The plethora of different subfields in intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) are often difficult to integrate theoretically when analyzing how to design an intelligent tutor. Important principles of design are claimed by many subfields, including but not limited to: design, human-computer interaction, perceptual psychology, cognitive psychology,…

Neuropsychology combines psychometrics and the study of brain processes. There are two approaches to neuropsychology. The neurologic approach uses brief tests flexibly. The psychometric approach uses standardized graded scales in a set battery. Cortical testing in the form of intellectual abilities testing is 70 years old, yet psychometric…

The nature and magnitude of practice effects on the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (D. Wechsler, 1987) were studied with 64 adult college students. The clinically meaningful increase observed across the four test sessions highlights the importance of controlling for practice effects on repeated administration of neuropsychological measures. (SLD)

Full-term neonates from 37 pairs of same-sex twins, either small or appropriate for gestational age (SGA/AGA), were observed during the first sleep cycle after feeding to determine if behavioral indices of central nervous system (CNS) functioning were related to risk for the SGA infants. No differences were observed between groups for time spent…

In the 20 years since the publication of "Frames of Mind" by Howard Gardner, two major developments have altered the prospects for making a connection between neuropsychology and theories of how people differ. The first of these events was that electrical or magnetic recording make it possible to "see" inside the brain as…

The neuropsychological deficits which are found in a significant number of alcoholics participating in the rehabilitation process have been well documented. Recent concern has also been voiced that cognitive impairments present in alcoholics receiving treatment are more severe than what has been perceived through clinical observations.…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between constructivism and neural organization. Support is given for a constructivist epistemology in current brain theory. A brief description of constructivism is provided, followed by the implication of this set of beliefs for viewing humans as self-organizing systems. What has been…

The current uniform content of college reading programs can be expanded to include insights from other disciplines, specifically those areas of instruction which pertain to the neuropsychological mechanisms governing behavior, especially language behavior. There are several reasons for expanding the boundaries of college reading programs to…

Current models of communication fear and avoidance are analyzed (i.e., genetic, social and interactional). A new model is proposed, linking language, imagery, emotion, and behavior to complex neurological systems in the brain. Evidence for the model is taken from several related fields of study, especially neurolinguistics, neuropsychology,…

Two studies used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine neural manifestations of emotion recognition in 7-month-old infants. In the first study, 20 infants were presented with 2 alternating achromatic slides of the same female model posing a happy and a fearful expression. Infants' ERPs revealed a prominent positive component to the happy face…

While the physiological explanations from neuroscience help explain the mechanisms of learning, they fall short of explaining the sociocultural and phenomenological factors that determine a stressful versus a challenging interpretation of experience. For this reason, neuroscience seems less than useful to classroom teachers. A major obstacle in…

This literature review provides support for the idea that subtle anatomical and functional deviations in the brain correlate with specific types of reading disorders. It finds evidence that symmetry or reversed asymmetry in the plana temporale may be associated with difficulty in acquiring sound/symbol relationships. Studies are reported to show…

This workshop is designed to provide teachers and coaches with hands-on experiences regarding the field of Educational Kinesiology (Edu-K) and its influence on learning and performance. Edu-K is a practical and dynamic method that utilizes simple body movements to integrate the functioning of the brain. It was designed by Dr. Paul Dennison in 1981…

Nonroutine problem-solving, too, involves elements of routine. Often, elementary routines such as solving for a variable are not carried out without error. In this paper, we use new findings from neuroscientific research to explain why even excellent students make mistakes in elementary routines. [For complete proceedings, see ED489597.]

This paper reviews literature and clinical experiences on the neurobiological and psychological aspects of sleep in children with mental retardation. The lack of a universal, operational definition of sleep disorders is noted, and a study is cited in which 61% of a group of 20 children (ages 2-13) with developmental disabilities were found to have…