A mental fitness program taught goal setting, critical thinking, creativity, positive attitudes, learning, memory, and self-expression to adults over 50 (n=22). Pre/posttests of depression and cognition revealed significant impacts on mental fitness, cognitive confidence, goal setting, optimism, creativity, flexibility, and memory. Not significant…

Describes four learning characteristics that make learning and doing mathematics difficult for students with special needs. Discusses instructional strategies that make learning and doing mathematics attainable for these students in the context of a vignette based on real-life experiences. (YDS)

A mail survey was used to investigate 5-year trends in Japanese mothers' reports of their 3-year-olds' cognitive, psychomotor, and social developmental attainment. Findings indicated significant decreases in all domains, not attributable to changes in family structure, although scores were higher among children in nuclear families than in extended…

Investigates the development of park visitors' knowledge, values, and beliefs during their visit to the Midway Geyser Basin. Draws on prior work in the areas of museum and informal education, and public understanding of science and cognitive psychology. Interprets the results in terms of park visitors' knowledge systems, how the experience…

Utilizes Robert Kegan's model of cognitive development to explain the challenges of achieving substantive institutional change. Asserts that effective leaders must create learning environments that support the reflective practice of "surfacing, sharing, and testing" new mental models (e.g., images and assumptions) in order to sustain…

Describes how infants and toddlers learn to use action, object, picture, and word symbols, and offers suggestions for educators and caregivers to facilitate symbol use. Discusses how adults can introduce books to young children and enhance the symbolic aspect of the care and education program. (KB)

Examines developmental and individual differences in the effects of gender schematization on young children's memories for gender-typed information, and investigates the interactive effects of children's age, gender schematization, and verbal labeling of information on preschoolers' memories for gender typed information. (JS)

Focuses specifically on Jean Piaget's theory of development. Examines Piaget's ideas about constructivism and explores the application of this theoretical perspective to the conceptualization of curriculum development. (MG)

The paper notes A. Hore and W. Tryon's support of the developmental position that persons with and without mental retardation of similar mental age show similar cognitive patterns, but suggests that mental age is psychometrically invalid and Piagetian tasks are inappropriate to evaluate this position. An information processing approach is…

Reviews recent research on the effect of day care on the intellectual development of advantaged children. Some researchers report beneficial effects, while others report a negative effect on cognitive functions. (RJC)

Examines the use of Honig's 12 tasks of early childhood learning in conjunction with a varied curriculum to enhance children's interest in and acquisition of information about dinosaurs. (BB)

Defines learning disabilities and delineates characteristics of learning disabled students. Outlines steps to be taken by college geography departments for students who enroll in introductory-level geography classes. (SLM)

Describes dilemma discussion approach used in 10-session program, based largely on cognitive-developmental theory, that is aimed at helping middle school students progress in their reasoning about using drugs. Ways in which the program provides students with opportunities to examine their current reasoning on drug use, consider peer perspectives,…

Reports on collaborative effort at Seattle University to bring closer together academic and student life administrative components. Describes typical academic and student life model and "Horizon Model" that structurally integrates academic and student life missions to promote student cognitive and affective growth. (Author/CM)

Phonological awareness is explored as a process for studying the cognitive deficits of dyslexic children without undermining the assumption of specificity. Discussed are the operation of Matthew effects, the importance of strict psychometric criteria in dyslexia definitions, and recognition that dyslexia represents an arbitrary criterion in a…