Lo's variation theory is a learning and teaching theory based on Marton's phenomenographic approach and is one of the most important backbones of learning studies. The proponents of variation theory demarcate their approach from constructivist learning approaches, stressing constructivism as philosophical framework, but not as learning theory. At…

Social constructivist theorists tend to identify qualitative educational research as discovering meaning and understanding by the researcher's active involvement in the construction of meaning. Although these approaches have been widely influenced by Vygotsky's social constructivist approach, his own theoretical framework has received…

In the face of mass education, the need to seek individualized methods of students' teaching-learning is increasing. That causes academic tutoring to become more and more popular in higher education all over the world. The article presents the theoretical background of tutoring, the results of research in that regard and the benefits of its…

Most educators are familiar with Lev Vygotsky's concept of the "zone of proximal development," yet the bulk of Vygotsky's pioneering theory of cognitive development largely remains unknown. This volume provides a systematic, authoritative overview of Vygotsky's work and its implications for educational research and practice. Major topics include…

Examines Ausubel's theory of learning as a model of the role concerning the influence of prior knowledge on how learning occurs. Research evidence for Ausubel's theory is presented and discussed. Implications of Ausubel's theory for teaching are summarized. (PEB)

Mathematics education is viewed as a process imbedded in social interaction. Alternatives to seven widely recognized modeling perspectives that provide conceptual foundations for mathematics learning are discussed. (MP)

Data analysis revealed that a post-organizer had a significant facilitating effect on immediate free-recall in a controlled lecture in college statistics, but no effect on immediate content recognition or delayed free-recall. (MP)

This study explores the acquisition of proportionality by investigating the relationship between an understanding of proportionality and the development of cognitive structure in the domain of mechanics. (Author/MA)

An outline of a model that provides a new perspective on the conceptual foundations of mathematics and a new approach for the study of children's acquisition of numerical operations is proposed. Attention is viewed as a pulse-like succession of moments and is supported by recent data from neurophysiology. (MP)

Different types of hierarchies in the learning of mathematics and criteria by which they might be judged are examined. Current works on mathematical learning hierarchies are illustrated and in particular the work of the mathematics team of the research project "Concepts in Secondary School Mathematics and Science" is examined. (MP)

Hypothesized that instructional methods employing concrete models and exemplars of a concept will lead to better student understanding at both the concrete and formal operational levels of cognitive development. However, concrete operational students did not profit from the instructional methods and results were not clear for early formal…

This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of one semester's instruction in science and mathematics, using an inquiry-based methodology, in facilitating cognitive growth in first year college students. Results indicated the inquiry approach did not promote cognitive growth in comparison with a more didactic or expository teaching…

Nine children were tested to determine the appropriateness of Piaget's part-whole fraction concept interpretation for both the discrete case and the continuous cases of length and area. (MP)

Cites efforts to relate macro-level research (studies examining science achievement as related to the economic development of a nation), intermediate-level research (e.g., achievement as related to institutional variables), and micro-level research (cognitive development, etc.) to determine a science of teaching science. (CP)

Describes an empirical method of developing learning hierarchies by comparing success on each tested behavior with all other behaviors. Advantages, compared with validation of a particular logical hierarchy, are illustrated by application of density principles to prediction of flotation. (AL)