My aim in this paper is to examine the epistemic habits that agents develop through frequent social media usage. I point out that extensive social media usage is conducive to the development of closed-mindedness and unreflective thinking and accordingly argue that social media act as inadvertent educators of epistemic vices. I contend that…

This synopsis centers on Eleanor Duckworth's ideas about the relationship between education and intellectual development. Specifically, Duckworth described the essence of intellectual development as the "having of wonderful ideas" and the essence of pedagogy as the creation of occasions to "have wonderful ideas." As…

The author presents a series of programmed exercises designed to help teachers develop the skills necessary to incorporate Piaget's concepts of child intellectual development into effective classroom use. (MB)

Describes major theses of Piaget's work on development of intelligence. Implications of this work are significant in terms of methods, curriculum, and sequence of topics and activities used in science classrooms. Author cautions, however, that work of other child psychologists should not be completely forgotten because of Piaget's ideas. (PS)

A new definition of teaching must replace traditional modes of instruction. Intellectual growth is best encouraged by assisting, rather than assessing, student performance. Classrooms must be settings which maximize opportunities for participation and conversation. Definitions and practical applications are given for Vygotsky's term "zone of…

As a result of the ideas of a university sophomore and senior and their dissatisfaction with the traditional lecture and exam format, George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) offers an experimental undergraduate course entitled "Confrontation and the Development of the Individual Mind." The English department course is taught by…

Describing key instructional elements in each of Gagne's five categories of learning objectives, this article outlines numerous teaching strategies drawing illustrations from the social studies area. Also outlined are 10 steps to achieve multiple objectives and reduce problems of matching objectives, learning modes, and teaching strategies. (SB)

Giving children the opportunity to be creative requires allowing children to find and solve problems and communicate ideas in novel and appropriate ways. This paper presents 12 basic principles for teachers to follow when presenting art activities with children. These principles include: the process of creating a picture or project is more…

The field of early childhood education has long been marked by intense controversy concerning appropriate curriculum and teaching methods and goals. This paper explores some implications of the traditional dichotomies of the field and suggests that while there are many reasons to resist the side that advocates formal academic instruction, it does…

The structure and results of a college faculty workshop in designing subject-area courses to promote critical thinking skills and intellectual development are reported. (MSE)

In this paper, I draw together a corpus of findings derived from two sources: studies of students using computers to learn mathematics, and research into the use of mathematics in professional practice. Using this as a basis, I map some elements of a theoretical framework for understanding the nature of mathematical knowledge in use, and how it is…

Suggests that educators must address: (1) What should be learned? (2) When should it be learned? (3) How would it best be learned? and (4) How can we tell how well we have answered the first three? Addresses the first three questions by offering principles of practice for early childhood educators, ranging from curriculum to learning disposition…

The three papers included in this symposium discuss the relevance of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development to the early childhood practitioner. First, an overview of Piaget's theory is presented. This focusses on the particular aspects of the theory most relevant to practitioners in early childhood education. Second, curriculum…

This book is a collection of papers on curriculum development in early childhood education. In Chapter 1, Bruner examines what is known about the effects of poverty on child development in Western culture, considers whether modern developmental theories aid in understanding the impact of culture (and specifically) poverty on children's growth, and…

A series of discussions are reported concerning the applicability of Piaget's ideas to special education. They are contrasted and compared with other approaches to educating the exceptional child ranging from behavioral modification to the Montessori classroom. Participants included Joachim F. Wohlwill, Francis P. Connor, Donald S. Baer, Thomas J.…