The cognitive/developmental theories of Jean Piaget and John Dewey assert that people learn by doing and that they grow intellectually by tackling demanding problems. It is this active, problem-solving orientation that is central to a cognitive/developmental approach to composition teaching. Six core principles can serve as guides for composition…

This document discusses the importance of acceleration vs. sophistication in mathematics programs and curricula for gifted students. The discussion proceeds through three steps. First, an attempt is made to model how various kinds of gifted students interact with three dimensions of the curriculum. These dimensions are acceleration, sophistication…

This paper describes a tentative model to assist in conceptualization of the dynamics of adult social-cognitive development based on Piaget's and Riegel's thought, gerontological studies, and dialectical theory. The proposed model possesses several qualities: (1) it derives from the concept of intelligence as an adaptive biological entity; (2) it…

THE MOST DISABLING HANDICAP OF YOUNG CHILDREN FROM DEPRIVED SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS IS THEIR DIFFICULTY IN USING LANGUAGE ABSTRACTLY. IN THIS STUDY, THEREFORE, IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT IF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABSTRACT LANGUAGE, THEN NOT ONLY LANGUAGE, BUT MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THINKING WOULD BE…

MANY STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF A SLUMP OR INVERSION IN THE PROBLEM-SOLVING EFFICIENCY OF CHILDREN AT THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE INTERFERING EFFECT OF THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX HYPOTHESES BY THE CHILDREN. SINCE A TENDENCY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY WOULD PRESUMABLY INHIBIT THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE INFLUENCE UPON A CHILD'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FATHER'S PRESENCE IN (FP) OR ABSENCE FROM (FA) THE FAMILY IN A ONE-, TWO-, OR THREE-CHILD FAMILY. THE EFFECT OF THE SEX AND ORDINAL POSITION OF A SIBLING UPON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT WAS ALSO CONSIDERED. DATA FOR THIS ANALYSIS WERE OBTAINED FROM…

Pioneering research has shown that infants are capable of perceptual discrimination and has provided some indication of the nature of the discrimination; that is, what stimuli are differentiable. Studies have demonstrated that significant effects exist, in stimulus-pair comparisons, for age of infant, speed of movement of stimulus during…

Three related experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of novel and familiar stimuli on infant attention. The procedure in each of the experiments was to place an infant before a matrix panel composed of six rows of six lights. Two patterns of lights were used to obtain the infants' fixation time: (1) a point pattern, a single…

Information is provided on the methods, rationale, and tests used by PMDC investigators to obtain data on the status of first and second graders during the first five weeks of the school year. Instruments to assess general intelligence, cognitive mathematical concepts and skills, socioeconomic status, and school environment of students from seven…

In Fall 1975, PMDC investigators administered a battery of tests to 185 first graders and 152 second graders to assess children's progress in acquiring mathematical concepts and skills during the beginning school years. Two tests were constructed by PMDC and this document reports item statistics and results from these tests; copies of the tests…

In this study, free play with toys having unambiguous functions was examined to test the hypothesis that a basic cognitive metamorphosis is associated with the new competences displayed in children at about 12 months. Functional play was observed in 64 children at 9 1/2, 11 1/2, 13 1/2, and 15 1/2 months of age. Six sets of toys with 36…

Two experiments involving 40 developmentally disabled children (7 to 13 years old) and 32 normal school children (from grades 2-5) were designed to produce a cognitive assessment tool, based on musical conservation tasks, which would be particularly useful with visually handicapped children. Implications from the research were that these tasks…

The designs, results, and conclusions of several related research studies which examine the role of student preferences in problem-solving strategies are summarized. Emphasis is upon the relationship between an individual's stated preference and his or her ability to implement this preference and successfully solve a related science task. Students…

This paper summarizes what the author considers to be the best advice available at this time for applying Piaget's theory in the chemistry classroom to understand the difficulties that some students have. The identification of students who are operating at the concrete operational or formal operational level is discussed along with the actual…

Thirty-four fourth-grade students participated in a study of the way in which children acquire frameworks used to recall and encode stories. The study tested the hypotheses that children have a consistent preference for a story structure node in which they identify narrative events as comprising plausible story themes, that the framework generated…