The main thesis of the paper is that geometry deals with mental entities (the so-called geometrical figures) which possess simultaneously conceptual and figural characters. The paper analyzes the internal tensions which may arise in figural concepts because of their double nature, developmental aspects, and didactical implications. (Author/MDH)

Reports on a study of 129 secondary students' cognitive style as related to instructional effectiveness. Finds that graphic and pictorial information improves fact retention. Recommends that teachers and teacher trainers should be aware of students' learning styles and attempt to meet their needs. (CFR)

Investigates conceptions of the geosciences held by a university geology instructor and five students before and after a teaching intervention. Argues for the use of repertory grids to elicit personal constructs. Advocates targeting the societal aims of geological education within a constructivist framework. Contains 54 references. (Author/WRM)

Explores African students' use of traditional Sotho cultural metaphoric reasoning in classifying everyday situations as "hot" or "cold" in order to document the extent to which such metaphoric reasoning is related to science misconceptions of heating. Finds that university students were able to distinguish between types of…

Describes a study of the ways in which 9- to 16-year-old students attempted logical problems related to coordinating theory and evidence when the theories in question are scientific. Finds that most students made some reference to evidence in selecting and using their explanations, although most students also seemed capable of holding theory and…

Investigated teacher-student discourse from a sociocultural perspective to ascertain the nature of effective instruction for students with learning disabilities, examining one teacher's resource room instruction. Results highlight differential discourse patterns across academic domains and emphasize the importance of teacher self-reflection and…

Describes the MAOF physics education program which is designed to relate large parts of mechanics and electromagnetism to each other via the key concepts of field and potential, while at the same time treat students' conceptual difficulties. Finds that students who studied with the MAOF program significantly improved their physics knowledge…

Illustrates how the five cognitive levels--somatic, mythic, romantic, philosophic, and ironic--can be used to guide teaching and learning activities appropriate for engineering students. Uses the example of the concept of energy to demonstrate how educators might appeal to each mode of thinking for understanding a particular concept. (Contains 11…

Describes the Novice-Expert (Novex) Analysis, a nine-step approach to instructional design aimed at effecting the shift from novice to expert by creating a series of learning activities to enable novices to construct an expert knowledge base. The "Dimensions of Processing Model" diagram illustrates how learning processes influence…

This article discusses ways to improve mathematics performance of students with learning disabilities through cognitive strategies instruction. Principles of a strategic classroom environment are explained, such as involving students in goalsetting and providing advance organizers. Three specific strategies for math instruction are described:…

Assessed the impact of elementary science experiences on the development of sixth-graders' epistemological views. Found that, compared to students in a traditional science classroom, those in a constructivist classroom developed an epistemological stance toward science that focused on the central role of ideas in the knowledge acquisition process.…

The efficacy of a mediational model for predicting child behavior problems (N=45 five year olds) from marital discord measures was assessed. Indirect relations between marital discord and both social withdrawal and aggression in the child are discussed. Working models of parents' behaviors are found to guide the child's behavior. (EMK)

The main purpose of this study was to explore the effects of long-term constructivist-oriented science instruction on elementary school students' process of constructing cognitive structures. Furthermore, such effects on different science achievers were also investigated. The subjects of this study were 69 fifth graders in Taiwan, while they were…

This study reports on an analysis of the relation between kindergarten children's developing theory of mind and their understanding of characters' actions and consciousness in story narrative, based on Bruner's (1986) notion of the dual landscapes of action and consciousness. Wordless picture books were used to model these two aspects of…

The adult cerebral cortex can adapt to environmental change. Using monocular deprivation as a paradigm, we find that rapid experience-dependent plasticity exists even in the mature primary visual cortex. However, adult cortical plasticity differs from developmental plasticity in two important ways. First, the effect of adult, but not juvenile…