The strengths and limitations of a developmental approach to the study of teacher change are described. The developmental approach is characterized by: (1) a focus on an end state (maturity); (2) the assumption that all individuals go through the same sequence of changes leading to that end state; and (3) the assumption that these changes are…

Although numerous studies have indicated that older persons process visual information more slowly than younger persons, the precise nature of age-associated changes in the processing of visually presented information remains unclear. Older adults (N=18) and college students (N=18) performed a visual search task in which lists of words and…

The means by which different delivery strategies can be matched with or made to accommodate to different inservice goals are discussed. A framework for assessing when one delivery strategy is more appropriate than another is provided. The framework for planning inservice delivery outlines distinct but complementary strategies that focus upon three…

In this document, available literature is identified and reviewed in order to determine whether there are substantiated cognitive effects associated with the use of games in the mathematics classroom. Three criteria were used for selection of the literature: the treatment was identified as a game; cognitive measures were obtained; and the…

A project to evaluate Furth's Inventory of Piaget's Developmental Tasks is described, particularly as that test might be useful in adapting instruction and curricula to the cognitive level of science students. This multiple-choice paper-pencil inventory has 72 items in five problem areas: conservation, images, relations, classification, and laws.…

Data are presented from one subject (J) that show a gradual development of the complexity of words in terms of syllable structure and degree of phonetic similarity of co-occurring consonants. During the age range of 1;9 to 2;6, J's data show a highly systematic progression of stages, each characterized by fewer restrictions on the number, order,…

The extent to which cuing strategies and basic skills explanations of early reading constitute complementary approaches was examined in a study involving 94 fourth grade students. Basic skills--a unidimensional component based on measures of vocabulary development, language skills, and work-study skills--proved to be a powerful variable mediating…

Cognitive development and various educational implications are discussed in terms of Donald Saari's model of the interaction of a learner and the enviroment and the constraints imposed by the inefficiency of the learner's cognitive system. Saari proposed a hierarchical system of cognitive structures such that the relationships between structures…

This study examined the issue of how groups of students attempting to solve problems can be taught to consider moral aspects of the problem at a mature level. Classes in Swiss cantons (N=42) were given one of three different moral problems. Each class was divided into eight groups. The three treatments were: (1) provision of additional background…

This instructional booklet is part of Learning Package #2 on self concept development and child behavior used in conjunction with the Child Development Training Program at Bemidji, Minnesota. The booklet is divided into 15 brief sections which emphasize: (1) techniques of observation and experimentation; (2) measurement of the readiness concept;…

This paper describes a program of research into children's understanding of psychological principles underlying social behavior. An initial study had indicated that at about 10 years of age children knew many of the basic principles of social behavior and the rules for social control. Two strategies were developed to explore these findings in…

In the perspective on cognitive development provided by Jean Piaget, the elaboration of cognitive skills is possible and acceptable, although it is objectionable and perhaps impossible to attempt to accelerate those skills. The explicit teaching of reasoning skills is necessary since not every student attains the formal operational level without…

Anaphora, a linguistic structure that refers to previously mentioned or implied text, has been implicated as a possible cause of reading comprehension difficulty among children. Reading research has focused on the surface structures of anaphora (pronouns and noun demonstratives, for example) and has viewed comprehension of anaphora as a language…

A study was conducted to determine whether children in revising their writing to accommodate new information would make corresponding textual changes to preserve appropriate focus and cohesion. The subjects, 48 children each from grades three, six, and nine, were presented with a task that involved descriptions of pictures with incongruent…

The model for teaching reading and writing as integrated processes advocated in this paper is based on a holistic understanding of composing. Psycholinguistics, cognitive theory, and composing research are reviewed extensively in an attempt to clarify their theoretical implications for teachers of composing. Concepts discussed as applicable to an…