Explains nondirective or pupil-centered teaching, an alternative to traditional education in the Soviet Union. Uses Vygotsky's area of proximal development to envision teaching methods that anticipate and promote higher development levels. Stresses humanistic approach, involving students and responding to individual needs. Also proposes in-depth…

Examines research on effects of African American culture on development of black children's positive self-esteem. Finds that black children do not seem to have lower self-esteem than their white counterparts; they develop positive self-esteem and ethnic identities assisted by a supportive family environment, a strong kinship network, and the…

A survey of 1,234 McGill University (Canada) students (entrants, graduates, alumni, and voluntary withdrawals) in a management continuing education program investigated the anticipated benefits in career development, fulfillment of imposed requirements, personal development, networking, attainment of knowledge, and personal fulfillment.…

Outlines global social problems that educational systems will face in the foreseeable future. Focuses on developmental priorities of Soviet education, emphasizing the importance of educating students to meet social production needs while fostering individual development. Imagines features of the school of the twenty-first century, stressing the…

Reviews research on interactive computer learning. Examines the extent to which learner-computer interaction and learner-learner interaction can interfere with or support one another. Finds that viewing collaborative learning as joint negotiation of a common problem helps to define optimal characteristics of educational software. (CFR)

Traces the development of artistic ability in a six-year-old boy with autism and mild mental retardation. Addresses questions concerning autism and artistic development including whether intellectual realism is a necessary precursor to visual realism and whether a two-dimensional photographic memory is used as opposed to three-dimensional…

Reviews the work of neurobiologist, David Marr, concerning artistic ability and autism. Summarizes Marr's theory of perceptual vision illuminating the relationships among object, observer, perceptual process, and image. Briefly reviews the cases of four autistic people with extraordinary drawing skills. (MJP)

Comments on the special theme issue examining the roles of socialization, biology, and culture as they affect adaptive and maladaptive developmental outcomes. Proposes a theory-guided research approach, based on four assumptive components of contemporary developmental theories: systematic change and relative plasticity; relationism and…

This study examined differences in the sense of coherence, anxiety, depression, hostility, behavior, and meaning in life among Israeli prisoners recovering from drug and alcohol addiction over various time periods (6-24 months), and without therapeutic intervention (natural recovery). Ninety-eight abstinent prisoners were divided into two groups:…

This article examines open-distance learning in Nigeria and the role it plays in personal, community, and national development. Following consultation with existing literature, a qualitative survey was conducted using questionnaires, interviews, and participatory experience. Although particular emphasis was paid to the Nigerian context, the…

Noting that patterns of childrearing are highly variable across the human species, this book explores the developmental processes of infancy over a wide range of cultural and social environments. By presenting multiple alternative examples of the context of infant development, the book attempts to stimulate continued discussion on the ways in…

This study examined college students' views of their "academic possible selves," how these possible selves vary by social group, and how students view the chance of becoming that possible self and the importance of and their power to attain that possible self. Participants were 126 college students enrolled in an introductory educational…

This conference proceedings report focuses on the theme of "lifelong transitions" in the context of strengthening linkages between the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and parents and families of special needs students throughout the United States. Section 1 includes the following presentations: "Lifelong…

This study investigated whether students of physiotherapy experienced the concepts "health,""movement,""function," and "interaction" differently during formal education and after some professional experience. Data were gathered by interviewing two groups of physiotherapy students at Linkoping University…

Even Start is a family literacy and support program for families with young children. This paper focuses on the impact and potential of transitions for children and adults as Even Start helps them move across settings. Such transitions occur daily, such as from home to day care to work, or occur over time, such as a transition to formal schooling.…