This study aimed to determine whether taking a chronological approach (CA) or topical approach (TA) to teaching developmental psychology resulted in different learning outcomes. Across two semesters, in four classes, 354 students participated (M[subscript age] = 19.76, SD[subscript age] = 2.93 years), 66% identifying as female. One instructor…

A considerable amount of learning, especially in the early years, is incidental learning. What is incidental learning? It is learning that occurs simply through exposure to the environment--what people hear, see, and experience. It takes place in the natural course of events, without intentionally directed instruction about how or what to learn.…

Discusses basic differences between cognitive and behavioral approaches to instructional design, emphasing the role of concept analysis in the design of instruction. (RAO)

The author defines the term concept as it applies to technology education and reviews the research on the teaching of concepts. Guidelines for the teaching of technical concepts are presented. (CH)

Interviews with 4- to 8-year olds indicated that children's understanding of how it is that they can see object develops gradually. This article presents a map of this development in terms of two distinct modes of cognitive functioning, the ikonic mode and concrete symbolic mode, drawn from the interviews and the SOLO (Structure of Learning…

Twenty-four children in kindergarten through fourth grade were interviewed and asked to share a pancake fairly among three dolls. The context was chosen to allow children to use out-of-school intuition and understanding if preferred. Four levels of development were identified leading to the understanding of fair fractions as those where each part…

Canadian children follow an apparent sequence in the development of a concept of nationality from a verbal level of understanding of geographical relationships (beginning about age six), to an ability to demonstrate spatial relationships, then to an understanding of one's nationality, at about age 10. There are important educational implications.…

Presented is a model of curriculum design for history instruction using the concept cluster approach. The importance of proper age/grade placement when teaching historical concepts and the developmental characteristics of children and adolescents are emphasized. (Author/RM)

Examined are first-year medical students' (n=160) explanations of complex concepts in cardiopulmonary physiology following a lecture series. The results revealed systematic misconceptions by the students in developing a pathophysiological model of the problem. The implications for science instruction within a medical curriculum are discussed.…

Investigates the development of understanding of quantity in 36 children with Down's Syndrome. Findings confirmed similarities in sequence of development between Down's Syndrome children and nonretarded children. Down's children who received training recognized conservation of continuous and discontinuous quantity. (RJC)

Presents an overview of a genetics course including explanations of major concepts, principles, and sequencing methods. Describes the typical participating student's background and prior knowledge level. Appendices contain a list of terms and three concept maps. (ML)

This project sought to establish an affective concept exemplar variable called "exemplar intensity," a characteristic that would challenge the notion of equivalence by its impact on cognitive gain. The hypothesis that the high-intensity exemplars would increase cognitive achievement above learners receiving low-intensity exemplars was…

Findings support the effectiveness of an integration of cognitive and behavioral procedures for developing self-control in children and suggest the relative superiority of the conceptual approach to cognitive-behavioral treatment. (Author)

Describes a study that compared the effects of microworld microcomputer training and real world training on sorting behaviors of 2- and 3-year-olds. Discussion of the relationship between cognitive development and the ability to process microworld training focuses on different reactions between the two age groups. (42 references) (CLB)

Reviews the conceptual and developmental issues associated with learning time concepts. Demonstrates how important time concepts are to all subject areas and provides an analysis of the use of time concepts in two widely-used standardized tests. Offers six guidelines for teaching time concepts to children and illustrates these guidelines with…