Examines the adaptive nature of prolonged human cognitive immaturity through developmental research in metacognition, egocentricity, plasticity, the speed of information processing, and language acquisition. Discusses the consequences of viewing children's immature cognition as adaptive for cognitive development and education. (Author/JB)

Analysis of scholastic test information and scores on the Defining Issues Test (DIT) of moral judgment for 122 eighth graders found a wide variation in DIT scores among high cognitive ability subjects, but no high scores among low ability subjects, suggesting that high cognitive ability is necessary but not sufficient for high moral judgment. (DB)

A study used the Coursework Cluster Analysis Model to identify college courses associated with gains in student learning, then sought faculty perceptions about methods for teaching and assessing those abilities. Teacher perceptions corroborated the statistical analysis and improved understanding of how student assessment, individual courses, and…

Tested the Watson and Busch model of how children learn LOGO programing. Investigated second- and fifth-grade students' stage of cognitive development, stylistic preferences, and strategy usage. Field-independent children showed a marginal advantage over field-dependent children in learning to program in LOGO. (MM)

Kindergarten students' (n=7) thought processes were investigated during a problem-solving task to gain insight into students' problem-solving strategies and to guide students toward a closer awareness of their own mathematical thinking. Outlines some of the processes and problems of implementing a constructivist approach by an experienced teacher.…

A mapping procedure based on the SOLO Taxonomy developmental model was used to classify the problem-solving strategies of students (n=34) in grades K-2. Only one multiplication problem was used to isolate three components of the problem-solving procedure. (MDH)

Kindergarten (n=30) and grade 1 (n=15) students of contrasting socioeconomic backgrounds were interviewed to assess their knowledge of number word sequences and spatial patterns and their ability to recognize numerals and use counting to establish numerosity of visible and screened collections. Findings indicate greater variation in abilities…

Examined the quality of responses of six classes of grade six students to four questions requiring multiple and generalized solutions posed under varying conditions. Results indicated that this type of question can be useful in classrooms because students can respond at a variety of levels. (13 references) (MDH)

Twenty-four sixth-grade children participated in clinical interviews on ratio and proportion before receiving instruction in the domain. Student thinking was analyzed in terms of mathematical components critical to proportional reasoning. Two components, relative thinking and unitizing, were consistently related to higher levels of sophistication…

Examined the accuracy with which parents judged their children's preferences, and the relationship between parental accuracy and children's cognitive performance. Mothers were more accurate than fathers; parents of fifth graders were more accurate than parents of second graders. The accuracy of parents' predictions was related to children's…

Discusses the influence of culture and family and the importance of self-esteem in the development of competency in young children. Describes the role of the teacher in creating a developmentally appropriate environment that fosters self-initiated learning and a personal locus of control. (SH)

Presents guidelines on ways teachers can create an atmosphere that will encourage young children to use higher level thinking skills in all their classroom activities. Describes five learning experiences that promote such thinking abilities. (BB)

Argues that the dichotomy between domain-specific and general theories of cognitive development addressed in the "Merrill-Palmer Quarterly" special issue is unproductive. Suggests that polarities of generality and specificity exist in creative tension as seen through developmental processes. (Author/BB)

Identified is research related to concept formation; the chronology of identity and equivalence conservations; the relationship of mental age to performance on number concept tasks; perceptual, attentional, linguistic, and social factors; and the potential use of cognitive developmental criteria as measures of ability for both normal and retarded…

Discussed is a constructivist model of science learning and its possible use in the treatment of science misconceptions. Science learning as conceptual and methodological change is described. (KR)