Opportunities for the enhancement of total development must be available to children once they enter the educational system. The physical education program of the total school curriculum should provide these opportunities. Striving for the total development of children through physical activity is explained in the model for "thinking and feeling…

Investigates Michael Polanyi's theory of emergence of the framework for tacit (personal) knowing, its function in the reasoning process, and the significant role art can play in the development of personal knowledge. States that intensive study of works of art will enable students to make discriminating choices that ultimately evolve into personal…

This article reviews the major components of Viktor Lowenfeld's approach to art education, devoting specific attention to the misconceptions often attributed to his use of developmental stages. Notes that Lowenfeld was not the first individual to describe developmental stages in art learning and promotes a more accurate interpretation of how…

Designed for use in the home and in professional child-care settings, this program presents developmentally appropriate activities to support growth and development of infants from birth to 1 year. Each of the six 2-month long units contains 24 sets of activities called Activity Plans, with the suggestion to use three activity plans per week. Each…

Imitation by infants functions in two ways: (1) to help the individual understand a puzzling event, and (2) to indicate mutuality with another person. Although changes in cognitive understanding influence the course of imitation, the occurrence of imitation in specific situations may be governed by the interplay of the two functions that imitation…

The majority of 63 elderly women were able to pass tests in the conservation of mass (98 percent), volume (100 percent), and surface area (65 percent). These results conflict with previous research about Piagetian abilities of elderly people. (RL)

This article briefly summarizes educational techniques used in America and what can be done to best implement them. (JD)

Examines the meaning of reaction time (RT) and the possibility that it may predict other cognitive and motor skills in the first year of life. Considers two competing models that specify the information-processing components underlying RT performance. Describes the neural data needed to definitively choose between the models and considers…

Maintains that, although Leontiev's sociocultural orientation and its activity emphasis were inherited from Vygotsky's theory, the two men's theoretical motives and goals differed. Vygotsky's focus on symbolic mediation transforming psychological processes and Leontiev's on activities leading to internalization of action in mental processes were…

Traces continuities between current approaches and earlier traditions in developmental psychology. Contends that current work often ignores commonalities with previous work within psychology. Explores the fate of Piaget's clinical method and its continuities and contrasts with current approaches. Maintains that the conflict generated by the…

Examined evidence for transitions in first and second graders' analogical reasoning, over a six-month period. Found strong evidence for bimodality in test performance frequency distributions and weaker evidence for inaccessibility in frequency distributions. Transitional subjects showed a temporary increase of inconsistent solution behavior and…

Considers how students' mathematical thinking evolves as a result of their actions and everyday experiences and from increasing reliance on introduced mathematical principles and representations. Exemplifies how 8- to 10-year-olds' personal representations come to face with representations involving algebraic concepts. Explores implications for…

Responds to calls for combining the ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky, discussing differences between the two perspectives. Notes that differences are found in underlying assumptions about the nature and process of development, philosophy, stages of development, developmental influences, and the integrity of cognitive structures. Suggests that, given…

Addresses the extent to which differences in Piagetian and Vygotskyan psychologies make their theories incompatible. Differences result from a Vygotskyan belief in a material primary cause for development; Piagetians do not hold this view. Explores this difference in perspective, concluding that, despite it, the two approaches are compatible. (JW)