Cognitive development of eighth-grade students, as identified by Jean Piaget, occurs during a time when many of them are transitioning between concrete operations and formal operations where the ability to think in abstract concepts becomes possible. Because of this period of transition, many eighth-grade students find difficulty in demonstrating…

To promote learning and transfer of abstract ideas, contemporary theories advocate that teachers and learners make explicit connections between concrete representations and the abstract ideas they are intended to represent. "Concreteness fading" is a theory of instruction that offers a solution for making these connections. As originally…

The impulse to investigate the natural world is deeply rooted in our earliest childhood experiences. This notion has long guided researchers to uncover the cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of scientific reasoning in children. Until recently, however, research in cognitive development and education followed largely independent…

Discussed are difficulties which occur while the student is using mathematical induction as a tool to prove theorems. An appropriate approach is suggested. (MP)

Some of the literature related to preschool mathematical experiences and their effect on the development of how the child perceives the relationships of mathematics is reviewed. (MP)

Discusses the RADAR technique--Read, Analogize, Discuss, Apply, Review/Research--and how it can be used in content area classrooms to teach concepts. (FL)

Five steps described by Dienes by which mathematics is learned are illustrated through the use of the topic of direct proportion. (MP)

Reviews the development of spatial organization in children with blindness. Discusses the importance of motor exploration, tactual development, and spatial representation as critical factors in developing spatial and cognitive organizations of their surroundings. Suggests seven specific activities to improve spatial organization in blind children.…

This paper discusses the use of mediated learning which involves training given to other humans by an experienced adult who frames, selects, focuses and feeds back environmental experiences in such a manner as to create learning situations. The authors' program utilizing such an approach is described. (Author/EJT)

Because disadvantaged children have usually experienced sensory-cognitive deprivation or distortion, it is necessary to discover ways to offset this deficit. A program is being conducted to learn to what degree the introduction of systematic programing, while motivation techniques are retained, can reorient essentially noncognitive learning styles…

Presents research findings related to students' intuitive ideas about the concepts of chance to inform teachers how students form their concepts of probability and statistics. Discusses adolescents' conceptions of uncertainty, judgmental heuristics in making estimates of event likelihood, the conjunction fallacy, the outcome approach, attempts to…

Children's learning of consumer economics concepts in two types of preschool teaching conditions was compared. Children in the Ausubelian program (high proportion of teacher-directed learning activities) achieved a significantly higher level of performance than did children in the Piagetian program (high proportion of child-directed activities.)…

Discusses the use of middle-school students' natural understanding of large numbers to introduce the concept of infinity. Presents activities that investigate infinite sets by demonstrating a one-to-one correspondence between the counting numbers and the given set. Examples include prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers, fractions, even and odd numbers,…

This handbook of activities in designed to help parents (or preschool teachers) present interesting learning games to children, ages 3-6 years. Activities are grouped into the following categories: (1) Sensory Awareness, (2) Getting Ready to Read and Write, (3) Learning Math Concepts, (4) Discovery through Science, (5) Creating through Art and…

Presents activities that have been used successfully in leading students from concrete experiences through pictorial and symbolic representations of important numeration concepts and patterns, including place value, multiples, and rounding. Each activity includes concept or skill fostered, list of materials needed, recommended grade level, and…