This paper draws together briefly theories and knowledge from research in morphology and cognitive psychology, as well as some hypothetical information from traditional psychiatry, to show the ramifications of play in children's development. Play is defined as any of a wide variety of behaviors through which an individual attempts to discover what…

The Plowden Report drew heavily on Piaget's theories of cognitive development, especially his concepts of activity and discovery learning and readiness. But Piaget's theory is not a pedagogical one and it has little to say about teaching content and methods. Recently, criticism of his theory has grown. (Author/SJL)

Discusses the importance of questioning as a means of achieving independent intelligence, critical thinking, and learning to learn. Advocates a science program that encourages investigation, discovery, and questioning. (MA)

Learning in infancy is based on activity, beginnings, and curiosity, the so-called ABC's. Earliest behavior consists of mass activity, the period from birth to 24 months of sensory-motor development which provides the foundation for all future learning. Adults must provide space, toys, and affectionate care to help infants proceed through…

The author describes a dialogue with his three-year-old daughter about numbers. He discusses aspects of mathematics education and how his views about how students acquire mathematical knowledge have changed. (MP)

The goal of this paper is to sketch the epistemological roots of constructivism, to clarify certain implications of Piaget's constructivist theory for science education, and to explicate the issues surrounding a specific research study and its replication. Constructivist epistemology is described in terms of its emergence from rationalist,…

Based on Montessori's ideas about children's innate capabilities and potential, this book encourages restructuring the home environment to provide children, especially preschool children, with opportunities for self-directed activities and personal autonomy. In each of the chapters, a different room is examined as to how it could be redesigned to…

Argues that children's perceptions of the natural world are linked with imagination development and experiential learning. Describes children's learning as sensory-oriented. Advocates fostering a love of nature, arguing that access to natural places and natural play activities both encourage a connection with the earth and contribute to children's…

Discusses the value of nature education to early childhood education. The domains of adaptive, aesthetic, cognitive, communication, sensorimotor, and socioemotional development are discussed. Suggests that because young children learn primarily through their senses and motoric manipulation, they are excellent candidates for nature education…

The purposes of the first two parts of this literature review are to clarify the concept of active learning and discuss the use and value of active learning models. In Part I, the perspectives of five historical proponents of active learning, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Dewey, Kilpatrick, and Piaget, are discussed. The views of four contemporary…

This autobiographical essay depicts a process of development through which an elementary school teacher becomes both expert and professional. With an MA in Medieval History and no teacher education coursework, the writer adopts a personalistic, "unorthodox traditional" approach to instruction. Exposure to controversy among…

Described are many concrete readiness activities within ten broad categories that are designed to provide children with a solid foundation for mathematics and that help prevent learning difficulties in mathematics. Preschool mathematical experiences form the foundation for all studies in mathematics. Without a sufficient number of appropriate…

Australian Outward Bound participants almost universally report their experience in the course as being significant in their lives. The relevance of Outward Bound to the normal progress of life enables it to make significant contributions to society and man's future. An Outward Bound course is designed to encourage students to take responsibility…

Maintains that student-centered curriculum embodies the progressive and constructivist principles of active, participatory learning. Advocates emphasizing the importance of context as part of a constructivist approach. Includes instructional examples of connecting contextual information about artworks to constructivist activities. (MJP)

Providing a center-oriented classroom takes more than rearranging the furniture. This book offers guidance to teachers in all aspects of creating learning centers in the classroom. The first section, comprised of five chapters, provides information on using small areas of the classroom for specific activities or tasks. Chapter 1 explains different…