In this book, developmental, educational, cognitive, and professional psychologists explore early identification of giftedness, what happens when child prodigies grow up, and environmental characteristics that are needed for talent to develop into genius. The nature of creativity and domain-specific expertise is examined, along with how psychology…

Written from the perspective of a Montessori preschool director, teacher educator, and father, this book presents basic information on child development from the prenatal period through the school years, highlighted by stories of child development in different cultures. The book is presented in three parts. Part 1 focuses on the "explosions…

In his State of the Union Address delivered January 2002, President Bush outlined the next critical step in education reform: to prepare children to read and succeed in school with improved Head Start and early childhood development programs. This report describes early childhood as a critical time for children to develop the physical, emotional,…

This study examined factors that affect student learning and growth in four student populations: seniors who began as freshmen immediately after high school, students who transferred from two-year colleges, students who transferred from four-year colleges, and students who entered Bachelor of Arts programs after military service or work. The data…

This book, developed for adult educators who teach or tutor reading in General Educational Development (GED) classrooms and for teacher trainers, contains 18 fact sheets on learning and thinking, each about 10 pages long. The following fact sheets are included: (1) Literature Is Not Science; (2) Making Connections; (3) Mental Models; (4) Thinking…

To help parents of infants understand the issues at the core of current advice and trends on parenting, this guide provides information about recent research on early learning, communication, social skills, and emotional growth from birth to 18 months. The guide also focuses on how growth, learning, social interactions, emotional development, and…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) is an early childhood public/private initiative designed to identify new, empirical knowledge about the effectiveness of integrating substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services with primary health care and childcare service settings (e.g., Head Start, day care, preschool) to…

Noting that swift growth with the accompanying desire for independence during early adolescence creates tension in the family that is often difficult for parents to understand, accept, and handle, this book is designed to help parents adapt their roles to nurture the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of their early teen.…

A study reports on the first 3 years of a 5-year study focusing on characteristics of educational practice that accompany student achievement in English language arts in middle and high schools. The study attempts to specify features of instruction that make a difference in student learning by comparing high-achieving and under-achieving schools…

This study examined the instructional effectiveness with which different job aid types facilitated learner achievement of different types of learning objectives and identified the degree to which low and high prior knowledge individuals profit from different job aid types. The instructional content used in the study was an instructional module on…

Investigated concept development related to particulate theory of matter in 130 children (ages 8-12) in two contrasting Warwickshire middle schools. Results are set against background policies/practices in science teaching as revealed by responses from teacher questionnaires (N=60) and analysis of several science curricula. (JN)

Presents a theory of the development of occupational aspirations. Defines key constructs; reviews evidence that social groups share similiar occupational images; and describes circumscription of occupational preferences according to the individual's developing self-concept. Discusses developmental stages, and peoples' perceptions of opportunities…

Peer interaction combined with the use of concrete models and analogs found to enhance learning (cognitive and affective) for both formal and nonformal operational students (N=51). Instruction in control class was based on lectures, CHEM study laboratories and individual work. (Author/SK)

Evaluated the effectiveness of a combined behavioral-reflective parent-training program with high school seniors (N=24). Lectures, films, class discussions, role-playing exercises, and examinations were used to teach concepts of behavioral and reflective child rearing. Data analysis indicated that the parent-training course produced significant…

Examines content and problem effects of formal thought in 13-year-olds (N=120). Three controlling variables tasks with different content and two question-type tests (analysis and controlling questions) were administered. Findings, among others, indicate that content and problem effects contribute to variance on formal reasoning problems.…