Provides a rationale for literature study as part of the general education curriculum, considering its primary benefits to be the development of a fundamental understanding of metaphoric thinking, abstraction, conceptualization, and of students' ability to read and appreciate literature independently. Addresses issues of appropriate content and…

Mathematics teachers are seen working in a context affected by three major revolutions. The first, mass secondary education, has been dealt with. The second, technological revolution, is taking place. The third, humanizing mathematics, is viewed as heaving into sight, and seen as possibly a greater upheaval than the others. (Author/MP)

Writing researchers suggest that children should write stories in order to (1) entertain, (2) foster artistic expression, (3) explore the functions and values of writing, (4) stimulate imagination, (5) clarify thinking, (6) search for identity, and (7) learn to read and write. (HTH)

Some geometric activities are described that teachers can use to give their students experiences that will influence their spatial abilities. It is noted that the goal is to improve spatial abilities, not to increase knowledge, so individual pupil responses should not be used to judge student achievement. (MP)

Discusses results relating to student achievement with the Science Curriculum Improvement Study program based on Piaget's research on cognitive development. Also discusses results of research relating to social studies curriculum programs and Piagetian-based research studies. Outlines how social studies education would benefit from Piagetian-based…

The effectiveness of the Mother-as-Teacher home intervention program is examined. The goal of this program is to enhance lower socioeconomic status mothers' teaching style. The extent to which enhanced maternal strategies affect the cognitive performance is assessed. (JMF)

Observation of practices in V. V. Davydov's laboratory school suggests that students proceed from concrete example to abstract generalization--rather than from abstract to concrete, as Davydov has claimed. (GDC)

Children's learning of consumer economics concepts in two types of preschool teaching conditions was compared. Children in the Ausubelian program (high proportion of teacher-directed learning activities) achieved a significantly higher level of performance than did children in the Piagetian program (high proportion of child-directed activities.)…

Surveys major learning theories and their application to teaching, concluding that lecturing does not require students to conceptualize in the way open discussion does. Outlines literature teaching goals that are clarified by a cognitive perspective. (MKM)

Discusses the cognitive outcomes of physics laboratory exercises and suggests three types of experiments which should be added to those normally used in physics courses. (HM)

Investigates how intellectual development, IQ, and achievement of 92 high school biology students were affected by inquiry teaching methods. A pre-post-test design of four parameters (Cognitive development, content achievement, inquiry skills achievement, and IQ) was used. Results show that inquiry teaching produces significant gains in all…

Investigates ways of prompting middle school science students to reflection. Contrasts two types of reflection prompts, generic prompts and directed prompts. Discusses the relationship between reflection types and student understanding of a science project. Describes the role of reflection in prompting multiple, complementary knowledge integration…