Are there developmental pathways for learning that provide continuity from early learning through adulthood with measurable intervals for assessment and with transitions for learning that are understandable, stable, identifiable, communicable, flexible, and affordable to implement? If so, what are the foundations for learning that enable students…

College students' implicit theories (or mindsets) about intelligence can affect not only their motivations toward learning, but also their cognitive habits and behaviors while learning thus impacting academic achievement. In this paper we describe learning experiences we used with our learning community to 1) introduce students to the concept of…

The blockbuilding, painting, and oral expressions of young children provide evidence of a natural tendency to symbolize experience and to use the symbolic elements of expressiveness, creativeness, and living form. Up to the present time, educators have not fully grasped the fact that the need to symbolize is at the base of all education. They…

Written as a companion resource to "Early Childhood Essential Elements," a document developed by the Education Service Center, Region VI, Huntsville, Texas, this first volume of a two-volume activity guide provides activities enhancing children's cognitive, communication, and motor skills. Activities included in the guide are compiled…

This paper discusses Piaget's constructivist theory of logico-mathematical knowledge, the development of knowledge in children, and implications for preschool activities. The theory that a child cannot understand anything she or he has not constructed is advanced. Contrasts between Piaget's theory and the theories of Gibson and Luria are described…

Jean Piaget's theories of child development and the nature of intelligence are adapted to creative dramatics in this description of two games for children aged 6 through 12. The first game discussed incorporates a "touchy-feely box," a cardboard construction with openings on two sides so that a child may reach inside, select, and…

This paper argues that it is important to provide children with complementary activities in a horizontal arrangement in order to promote acceleration of vertical levels of thinking. A brief review of literature on the relationship between experience and logical thinking is presented and the definition and function of transfer are discussed.…

This handbook was prepared for use in any classroom to aid the student in understanding how to become a better learner and how to learn meaningfully. This program is based on Ausubel's cognitive learning theory which places emphasis on the differences between meaningful learning and rote learning. To acquire knowledge meaningfully means that the…

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…

Containing over 200 quality time activities for preschool-age children and their parents, "Smart Times" is designed to promote the development of children's physical, social, and cognitive skills and to help parents and children enjoy each other's company more. Recipes for fun and learning are provided to stimulate imagination, promote…

The present study states as its purpose the delineation of everyday transactions with the environment of a group of children observed longitudinally in their own homes and neighborhoods from age one to three. This research is considered to have been designed to answer: (1) what types of experiences are intellectually valuable to the young child;…

Though most definitions of literacy focus solely on the uses of reading and writing, a sociocognitive perspective that incorporates social practices, conceptions of reading and writing, and literacy as a way of thinking is more productive. Within this view, literacy is culturally based, involves the higher intellectual skills, and is learned by…

This illustrated booklet, designed for parents of preschool children, suggests informal learning activities which have the potential to enhance the social, emotional, cognitive, motor, and language development of preschool children. Three categories of games and activities are presented: (1) language games, (2) mathematical concept games, and (3)…

Three current approaches to the investigation of active learning and a study of two designs of a field-based graduate course are considered. The first approach, by Lenore Borzak and Barbara Hursh (1977, 1979), centers around the study of students' cognitive development and changes in self-perception stemming from experiential learning. Another…