Comments on the article by Jones and Smith in this issue. Describes a program of research that demonstrates the important influence of perception on the structure of concepts. Proposes that both perceptual and nonperceptual information are important to conceptual structure throughout the continuum of knowledge acquisition and that perception is a…

Comments on the article by Jones and Smith in this issue. Outlines different perspectives from which the issue of conceptual development is approached, elaborating on the functions concepts serve and variations in those functions. Notes points of agreement with the perceptual knowledge view and offers comments on the research supporting the…

A significant fraction of household hazardous waste (HHW) is generated by home mechanics who use such products as motor oil, cleaners and solvents, and batteries. This survey assessed the following aspects: (1) perceptions of their health-related effects; (2) perceptions of their pollution potential; and (3) their use and disposal. (LZ)

Examined circumstances in the last 3 days of life for a sample of 1,227 elderly decedents. Interviews were with a surviving next-of-kin or a nonrelative about three months after the event of death. Around 34% of the decedents knew that death was impending, while about 40% had difficulty recognizing family members. (RJM)

General educator-special educator collaboration is discussed. Advantages include professional exchange of ideas and sharing of resources; barriers include a feeling by staff of lack of ownership and lack of power in decision making, and the perception that goals are incompatible; promising practices include clarifying goals and developing…

Previous research suggests that not until about age six do children recognize that one can gain knowledge through inferential rather than direct means. Three experiments were conducted in which important task information was made more salient to determine whether children's performance in previous research on their understanding of inference had…

Investigates group members' perceived communication outcome variables (perceived satisfaction, decision confidence, immediacy, effectiveness, and system ease of use) across three computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems. Results suggest that perception of communication outcomes differs by CMC medium, gender, and group gender composition.…

Explores administrators' basic modes of information processing: relating to and recalling information without considering implications; relating to information according to practical implications; posing critical questions about information's validity; and relating to information according to fundamental principles. Administrators have different…

Because of board members' key role in determining the future quality of local school districts, it is important for communities to elect and evaluate the persons elected to school boards. Board members' primary role is to support district policy and the administration, especially the superintendent, in all decisions conforming to professional…

Discusses how use of photography in early childhood classrooms enhances visual literacy. Describes how to use photographs in the daily routine to involve parents, build children's identity, and enrich all areas of the curriculum. Also describes use of video cameras in the classroom. (HTH)

Investigates the dominance of global versus local visual properties in four-month-old infants as a function of individual differences in fixation duration. Suggests that long-looking infants process visual information more slowly than short-looking infants, and there may be qualitative differences in the manner in which the two groups of infants…

Explores cognitive development in early childhood education and examines four kinds of prevailing misconceptions in the light of recent evidence: (1) infants and very young children are limited to sensorimotor cognition; (2) young children's cognition is animistic; (3) young children's thought is egocentric; and (4) young children can think only…

Presents results of a study which interviewed sixth graders from three North Carolina schools to determine what they think of their school librarians. Results indicated that children's perceptions are affected by personalities and behavior of individual librarians. Sidebars focus on how the study was conducted and what students noticed most about…

This study examined the effect of acoustic conditions on reception of sound signals in 5 children (ages 1-4) with multisensory impairments. Results supported the significance of acoustic conditions, with signal-to-noise ratio singled out for its importance in the reception of sound signals. Implications for auditory training are drawn. (DB)

Describes two studies involving chimpanzee mother-infant pairs in Tanzania between 1980 and 1987 that implemented control theory concepts. The first identified behavioral development in infant chimps; the second observed the growth of independence and parenting patterns. Concludes that the hierarchy of controlled variables develops consecutively…