Many social systems, especially education, have an opportunity to significantly improve individual performance and well-being outcomes by attending to and including brain fitness as part of their approach. Brain fitness, like physical fitness, requires exercise. Brain-based "workout" activities improve cognitive development, and their…

This article discusses the vital importance of developing critical thinking skills in social work students and explores the use of case-based instruction as a means of fostering those skills. The challenges inherent in the teaching and assessment of critical thinking are addressed. The history and theoretical underpinnings for the use of decision…

This is the executive summary for the report, "From Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts: A Science-Based Approach to Building a More Promising Future for Young Children and Families." Early childhood is a time of great promise and rapid change, when the architecture of the developing brain is most open to the influence of…

Preparing graduates to be active citizens is a core value of colleges and universities in the United States. Historically, higher education has had a commitment to developing the civic commitment of its graduates; yet the degree to which this commitment is endorsed and actualized varies with time and across institutions. In "College Learning for…

Immordino-Yang's description of the unexpected recovery of 2 boys with severe brain trauma is an example of the interplay between the plasticity of the brain and the plasticity of the context. It highlights the dynamics of "wants and cans" and the specific role of motivation in this dynamic. As an example of how this dynamic can evolve in…

This book presents the results and implications of a major new national study exploring the effects of institutional racial composition on African American students' development and their educational outcomes, taking into account individuals' background characteristics, their perceptions of the institutional environment, and their experiences in…

The public dollars spent to stimulate economic development would be more wisely invested in child development programs, according to two different streams of research. Brain research shows the impact of experiences and environments on the developing brain architecture, with weaker architecture leading to increased vulnerability to later problems…

"Childhood Programs and Practices in the First Decade of Life" presents research findings on the effects of early childhood programs and practices in the first decade of life and their implications for policy development and reform. Leading scholars in the multidisciplinary field of human development and in early childhood learning…

Since the early 1980s we have been engaged in the design, implementation, and evaluation of "cognitive acceleration" programs, which claim to enhance students' general intellectual processing skills. We have published extensive data showing long-term effects of these programs on students? cognitive development and academic achievement. In this…

If health education is to develop into a discipline that increases the competencies of people to implement decisions about health behaviors, the development of a paradigm that can be used as an alternative to the behavior change paradigm is required. Several models of behavior change are presented. (JN)

Reviews recent research on brain development from the time of birth through the development of complex intellectual functioning. Contends that brain hemisphere functions have a significant impact on learning and behavior. Recommends that religious educators should learn how to use knowledge about cognitive development to encourage religious…

This policy brief explores kindergarten readiness observation and its benefits to local and state level stakeholders; highlights efforts by California counties and other states to measure school readiness; and makes recommendations for moving toward statewide use of kindergarten readiness observation tools. Key points include: (1) Early efforts to…

Earlier work on the enduring effects of education is reviewed, and data are presented from 22 autobiographical accounts written by college graduates. Most importance was attached to learning high-level intellectual skills and to attitudes and values of personal and professional significance. Implications for curricula and teaching are discussed.…

Chapter 1 of this document on learner outcomes in early childhood education (ECE) discusses the values, educational philosophy, mission, and goals of the Minnesota State Board of Education. Chapter 2 describes components of an effective early childhood program, the role and purpose of ECE, and emerging issues in ECE. An overview of learner…

This document is a collection of three parts: two extended papers and one shorter commentary on the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). These originally appeared in "Literacy Across the Curriculum" in response to an invitation for comment to several prominent international researchers. The first of these entitled "The…