"Child Development and Learning" integrates concepts of learning and development into one comprehensive text for understanding child development. At its core is the belief that learning and development are intertwined. As children learn, they also develop. As children develop, they also learn. With an understanding of how children…

"Specific Mathematics Assessment that Reveal Thinking" (abbreviated as "smart tests") provide an on-line formative assessment of middle years students. They aim to put information from research on students' understanding directly into the hands of teachers, by providing quick automated diagnosis of learning for all students in…

Curriculum documents in Australia are designed around outcomes and related standards. Teachers need to provide opportunities for students to learn the content that will allow them to meet the expectations defined in the curriculum. After undertaking professional learning sessions about the SOLO model, mathematics teachers in six high schools…

This paper presents a model of children's spirituality which provided a structure for conducting some recent research and for analysing the findings. The model consisted of four dimensions of spirituality derived from the literature, namely consciousness, relationality, roadmap and identity, with a central integrating concept of worldview. The…

Tertiary educators increasingly recognize the benefits for student learning of collaboration and group work; however, it is commonly perceived that examinations should be completed without the opportunity for interaction with other learners or use of relevant resources. An alternative approach is suggested in this article, based on the…

The notion of readiness and what it means to be ready for school dominates much of the popular discussion, as well as the research base, about transition to school. Readiness means different things for different people, yet almost always there is a perception that readiness for school involves some assessment of the characteristics of individual…

Fifteen-year olds have the highest crime rate of any age group in Great Britain. A formal initiation of adolescents into adulthood, such as that of Australian Aboriginal society, may be what is lacking in contemporary society. Examines functions of the Aboriginal initiation as a basis for modern initiations that include challenge, responsibility,…

Sometimes simple ideas are more productive than complex and over-prepared lessons; perhaps because of the flexibility afforded both teachers and students. This article provides a description of the basic activity and the potential mathematics associated with it. It also gives examples of how the basic activity could be implemented with students of…

A sequence of stages in children's emotional response to parental separation and divorce is described, some effects of continued parent hostility are pointed out, and aspects of children's adjustment to changed family circumstances are briefly discussed. Developmental differences in children's responses to divorce are considered on the basis of…

Replicates the Asch conformity experiment (two participants pretend to misjudge a shorter line for a longer one in an attempt to influence a third participant) and applies it to 110 school children ages 3 to 17. Indicates that conformity decreases with age in perceptually ambiguous tasks. (MJP)

Describes Australia's first bilingual program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Students use Australian Sign Language for face-to-face communication and English for reading and writing. Discusses the phases that occur as students progress within the early stages of reading, writing, and spelling. (CR)

This publication reports on competitive sports played by 6 to 12 year old children in Australia. The information in this two-part report is directed toward teachers, coaches, and parents. Part I, "Modified Approaches to Junior Sport," provides discussion of aspects of physical, social, and emotional development associated with children…