. Validity of each item was evaluated based on the following: ability to distinguish composition's quality, consistency of the students' evaluation, and strength of relationship between the items and the general criteria. Results showed that for the middle grade children's compositions, many of the items were less valid and reliable; students with favorable attitudes evaluated the compositions based on their subjective impressions about the child, while those with less favorable attitudes used the items more carefully ; and evaluation results from students with favorable attitude were inconsistent with each other compared to that of the less favorable group. Overall results suggest that evaluating the middle graders' compositions was difficult and that attitude towards compositions is an important factor to be taken into consideration in the evaluation.

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We developed a communication system to support Family School Relationship via Internet. This system was tested along three classes in a kindergarten. About 70% of the parents used it and over 2500 messages were exchanged during the evaluation period of over two months and a half. Through the analysis of the exchanged messages and the results obtained from questionnaires, we can affirm that the herein described system allowed parents and teachers to share information and images related to children. Such aspect is essential to enhance the continuity between kindergarten and home.

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