"Papel y lápiz" (Paper and pencil) is the result of a qualitative research project carried out using the Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a model. "Papel y lapiz" seeks to teach young people and children, who are identified as being at high social risk, in 35 different public educational institutions (PEIs) from Cartagena…

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is a crucial 21st century skill; however, current technologies fall short of effectively supporting CPS processes, especially for remote, computer-enabled interactions. In order to develop next-generation computer-supported collaborative systems that enhance CPS processes and outcomes by monitoring and…

Our study investigates preservice teachers' perceptions of real-world problems; their beliefs about teaching real-world contexts, especially ones sociopolitical in nature; and their ability to pose meaningful real-world problems. In this paper we present cases of three preservice teachers who participated in interviews that probed their thinking…

We present the results of a research project on arithmetic-algebraic thinking that was carried out jointly by a team in Mexico and another in Quebec. The project deals with the concepts of variable and covariation between variables in the sixth grade at the elementary level and the first, second, and third years of secondary school--namely,…

Whilst deficit discourses in classrooms and staff rooms are pervasive and dominant, there is some research which supports teachers disrupting deficit thinking and reconnecting with student "funds of knowledge". Processes for disrupting deficit knowledges tend to assume individual teacher construction of deficit views in conversation with…

This paper discusses the American educational system as a quiet and nondeliberate destroyer of the adolescent's spirit in terms of stifling the development of cognitive, social, cultural, and intellectual growth. This phenomenon has been produced by the content, structure, and teaching methodology used in schools, beginning with fourth grade and…

The role of communication in John Dewey's major philosophical themes is investigated in this paper. A description of Dewey's concept of the ideal communication setting is provided, emphasizing how individual and social personalities are developed according to vital, interactive processes. This is followed by a discussion of possible impediments to…

The author examines the causes of behavioral disorders that stem from conditions existing in the home, school, and society, and offers specific recommendations for institutional changes which would reduce the number of behaviorally disordered children. Factors noted to be significantly related to emotional difficulties include divorce; the…

This study examines two questions: (1) are the natural environmental contingencies under which reflective and impulsive children operate different? and (2) if so, which, if any of these differences, predict the nature of behavior change? Forty impulsive and reflective children and their mothers were observed while solving discrimination problems…

This paper describes a study of African-American families (N=10) that have one son in placement in a youth facility. The paper investigates the social context of behavioral problems among these Detroit youth, exploring the challenges faced by low-income minority families. Participants in the study described critical events in their lives, and…

Activity theory is a perspective that is largely rooted in the writing of Soviet psychologists. One of the premises of the theory is that human behavior and thinking occur within meaningful contexts as people conduct purposeful goal directed activity. The primary unit of psychological study should be socially organized human activity, rather than…

Family policy makers must first understand changes taking place and factors influencing Australian society so that they can then ease the burden on the disadvantaged poor. Growing affluence, increasing de-institutionalization of women's roles, later marriage, delayed and smaller families and an elongated family life duration are among the trends…

Describes six pressures and trends shaping society today: transformation of knowledge; the communications revolution; economic turbulence; shifts in power structures; new concept of work, education, and leisure; and the search for meaning. The effects of these pressures on social transition are discussed and implications drawn for learning and…

Designed to provide a context for English teachers' deliberations on what they should be teaching, this paper provides excerpts from 21 news items pertaining to significant educational and social events and trends. The news items deal with a wide range of topics, including the back-to-the-basics movement; the trend toward state-mandated programs…

The document examines the evolution of kibbutzim in Israel. The author suggests that a primary factor in the kibbutz development is the nature and structure of Israeli modernization efforts. The efforts encompass national ideology, industrialization, and legitimization of certain forms of social interaction. This mode of modernization stands in…