Stephens et al. (EJ 055 112) committed a serious methodological error in holding chronological age constant in their IQ measures and allowing it to vary in their Piagetian developmental measures. This error is unrelated to differences in factor rotation methods used by these authors and was not answered in their reply. (CTM)

Academic achievement of pupils working in small cooperation groups was compared to that of students taught in the traditional whole-class approach. Pupils in grades 2, 4 and 6 from small-group classrooms excelled on high level items; the groups did not differ on items measuring low level cognitive functioning. (Author/GSK)

Explores the influences of text structure on students' conceptual change. Case studies were conducted and results showed that individuals used refutational text to change their alternative conceptions and acquire new concepts. Findings indicate that refutational text does cause cognitive conflict. While refutational text is effective for groups,…

Presents a broadly based theory of adolescent decision making including all the necessary components of the subject: cognitive development, social and psychological factors, and cultural and societal influences. This theory is then applied to the problem of preventing early pregnancy at an inner-city high school. Asserts that similar programs…

Examined is the relationship between junior high school students' directional reasoning about rates and numerical reasoning on proportion-related word problems. The relationship between the ability to solve context-free fraction exercises and the ability to solve mathematically similar word problems is discussed. (KR)

Described are the general problem-solving strategies and their nature and functions. The importance of integrating different types of general problem-solving strategies with content-specific teaching in mathematics classes is discussed. (KR)

Described is an activity where base-10 blocks are used to develop students' skills in reading, writing, and visualizing large numbers. An activity sheet that helps students with decimal points is included. (KR)

Reviews Dreyfus's writings about human cognition and artificial intelligence (AI), and explains some of the implications of his position, particularly in education. Topics include Dreyfus' critique of AI, representationlaism and expertise, technology and its role in instruction, computer-assisted instruction, and intelligent tutoring systems. (JKP)

Explores developmental issues regarding domain theory, a theory explaining moral development. Concludes that this theory does not explain how domains of moral reasoning and behavior evolve, neglects social and historical aspects of domain development, and does not recognize the effects of individual differences on domains. (JW)

Describes an instructional framework for teaching advanced cognitive skills in postsecondary education, highlighting specific teaching strategies that community and technical college educators may use to encourage critical thinking among students. Includes a description of content, teaching methodologies, and sequence of student development.…

Proposes analogy as the central mechanism of knowledge acquisition in formal domains. Discusses experimental data on preschoolers' knowledge of one-to-one correspondence and college students' understanding of force decomposition. Suggests that a knowledge base domain is a thematically organized knowledge structure and that thematic relations in a…

Focuses on a single case study of a mentally handicapped child to examine directly the relation between the development of number-after rules and a counting-on from the larger addend (COL) strategy. Examines the development of children's proficiency with n+ and 1+n combinations and the evolution of their counting-on strategies over time. (AA)

Examined age- and schooling-related influences on memory and phonological segmentation skills of 19 children who missed and made the school-entry cutoff date in a given year. Tested recall ability, short term memory strategies, and phonological awareness. Found that growth of memory skills and strategies, particularly short term, is primarily a…

Contrasts recent views of learning and cognition with cognitive learning theories of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Maintains that Jerome Bruner's spiral curriculum approach, still valuable, is not sufficient to explain cognitive development. Proposes a lattice-like cognitive development structure, inviting differing paths of exploration. (CFR)

Explores two hypotheses about the effect of symbolic systems on psychological functions: (1) culturally elaborated systems of signs affect psychological functioning in a general way; and (2) systems of signs, when used to support skilled action, affect the organization of human activity. Reviews research that supports the second hypothesis. (LB)