Investigates, by conducting individual clinical interviews of 97 children ages 3 to 6, the criteria preschool children use to distinguish members of a class of shapes from other figures, emphasizing identification and descriptions of shapes and reasons for these identifications. Concludes that young children initially form schemas on the basis of…

Outlines a Vygotskian perspective on moral development. Summarizes Lev Vygotsky's ideas about the "zone of proximal development" and extends them into the domain of moral education, focusing on an extract from the film, "Boyz 'n the Hood." Shows how the zone of proximal development facilitates moral development differently from…

Examines issues in the differential diagnosis of autism in preschool children with significant cognitive impairment, including the use of traditional diagnostic guidelines for preschoolers with developmental delays, developmental changes in behavioral characteristics, involvement of cognitive factors in symptom expression, overlap between autism…

A longitudinal study examined the role of a mapping system in 2-year olds' learning of color and size words. Results indicated that the children acquired color maps in a characteristic order and showed a different acquisition pattern for size words. Results suggest that learning word associations may promote color-word acquisition; learning color…

Investigated the relationship between children's knowledge structures for peers and externalizing behavior problems. Evaluated initial aggression level in years 1, 6, and 9 of longitudinal study; evaluated social knowledge structures in year 6. Found that knowledge structures were related to children's concurrent externalizing behavior and…

Assesses the cognitive consequences of reflective teaching practices compared to inquiry teaching practices on the acquisition and transfer of LOGO computer programming for 2nd- and 5th-grade students. Finds that children that participated in the reflective context developed beliefs about programming practices that were tightly coupled with their…

Two experiments investigated 4- to 7-year olds' memory for a specific episode of a repeated event. In Experiment 1, younger children had more difficulty remembering when a new activity type had been experienced, although experience improved memory for schema-atypical activities introduced in repeated events. Experiment 2 showed younger children…

Three experiments used a visual fixation technique to examine whether toddlers interpret speech continuously. Found that 24-month-olds had delayed responses when a competing distractor picture's label overlapped phonetically with the target at onset, but not when the pictures' labels rhymed, showing that children monitored speech stream…

TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study) is the largest, most ambitious study of comparative education ever attempted. Despite the TIMSS Subject Matter Advisory Committee's best efforts, not all test items truly reflect student math and science achievement. Some items have more than one correct response; some are not grounded in…

The ability to attribute false beliefs by 155 deaf children (ages 5 and 8) grouped by communication mode and parental hearing status was compared to that of 39 hearing children (ages 4 to 6). Effective representational abilities were demonstrated by deaf children of deaf parents, whereas those with hearing parents appeared delayed, with…

Considers the role of cognition in language learning and explores constructivism and Bloom's taxonomy of higher-order thinking skills. Topics include four basic types of computer assisted language learning, cognitive development, and the Internet. Lists pertinent resources, including printed materials, journals, and Web sites. (Contains 90…

Examined preschoolers' understanding that a statement's surface meaning may differ from actual meaning. Found that even 3-year-olds rejected a lie-teller's statement as reflecting his true beliefs and knowledge, indicating basic expression-representation differentiation. Found that most 4- and 5-year-olds and some 3-year-olds knew that a lie may…

Traced developmental changes in automatic and intentional processing of Arabic numerals using numerical-Stroop paradigm in two studies. In numerical comparison task, found that congruent physical sizes facilitated and incongruent sizes interfered with numerical comparison at all ages relative to neutral control. In physical comparison task, found…

Examined whether a detailed analysis of age-related changes in error patterns could reveal the mechanisms underpinning development in short-term memory. Tested developmental changes among 7- to 11-year-olds in their serial recall of lists of 6 letters, finding developmental differences in the patterns of errors. (JPB)

Examined 5- and 6-year-olds' ideas about the functioning of common electrical appliances and properties of electric current. Found that children represented current in a static way, thinking it was included in the appliance, and confounded electric current and water flow, believing external electricity was different from internal. They were…