Examines current research on publicly communicating one's sexual orientation and sexual identity formation models within the two prevalent theoretical orientations: essentialism and social constructionism. Aspects of both theories find support in the empirical literature reviewed. The discovery process is discussed and three coming-out audiences…

Explains the strategies employed to constructively mentor a preservice teacher. Uses small group instruction to test different theories on the topics of floating and sinking. Includes a mentor feedback sheet. (YDS)

Investigates the acquisition of elements that instantiate the grammatical category of "inflection"--copula "be," auxiliary "be" and 3sg present agreement--in longitudinal transcripts from five children, aged from 1 year and 6 months to 3 years and 5 months in the corpora examined. Aimed to determine whether inflection emerges as a unitary…

Presents a theoretical analysis of constructivism in practice by building a framework of dilemmas that explicates the conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, and political places of the constructivist teaching experience. The framework serves as a heuristic for teachers, allowing them to interrogate their own beliefs, question institutional routines,…

Part 1 of a three-part article analyzing radical constructivism (as one interpretation of Piaget) and the socio-cultural perspective (as one interpretation of Vygotsky), including major principles, primary contributions to mathematics education, and potential limitations. Introduces an integration of the two theories through a feminist…

Describes how new knowledge about teachers and teacher education has been created through narrative studies. Shows how biography, autobiography, and personal narratives are used in the construction and reconstruction of a teacher's personal practical knowledge. (SK)

Presents a summary of models and methods of attitude research which are embedded in the theoretical tenets of social psychology and in the broader framework of constructivism. Focuses on the construction of social reality rather than the construction of physical reality. Models include theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, and…

Defines constructivist learning environments and explains why the idea is worthy of study. Discussion includes the different assumptions underlying common metaphors for instruction, the idea of learning environments, the outcomes of learning environments, and the components or functions that make up learning environments. (JMV)

Response to an earlier article in JRME in which the authors propose a constructivist alternative to the representational view of mind. Argues that the original article misinterprets the postepistemological perspective, confuses ontological and epistemological issues, and mistakes the pragmatic force of the constructivist argument. (45 references)…

Three dimensions of practical knowledge are knowledge how, knowledge that, and tacit knowledge. Six means of acquiring practical knowledge are professional/vocational education, practice, internalizing the rules, monitoring and adapting performance, reflecting, and continuing education. (SK)

Presents a critical response to a previous article (IR 528 340) that maintained a relationship between a cognitive constructivist viewpoint of distance education and the belief that prepackaged instructional materials are inherently behavioral and lead to surface learning. The author argues that prepackaged materials can help with deeper learning.…

Considers the multiple processes implied in children's construction of their social perceptions and social representations. Examines the social information processing, constructivist, and socio-constructivist approaches through a sociogenetic analysis of social thought. Explores the impact of preschool interactional context on children's emerging…

Argues that today's educational reform image of the teacher who collaborates and constructs knowledge in a decentralized system of education is used in different ideological images of school reform. Four principles of reason that function as unquestioned assumptions in reform are discussed. (SLD)

This response to Nelson and Neufeldt (1998) and Granello and Hazler (1998) included in this issue discusses their reviews of the constructivist and developmental models in guiding counselor education. Models for diverse learners are suggested. (Author/MKA)

Describes how college students' problems can be conceptualized and the counseling approach crafted from a constructivist perspective that activates client resources to create more useful personal constructs and develop new solutions to client concerns. Two case studies of traditional-aged clients are presented to illustrate practical applications…