During the first two years of college, students are experiencing two tempestuous explorations: advanced intellectual development and establishment of adult identities. If colleges and universities understand that today's students are arriving with a heavier burden of self-definition, they can design academic programs and extracurricular activities…

Four models are discussed with which to view students, educational goals, and learning environments. Each of the four theories emphasizes a unique aspect of the total development process. Piaget's model describes the development of structures and processes which characterize mature logical thinking. Perry provides a closer look at students'…

The key to developmentally appropriate practices is to let a child construct his or her own knowledge through interactions with the social and physical environment. Because the child is viewed as intrinsically motivated and self-directed, effective teaching capitalizes on the child's motivation to explore, experiment, and to make sense of his or…