In this paper I explore the prospects of a Neo-Aristotelian position--according to which the difference between the human species and non-human animals is a difference in 'form'--in the context of the question of how the human form of life is related to the idea of education. Two interpretations of this idea have been suggested by contemporary…

Although current interpretations of Vygotsky's theory largely assume that instruction pushes development, the issue of how this occurs has yet to be clarified. For example, the notion of "zone of proximal development" has aroused strong disagreement, and the common conceptualization of the notion of "nonspontaneous concept" has…

Purpose: In this article, we describe how four recent models of psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability (CID) could be fruitfully conceptualized and compared by resorting to the general framework of Lewin's field theory--a theory frequently regarded as a precursor and the primary impetus to the development of the field of…

We can now get purposefully directed in the way we assess our learners in light of the emergence of evidence from the field of neuroscience. Why higher-order learning or abstract concepts need to be the focus in assessment is elaborated using the knowledge of semantic and episodic memories. With most of our learning identified to be implicit, why…

This article reviews a particular computational modeling approach to the study of psychological development--that of constructive neural networks. This approach is applied to a variety of developmental domains and issues, including Piagetian tasks, shift learning, language acquisition, number comparison, habituation of visual attention, concept…

Gifted education is leading an interdisciplinary paradigm shift moving education out of its historic role of entrenching systemic inequities. It is a crucible for pioneering investigations of optimal human development and provides a vehicle for increasing social equity. We review changing conceptions of intelligence, motivation and creativity, and…

This paper provides a reply to Woodman's (2009) recent argument that youth studies often incorrectly attribute the concept of "choice biographies" to the work of Ulrich Beck. Drawing heavily on Beck's own words, this paper contends that youth researchers might not be making this association unduly. Consideration is paid to some conceptual issues…

University courses preparing elementary education majors to incorporate creative movement into their teaching methodology are becoming requirements in many schools of education around the country. The article addresses three questions pertinent to preparing upcoming teachers: 1. How can pre-service generalist teachers develop an appreciation of…

America's urban public schools and their students are in dire need of a durable and committed corps of teachers, teachers who are willing to stay in education long enough to make a difference in the conditions of those schools, and most importantly, in student achievement. Many traditional teacher education programs critique alternative programs…

This article explores the motives and evolving identities of one group of graduate students enrolled in a teacher education program at an Ivy League university, who made the choice to teach in urban classrooms. The authors examine the perspectives these candidates give to the process of learning to teach and how their identities are tempered,…

It is argued that there are only three core instructional models (behavior, development, and apprenticeship) and that within the framework of these models, only five types of knowledge can be acquired: (1) declarative; (2) procedural; (3) conceptual; (4) analogical; and (5) logical. Examples are presented. (SLD)

When William G. Perry (1968) developed his scheme of nine stages of cognitive development, most of which are experienced during the college years, he did not attempt to quantify it. Subsequently, T. D. Erwin (1983) constructed a scale that attempted to quantify the Perry scheme. His findings supported the overall conception of student development…