It has been well established that all learning is developmental, and involves reorganization and continual reconstruction of complex structures that begin to develop at an early age. This theory can best be applied to instructional practice if cognitive development is conceptualized as a hierarchical process rather than as a continuum. (Author/GC)

This article considers relatively neglected resources for the "bootstrapping" of cognitive growth, including chance plus selection, the affective boosting of relevant schemas, the operation of innate biases, and use of spare mental capacity. Implications for educational research are illustrated with reference to recent work on the…

This article suggests several proven strategies to help students move beyond the knowledge-telling stage of writing to the knowledge-transforming approach, which involves not only putting one's knowledge into words but the reflection upon, revision, and improvement of that knowledge. Eleven references are listed. (DCS)