Describes a study of effects of socio-cognitive mediation among children. Reports manipulation of two factors: ego-boosting representation of the subject's ability to perform a task, and representation the children had of others. Concludes that performance was superior when children worked in dyads, dyad composition affects interaction modes, and…

Discusses recent studies related to conceptual understanding in the domain of history, comparing the nature of understanding as found in history to that of other domains. Considers the role of sources in historical knowledge, the role of the historian, causation and explanation, and narrative exposition. (MJP)

Maintains that certain concepts in mathematics are difficult to learn because of problematic continuity from prior knowledge to new concepts. Focuses on the problems of conceptual change connected with the learning of calculus and the shift from rational to real numbers. Summarizes the results of a study involving secondary students. (MJP)

Explores the intuitive understanding of biology that occurs in early childhood and discusses later cognitive changes that occur. Young children possess a vitalistic understanding (e.g. breathing brings power to the body) that becomes mechanistic (e.g. an understanding of the heart and lungs) as they mature. Includes statistical and tabular data.…

Describes a theoretical framework for the analysis of conceptual change that considers conceptual knowledge as a generative cognitive tool for the creation of more specific mental representations. Argues that a task-oriented interaction between propositional structures and mental models can help learners evaluate the consistency of their…

Examines perceptions concerning the shape of the earth and the causes of the day/night cycle among American Indian children. Interviews with 26 Lakota/Dakota elementary children revealed a preference for a synthetic model of the earth and animistic explanations for the day/night cycle. Includes excerpts from the interviews. (MJP)

Reports on an experiment that explored novice learners' responses to anomalous data (new data that contradict previous beliefs). Secondary education students were given both anomalous and confirmatory data concerning various theories about the origin of life on earth. Statistical data reveal their level of awareness of the contradictions. (MJP)

Shows the effects of a tutorial program for college students using process-oriented instruction. Process-oriented instruction combines domain-specific knowledge with teaching thinking strategies. Tutorials included a diagnostic learning style instrument and learning guides. Evaluation questionnaires and exam scores both indicated improved study…

Reports results of a study investigating effects of social interaction on utilization of categorical concepts by upper and lower class children. Describes an experimental guessing game with individual subjects and pairs of subjects. Concludes that the experimental setup was beneficial for all subjects regardless of social background or kind of…

Presents the results of two studies where children were taught to identify textual cues, syntactic and semantic, in order to locate main ideas. The children also built graphic representations of these structures and were taught relevant questions to ask regarding comprehension. Results showed significant improvement, especially with older…