This study explored how one eighth grade girl learned about the structure of recursive programs in BOXER programing language. The method of impasse resolution was presented in detail and used both to understand how she constructed her understanding and as an empirical method to analyze her learning. (MDH)

Examines differences between maternal verbal teaching interactions that facilitate adult transfer of task responsibility as demonstrated by children's improved task performance after a teaching session among low- and high-risk mother-child dyads. (Author/BB)

Discusses how stressful ninth grade is for adolescents, noting that adults' expectations of ninth graders' cognitive abilities may result in stressful experiences that are life-threatening for some (with suicide and drugs being common reactions). Suggestions are made for appropriate teacher education courses, curriculum materials, and…

The effects of LOGO programing and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on children's behaviors indicative of cooperative problem solving and effectance motivation were compared for 12 fourth and 28 sixth graders. Results suggest that LOGO may foster cognitive growth through opportunities for resolving cognitive conflict and may enhance effectance…

Discusses difficulties parents encounter when they play with their disabled child and the inappropriateness of some commercial toys for disabled children. Also describes the development of adapted toys and of toy lending libraries for young disabled children. (BB)

Described and evaluated are microcomputers as a tool for construction in geometry education and heuristic theorem finding through interactive continuous variation of geometric configurations. Numerous examples of theorem finding processes are provided using the prototype graphics system CABRI-Geometer. (MDH)

Reports results of Dutch study of presuppositions about teachers' diagnostic skills in determining school readiness. Lists a sequence of 5 different levels of functions and behaviors of 13 cognitive functions used in the study. Concludes that teachers accurately judged the cognitive levels of children who were shown less school ready by an…

Effects of a measurement and planning system on the cognitive development, promotion, and referral to special education of 838 public school kindergartners were studied. The 428-member experimental group, whose 29 teachers implemented the system, had higher posttest scores in reading, mathematics, and science than did the 410-member control group.…

A study interviewed 6 grade-6 students after participation in 21 lessons on basic concepts of fractions and decimals to determine how different children construct rational number concepts. Discussed the formation of the key concept of equivalent fractions based on student responses to interview questions. (MDH)

Discusses the two overgeneralizations "multiplications makes bigger" and "division makes smaller" in the context of solving word problems involving rational numbers less than one. Presents activities to help students make sense of multiplication and division in these situations. (MDH)

Reviews research on (1) schemata acquisition while learning mathematics and techniques for detecting schema in mathematics learners; and (2) assessment of the distribution of cognitive resources while learning mathematics that lead to the design of instructional techniques to facilitate schema acquisition. (26 references) (MDH)

Describes seven number-sense skills for elementary and middle school grades. Provides eight short stories for grades three through eight designed to develop students' number-sense skills in which students replace missing data so that the story makes sense. (MDH)

Children at risk for cognitive difficulties were put in two intervention groups, family and day care education and family education alone, and one control group. Children were tested for cognitive performance. The family and day care group scored higher than other groups. No intervention effects were observed for the family education alone group.…

Describes study that examined kindergarten and second grade students' recall of information that had been presented on a computer with varying levels of visual action and verbal labels. Developmental differences in children's use of verbal and visual systems are discussed, and reading ability levels are considered. (29 references) (LRW)

Used 2 12-year-old children to investigate deductive and inductive reasoning in plane geometry. A LOGO microworld was programmed to measure distances and turns relative to points on the plane. Learning environments like this may enhance formation of inductive geometrical understandings. (Contains 44 references.) (LDR)