It was hypothesized that by age 8 children would manifest an adult meaning system, and that 5-year-old children would not. An adult meaning system allows an adult to transcend component word meanings and integrate, in the presence of a speaker, the underdetermined and the factual proposition into a meaningful whole. Subjects were 60 5- and…

Reported is a study to determine the role of the affective measures of need to achieve (nAch) and risk taking in determining the acceleration or retardation of cognitive development as defined by Piaget. Students in the fourth and sixth grades of two schools differing according to socioeconomic status (SES) were the subjects for this…

Reported is a method of investigating thought processes of an 11-year-old girl concerning physical phenomena such as those underlying the operations of scientific apparatus--platform balance, the spring balance, the magnet, and the pendulum. It was discovered during a period of interviews that the subject's thought processes developed in such a…

This essay concerns the development of cognitive and perceptual skills in children from birth to the age of nine. It surveys issues, beliefs, and information about perceptual and cognitive procedures. It discusses the issues of nature-nurture, maturation-learning, continuity-discontinuity, and critical periods. It describes the development of…

This terminal report summarizes nine phases of research and development activity of the Concepts in Verbal Argument Project: survey of the literature of critical thinking, identification of sequences of concepts and cognitive abilities, development of measuring instruments, factor analytic study of measuring instruments, normative study of student…

THE EFFECTS OF TWO TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING CHILDREN'S LITERATURE TO SAMPLES OF FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN WERE INVESTIGATED. THE EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT WAS BASED ON LAWRENCE KUBIE'S MODEL OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED THE CONVENTIONAL PRESENTATION OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE WITHOUT KUBIE'S EMPHASIS ON METAPHORICAL AND PRECONSCIOUS…

THE LEARNING OF VERBALLY CONDITIONED MATERIAL WAS STUDIED TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH SUCH LEARNING IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE USE OF HIGHER MENTAL PROCESSES, AND THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT IS NOT. THE STARTING POINT FOR THIS RESEARCH WAS THE PREMISE THAT LEARNING IN VERBAL CONDITIONING CAN OCCUR EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT AWARENESS ON…

The case for integrating the problem-solving approach to learning with traditional explanatory and demonstrative approaches, but not replacing them, when teaching biology is presented. (ND)

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)

The author briefly reviews six recently published books dealing with aspects of child development and early childhood education. (DS)

Programs to teach students critical thinking must empower them to be self-directed, but they must also stress respect and empathy for the viewpoints of others. (Author/TE)

Thinking tools bring sound instructional theory into the classroom in a practical form that students and teachers both enjoy using. Six such tools are described that have the general characteristics of psychological validity, concreteness, relevance to teachers, and differentiation by type of learning. (TE)

Suggests basic principles to guide the construction of an integrated sequential guide for thinking skills instruction throughout the K-12 curriculum. Strategies emphasize introducing and reinforcing cognitive operations such as information processing, problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. (TE)

Describes the use of Edward de Bono's CoRT (Cognitive Research Trust) program in English classes during the past five years at Memorial Junior High School in Valley Stream, New York. CoRT tools were used to analyze literary characters and plot development and to generate and organize ideas for writing assignments. (TE)