Social degradation is related to family cohesion and peer group functions, both of which depend on cultural traditions. Research from Japan shows how a study of cognitive style and learning within the classroom must include psychocultural determinants related to social or ethnic identity and the awareness of disparaged minority status. (Author/GC)

Suggestions from eight contributors include the following: how to use pattern books with beginning readers, how to develop a locally relevant basic sight word list, how to use learning styles in individualizing instruction, and how to personalize handouts. (FL)

In order to identify medical students with potential academic weaknesses in specific areas, traditional admissions criteria and cognitive style were correlated with levels of performance in two preclinical courses. Data were gathered from the 1978 freshman class at the Medical College of Georgia. (Author/MLW)

A study of a group of 21 teachers focused on the relationship between their psychological states and their utilization of professional growth activities and programs. The study's objective was to generate a practical way of applying Maslow's Theory of Personality to the study of staff development. (JN)

Intended as a nontechnical review of current scientific knowledge in the field, this essay considers the nature of primary and secondary intellectual abilities, plus the major features of, and the development of individual differences in, the skills and capacities constituting intelligence. Part of a theme issue on intelligence. (Author/SJL)

Networking is a process in which people and resources are engaged through intentional acts based upon acquired skills. The term is associated with self-directed learning and can serve as a collaborative rather than a competitive educational principle. "People" and "program" networks for graduate education and identification of networking skills…

Three groups of students--science majors, preservice elementary teachers, and all other nonmajors--are compared on the basis of their attitude toward biology, their self-concept of their ability in biology, and their cognitive style. Preservice teachers entered the course with the lowest scores but showed the greatest gains over the testing…

Presents a study which deals with cognitive preferences in agriculture of 943 Israeli middle-school (seventh and eighth grade) students and their teachers using a special cognitive preference inventory which was developed on the basis of the agricultural topics studies in Israeli schools. (HM)

Reviews the research methods, design, and main findings of the Austin-Mexico City cross-cultural study of personality and intellectual development using an overlapping longitudinal design. A span of 12 years of development was extrapolated from six years of repeated testing with children ages 6, 9, and 12 years. (SS)

Asserts that cultural and social realities are historically constructed and underlie modern works on childhood. Touches upon child abuse research, cultural aspects of educational expansion, and interdisciplinary applications. Highlights homogenizing and heterogenizing factors, children's rights, standard of living and distribution, life-course…

Thirty students with dyslexia (mean age 13.5), 30 readers without disabilities, and 30 younger readers (mean age 8.9) were assessed to test the validity of the Reading Style Inventory (RSI). The RSI was not able to accurately profile children with dyslexia in terms of their cerebral hemisphere preferences. (CR)

Discusses language learning histories as educational aids promoting authentic and meaningful communication in the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom. This process involves the teacher and students sharing their own language learning history with the group, either orally or in writing, and including even the embarrassing moments. (12…

Aboriginal literacy programs in Canada are using literacy as a means of reclaiming Aboriginal languages and a positive cultural identity. The Rainbow/Holistic Approach to Aboriginal literacy uses seven ways of knowing, each corresponding to a color. The approach recognizes that spirit, heart, mind, and body equally contribute to a life of balance,…

This study examined 117 undergraduates' perceptions of ability at computer programming and word processing. In particular, it rated the importance of prior experience factors, keyboarding skills, and personal attributes such as enjoyment of problem solving. Those were discovered, in general, to be more important than formal training or aptitude in…

Discusses the need for early childhood professionals to depart from a narrow framing of early childhood science experiences based on Western perspectives and to seek out a spectrum of cultural views that influence children's scientific thinking. Describes differences between Western and Aboriginal science and promotes broadened understandings of…