This report discusses how three major strains of educational research are converging on a compelling new concept: critical thinking is not a set of skills to be taught, but a natural capacity, involving creating and revising patterns of information to be exercised and strengthened. Thus, according to the report, the appropriate classroom practice…

This discussion concerns the advantages and disadvantages of using family day care, the most widely used form of day care in the United States. Advantages are that family day care providers generally: (1) accept younger infants than do centers; (2) are often conveniently located; (3) often have flexible hours; (4) provide home-like environments;…

A model for testing educational satisfaction was developed, and a satisfaction survey was administered to 424 alumni of several architectural schools in the Midwest. Attention is directed to both a simple overall measure of satisfaction and a complex, additive measure. The first measure assumes that individuals perceive satisfaction and…

Ralph W. Tyler's paper on "Curriculum Development and Research" contains examples of research findings which were or were not used in efforts to change or develop curriculum. The roles, use, and importance of action research, formulation of objectives, planning and organization of learning experiences, program assessment, relationship…

A naturalistic inquiry took place in a 7-week university-sponsored drawing-painting course for 9-12 year olds. Explored were the perceptions of the participants in an art curriculum, particularly those of the students and teacher in relation to program goals and parent views. Perceptions related to art, art processes, art products,…

Distinguishing between life-span education and lifelong learning, this paper addresses the meaning, value and various uses of education throughout life from the perspective of gerontology and adult education, with emphasis on the relationship to development throughout adulthood. Paper presented at 27th Annual Meeting of Gerontological Society,…

As the fortunate participants in the National Endowment for the Humanities summer institute entitled La Realidad Mágica de Oaxaca, the authors designed interactive ways to share their rich and colorful learning experiences with their students and colleagues. This article discusses how the authors presented their Oaxacan adventures in an all-day…

The results of a study designed to develop an understanding of the background characteristics, motivations, and experiences of students enrolled in summer school at the University of Alberta, are presented. A questionnaire developed to gather information on personal characteristics; academic factors; enrollment motivations; and administrative,…

Written as a companion resource to "Early Childhood Essential Elements," a document developed by the Education Service Center, Region VI, Huntsville, Texas, this first volume of a two-volume activity guide provides activities enhancing children's cognitive, communication, and motor skills. Activities included in the guide are compiled…

A case study examined how the adult student population redefines the subject of freshman composition; whether familiarity with the traditional student population makes the academic world oblivious to cognitive differences and/or separate learning needs among adult students; and whether the current pedagogy is responsive to the needs of adult…

The experiences of baccalaureate student nurses, from layperson to novice nurse, was studied. Paradigm cases of five senior and five sophomore baccalaureate students were transcribed and analyzed for common meanings and themes. The paradigms concern touching patients, giving shots/creating pain, caring for and being intimate with young patients,…

Issues and solutions in teaching and learning in higher education are addressed in 28 papers and 6 workshop reports from a 1982 conference of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia. Papers are grouped under the major categories of staff development, course evaluation, teaching and learning, and microcomputers in…

The presuppositions that favor firsthand experience over secondhand information, as pertaining to learning and education, are questioned. It is noted that, when education and firsthand experience are described as if equivalent, a presumption is made that a commonsense theory of knowledge and mind is valid. Research on the social psychology of…

This article describes how students learn and experience the excitement of science by actively participating in the MarsLink Space Mission, an educational component of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mars Missions. This Mission has been made possible by Space Explorers, Inc., in collaboration with NASA. In the…