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random assignment

in experimental design, the assignment of participants or units to the different conditions of an experiment entirely at random, so that each unit or participant has an equal likelihood of being assigned to any particular condition. In clinical trials, this decreases the confounding of the treatment factor with other factors by making the treatment and control groups approximately comparable in all respects except for the treatment. Also called random allocation; randomization. See also randomized design.

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Psychology term of the day

February 16th 2025

learning center

learning center

1. an educational technique in which skill-specific sets of activities are developed for students to work on independently at their own pace for a particular length of classroom time during each school day. For example, a kindergarten teacher may create a center for counting, where students color shapes numbered 1 through 10 and then glue them in sequence onto a piece of construction paper; a center for vocabulary, where students illustrate their own personal dictionaries with pictures that correspond to the words; and a center for fine motor skills, where students trace an animal from a pattern and then cut out and decorate it. During learning center time, students are divided into small groups that each have a different task to complete, with the tasks periodically rotating among the groups. Commonly seen in the elementary-school grades, such self-directed learning is intended to demonstrate or strengthen skills with which students already are familiar rather than to facilitate the acquisition of new skills.

2. more generally, any educational establishment or program that facilitates students’ acquisition of knowledge or understanding of topics by providing additional support and personalized instruction outside of regular school hours. Learning centers may be government funded or privately funded, and they may be offered within existing community or educational facilities, in stand-alone facilities, or online. They serve a range of ages and populations, such as gifted children; adolescents with learning disabilities, emotional difficulties, or behavioral problems; and adult professionals seeking further training. The specific tools and materials available vary by facility or program but generally include enrichment and recreational activities, tutoring, computer and Internet practice, counseling, and other services. Also called learning support center.