Contrasting approaches to early childhood education are evident in the constructivist versus instructivist schools of thought. On one side, the child is seen as active constructor of knowledge and understanding; on the other, the child is dependent on another's instruction in knowledge and skills. This paper explores some of the implications of…

This paper discusses current perspectives on the education of young children in terms of five interrelated issues rooted in a developmental perspective: (1) the complexities of predicting the long-term developmental outcomes of early experience; (2) how to interpret gender differences in the long-term effects of different approaches to early years…