Logical reasoning is very important in the child's development, increasing their performance in learning as a whole, improving their concentration and decision-making when solving problems. The introduction of this tool and stimulus from the first years of education is necessary for children to grow up with a broad and more critical view, being…

This study investigated the role of cognitive interventions on word problem solving (WPS) accuracy in children who are English learners (ELs) and at risk for math difficulties (MD). Grade 3 children (n = 158) within classrooms were randomly assigned to either an untreated control group or one of three treatment conditions: paraphrase question…

A special instructional intervention program to develop cognitive skills in hearing impaired adolescent students is analyzed and described, based on a special pilot project at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) at Gallaudet College. The program, Instrumental Enrichment, uses special pencil and paper exercises to focus on specific…

Tasks based on the function concept (y = f(x)) were used in a study charting the development of anticipation in children from 5 through 7 years of age. In each task a desired outcome was a function of a combination of specific, rule-constrained, antecedent conditions. Subjects' behavior was scored according to criteria differentiating six levels…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between a student's stated preference for solving a problem and his/her actual problem solving methodology. Approximately 116 science students between the ages of 15 and 22 were given an 18 item abstract preference survey. Each student was interviewed and given the opportunity to solve…

The outcomes of collaboration provide an incomplete and potentially misleading picture of cognitive change, one that is clarified by examining the collaborative processes themselves. Results from a study illustrate the dangers of focusing solely on the consequences of collaboration and emphasize why the analysis of collaborative processes is…

Infants' exploration of their environment has been considered by Piaget and others to provide a vehicle for cognitive development. Little research, however, has examined in detail what infants actually do while exploring or how exploratory behavior is related to other aspects of cognitive functioning. The present investigation was designed to…

Because research indicates that specific cognitive deficiencies do exist for hearing-impaired individuals (though the normal range of intellectual potential exists among the hearing-impaired as a group), Instrumental Enrichment (IE), an approach developed originally in response to the need for mediated learning experiences for culturally…

The paper reports observations from a 2-year investigation of teaching/learning processes as they occurred during microcomputer instruction in three special education schools. Factors in the learner and/or learning environment are analyzed for their effects on the development of problem solving strategies. Part 1 reports observations of behavior…

One hundred fifty-six gifted elementary students (grades 3 through 6) responded to the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory on a pre- and posttest basis during a 3 week, 45 hour College for Kids program, designed as an enrichment program with focus on critical thinking, problem solving, inquiry, research, and questioning. Thirty students responded to…

This report describes a study which examined the ways in which children interact and make sense of a range of mathematics problems by working in pairs. Studies of collaborative peer dyads' problem solving have generally been influenced by Piagetian or Vygotskian theories and research approaches. It is noted that the process of dyad collaboration…

It has been shown previously that many students solve chemistry problems using only algorithmic strategies and do not understand the chemical concepts on which the problems are based. It is plausible to suggest that if the information is presented in differing formats the cognitive demand of a problem changes. The main objective of this study…

Recurring pressures for fiscal restraint threaten the existence of educational programs, such as competitive debate, which are not publicly perceived to produce worthwhile outcomes. Since debate is misunderstood and expensive, its advocates must be prepared to provide solid evidence of its benefits. Unfortunately, methodological weaknesses in…

This report proposes a modification of Jean Piaget's concept of "creative abstraction," the mechanism of creative thought, which develops both intelligence and creative ideas. By reflecting on one's actions and the coordinations of actions, the individual constructs new relationships, links, rules, or correspondences between and among them.…

This paper examines the category-theoretic formulation of cognitive development introduced by Piaget in the late 1960's and elaborated during the 1970's. The new theory is interpreted as the focal point of Piaget's investigations into topics such as function, correspondences, and commutability. Hypotheses arising from Piaget's new model were…