This collection summarises reflections from a group of Department for International Development (DFID) education advisers, spanning a number of different contexts and aspects of the topic of education projects that are working at scale to improve learning outcomes. In the first contribution, Gibbs shares a case study of an approach used to track…

This article presents suggestions on how to increase awareness of a sense of time for infants up to age 6. It recommends using children's personal experiences to help them understand time concepts. Individual components of this article include: (1) "I Go Now!"--Birth to 2 (Carla Poole); (2) "Today's My Birthday!"--3 to 4 (Susan A. Miller); and (3)…

This article describes the manner in which empathy develops during different stages of childhood, from birth to age 6. The first section, "Why Is She Crying?" (Carla Poole), deals with empathy development in children from birth to age two. This is followed by a section entitled "It'll Be OK" (Susan A. Miller) on ages three to four. The article…

Considers the role of the Committee on Child Development, the organizational nature and function of the Society, and the influence of publications and individuals during the first 25 years' of the Society for Research in Child Development in light of the Depression, World War II, and financial problems. (BB)

Examines the major findings in the history of the family, with special attention to their relations to childhood and child development. The focus is on the family and household structure and the wider kin group, the life course and the relations between the family and social change. (BB)

The column examines five university based child development centers and/or child study clinics which work with handicapped children. (PHR)

This comprehensive study of mutual responsiveness examined 102 mothers and 102 fathers interacting with their children at 7 and 15 months. Responsiveness was studied from developmental and individual differences perspectives, and assessed using macroscopic ratings and microscopic event coding. The latter captured parents' reactions to children's…

Discusses the founding of a post-World War I mass circulation periodical, PARENTS' MAGAZINE, aimed at educating parents in new child-rearing practices through research supported by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial (LSRM) fund program. Also discusses unsuccessful efforts of two chief program officers to maintain control over magazine…

Reports on the origins of the Society for Research in Child Development in light of the management/administrative and funding problems surrounding the founding of the Committee on Child Development by the National Research Council. (BB)

This collection of seven articles focuses on playgrounds, looking at such issues as the importance of play in child development, playground injuries and safety (including international playground safety), community playground improvement projects, and shock-absorbing playground surfaces. (SM)

Nine articles discuss persistent physical education practices that are not in the best interest of children, suggesting developmentally appropriate alternatives. Some topics discussed are sequence of instruction in games, developmentally appropriate dance and gymnastics, social-emotional components, and activities with questionable value. (SM)

Five papers on research related to learning and instruction discuss the following: subjective competence and self-assessment; development of quantitative-relational abilities from childhood to adolescence; detecting functional relations in a computerized learning environment; developmental patterns and individual differences in word-search…

Three articles present suggestions to help elementary teachers promote student development. The first describes games that encourage a sense of community. The second deals with making parent teacher conferences a positive experience. The third discusses how to give confused children who are involved in custody battles an alternative to acting out.…

Separate papers discuss: (1) sensory deprivation; (2) effects of high rise housing; (3) clumsy children; (4) screening and labeling "at risk" students; (5) Piaget's conceptual development stages; and (6) movement education. (CP)

This series of papers examines the role of play from various angles, discussing play as an essential human function and universal experience, the role of play in developing cultural values and awareness, a symbolic interactionist view of play, early therapeutic recreation specialists, and the direction of commercialized play. (SM)