Attacks the individual approach to changing perceptions and encourages an emphasis on environmental change within an institution. Suggests that colleges are not turning out people with social environment orientations and backgrounds. Discusses the role of a "change agent" and the importance of the role in training student personnel workers. (PC)

This paper reports on a study conducted in 2002 and 2003 investigating the nature and scope of outdoor education in New Zealand primary and secondary schools. The aim of the study was to gather data on teachers' practices in outdoor education in New Zealand, the beliefs and values that shape those practices, some of the barriers teachers faced…

This paper provides an overview of a project (now in its formative stages) to develop Head Start measures of program effects on children 3 to 7 years of age. The program approach is distinctive in emphasizing evaluation of all aspects of children's development that may affect their overall competence in reflecting the concerns, views, and values…

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between political education and social studies curriculum and the political orientations of students in the United States, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and England. A review of psychological research indicates that conventional, or comformist moral and legal orientations develop early in life,…

Describes the Jefferson County Open High School (Colorado) in suburban Denver, a public alternative secondary school of choice devoted to developing student potential through emphasis on individualization and self-directed learning. Explores the school's programs and describes the educational philosophy which recognizes individual rates of…

A study of the development of high school students' self-social relationships indicated a need for a concentrated program on personal growth and development in tenth grade when individual identities are forming. High school students scored highest on the self-complexity and self-centrality tests. Developmental trends for sex were also indicated.…

Proposes a new theory of self, based on the principles defined by Lawrence Kohlberg in his theory of moral development. The model sets forth self complexity (schemata) and biography (themata) as dimensions of self. Describes normal and atypical development arising from interaction of these components and assesses implications for practice. (KO)

Argues the importance of context to the description, theory, and understanding of human behavior because it influences children's primary group relations with family members, teachers, and peers. The article explains that, to be useful for children, social policies must inform the public on how its projected changes will influence socialization…

A study examining the contributions of service learning to students' cognitive, affective, civic, and social development surveyed 801 ninth-grade students in 6 school districts over 2 years. Personal development and civic involvement ratings were significantly higher for students who engaged in all three types of service activity: volunteerism,…

This case study examined the learning outcomes of three learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) enrolled in different Writing for Academic Purposes courses. Of the many learning outcomes observed, some express self-perceived intrapersonal and interpersonal changes, which in previous research have been named "by-products" of…

Significant adults who support and teach children are only too aware of the effects of adverse experiences on intellectual, social and personal development. Less easily predicted, however, is a small number of young people who, despite many negative experiences, seem to make a considerable success of their lives. In this paper, the intriguing…

The Bem Sex Role Inventory was administered to adults age 60 and over to examine the nature of their scores on this scale in light of their current developmental demands and life circumstances. This study examined whether there is reason to believe that the nature of mature adults' scores is influenced by four things: passage of time; cohort in…

These physical education standards were designed to ensure that each student achieve the following goals: (1) physical activity--students develop interest and proficiency in movement skills and understand the importance of lifelong participation in daily physical activity; (2) physical fitness and wellness--students increase understanding of basic…

This critical analysis examines the claim that learning within the student's zone of proximal development is enhanced by "making connections to what the learner already knows." It is argued that Rogoff's and Gardner's use of Vygotsky's theory to explain learning in school-like tasks places primary emphasis on how the adult should connect…

Research findings are reported which depict characteristics and conditions of young adolescents in the 1980s. Discussion begins with an overview of what is known about the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive growth of young adolescents. It is argued that: (1) adults perpetuate many myths about teenagers; (2) adolescence is no more pathological…