Given the hegemony of developmentalism in early childhood education and care, this article uses a poetic juxtapositional approach to bewilder Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Critical consideration of how the theory of cognitive development has contributed to the imagining of a universal, ahistorical child and childhood(s) are discussed…

This newsletter issue provides an overview of the book, "Critical Thinking about Critical Periods," which discusses the neural and behavioral sciences that undergird the notion of "windows of opportunity" in early brain development. The issue presents the book's table of contents; the major sections are: (1) "Critical…

An alternative approach to the professional development of educators is described. This approach focuses on the interrelationship between teacher behavior and child behavior and their joint influence on the learning environment. Theory and practice in education are interactive concepts rather than discreet and isolated entities. (JN)

Identifies the forces that influence how developmental research is prioritized and evaluated and how these influences are changing at entry into the new millennium. Considers the developmental researcher in context, suggesting that there will be increasing pressure to use new criteria when assessing the significance of twenty-first-century…

Discusses classroom literary practices related to teacher questioning, retelling, literalism, and figurative language for children in the concrete operational stage; concludes that recent research on response to literature may say as much about what children are taught to do as what they do developmentally. Offers suggestions about teaching…

Research relevant to planning and practice in the area of infant mental health is discussed in this paper. First, three examples of research approaches that reflect current attitudes are given. The first example represents those studies in which there is an effort to closely coordinate physiological and behavioral studies. The second example…

Education courses can make a difference in classroom practices. Research indicates that the application of educational concepts has improved teaching in several areas: understanding child behavior, constructing and interpreting tests, monitoring and increasing academic learning time, and applying principles of child growth and development.…

Discusses general issues that have shaped research on whether depictions of violence in television and other media significantly influence real-life aggressive behavior. Presents a theoretical framework for understanding media effects on the psychological processes of acquisition, maintenance, and emission of aggression. Outlines contents of this…

In the wake of the United Nations' Year of the Child, U.S. public policy affecting the welfare of children at risk is found wanting. The misguided notions underlying many official positions, along with suggested modifications based on well-researched principles of child development, are presented. (Author)

Describes how applied developmental science (ADS) integrates developmental research with policies and programs promoting positive development or enhancing life chances of vulnerable children and families. Maintains that ADS contributes to social justice, promotes outreach, and serves as a model of how higher education may engage policymakers,…

In all of his published work, Jean Piaget never abandoned his original theoretical framework for the understanding of human development. This framework insists that intelligence is essentially a biological phenomenon; its development is best understood as the development of a sophisticated and highly successful adaptation device. This device…

Reported in this document are proceedings of a forum on the relationships between the child and the family. Held March 1981 in Melbourne, Australia, the forum was jointly sponsored by the Institute of Family Studies and the Victorian Child Development and Family Services Council (CDFSC). Specifically, the purpose of the forum was to enable…

The application of a scientific attitude to the field of education is reviewed, with particular regard to the varying perspective concerning the cognitive development and learning processes of children. Flaws in the "top-down" system of research and information dissemination, in which universities are viewed as "producers" and…

This volume contains an introductory chapter on the use of research, and 13 reviews of the most recent research findings in selected areas of child development. The reviews are on topics of particular concern to practitioners in education, child care, and health and psychological services, and are appropriate for post-secondary, college-level, and…

The purpose of this literature review is to look at brain research and its effect on educational practice. For the last several years, educators, parents and policymakers have become increasingly interested in the potential role of positive early childhood experiences in promoting a child's emotional and intellectual well-being (Ellison, 2001).…