There is an emerging consensus that spatial thinking is fundamental to later success in math and science. The goals of this study were to design and evaluate a novel test of three-dimensional (3D) mental rotation for 4- to 8-year-old children (N?=?165) that uses tangible 3D objects. Results revealed that the measure was both valid and reliable and…

To be effective, experiential educators need to understand the developmental characteristics of their students so that they can tailor their programs to their capabilities. Often, their primary population consists of teens or college students. Recognizing that learning is a primary objective of experiential education programs, experiential…

The "Life Skills and Leadership Manual" is designed to be used by Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts who work with youth worldwide to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes integral to three Youth in Development sector competencies: (1) Support healthy lifestyles and prepare youth for family life; (2) Prepare youth for…

Self-control is a skill that children need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Brain regions essential to self-control are immature at birth and develop slowly throughout childhood. From ages 3 to 6 years, as these brain regions become more mature, children show improved ability to control impulses, shift their attention flexibly,…

Young children's skilled generalization of newly learned nouns to new instances has become the battleground for two very different approaches to cognition. This debate is a proxy for a larger dispute in cognitive science and cognitive development: cognition as rule-like amodal propositions, on the one hand, or as embodied, modal, and dynamic…

In this exploratory study we conceptualized and explored socio-cognitive, emotional and motivational regulatory processes displayed in scaffolding interaction between parents and their non-task and task-oriented children. Based on the dynamic systems view and findings from developmental research, we assumed that parents with non-task oriented and…

Myth is integral to modern as well as ancient societies in its service to multiple interrelated social functions. Among these are to explain phenomena and direct action, to justify particular interests or practices, to dramatize ideals, and to provide cultural cohesion. Three prevailing myths that are especially problematic are the myths of…

Argues that style and self are inextricably bound together in a writer's work, and the voice that they create emerges only after a certain level of writing development has been reached. This happens when the writer has been thoroughly immersed in a context and has had plentiful experience in a specific form of expression. (HOD)

This study uses a search task to investigate the development of word superiority effects in visual perception. Subjects are kindergarten, second and fourth grade children, and college students. (CM)

Describes the underlying human development theory that supports developmental-learning as opposed to remedial-learning assistance. Outlines a model of learning assistance based on these principles. (Author)

Less experienced teachers may present skill tasks to physical education students and athletes in a manner that is too complicated. This paper explains how beginning and intermediate learning of motor skills occur, noting implications for teaching in the verbal-cognitive stage for beginners and the motor- associative stage for intermediate…

After a pilot study identified possible responses that children and adolescents give when defining concrete and abstract nouns, a study investigated the development of concrete noun (specific objects) and abstract noun (concepts) definitions given by 10, 14, and 18-year-olds, as well as whether abstract and concrete nouns are defined in a parallel…

Shows how, among the cultures of the indigenous peoples of tropical South America, the human body offers a language and mechanism central to the process of production, elaboration, and transmission, of knowledge, skills, and emotions. Discusses recent anthropological debates and describes a new discipline known as "anthropology of the…

A review of the research on developing children's referential communication ability reveals two approaches: the role-taking approach and the task-analytic approach. In the role-taking approach, researchers attempt to improve children's communication accuracy by training them to be more sensitive to listener needs. In the task-analytic approach,…