Children in sensorimotor and preoperational stages, as well as at the preschool level, learn fundamental mathematics concepts daily through experiences in the environment. When children enter formal learning environments, they are active, curious, egocentric, and verbal. It is hoped that they will encounter capable teachers who can choose…

A survey of undergraduate education methods texts indicates that students are repeatedly exposed to the theories of Jean Piaget, with an emphasis on the stages of development and characteristics of preschool children. The suggestion is made that an evaluation should be undertaken of misconceptions that undergraduate students might develop as a…

Although the ideas of Jean Piaget still dominate the field of science education, the range and severity of criticisms has increased progressively. In recent years, the emergence of a different theory of cognitive development has begun. This paper tentatively outlines a Lakatosian Research Programme for the alternative conceptions field. The…

Application of a common framework in studies of the development of social cognition can reduce conceptual and methodological ambiguities and enable clearer study of core issues. This paper describes the core issues and their attendant problems, outlines a model of information integration that addresses the issues, and describes some illustrative…

Self-Knowledge Development Theory (SKDT) by Weinstein and A. Alschuler (1985) is a structural developmental theory positing four stages in the development of self-knowledge. The Experience Recall Test-2 (ERT2) is described, which is the most recent instrument developed for assessing the SKDT. Self-knowledge is defined as the ability to describe…

This ERIC Digest discusses children's play and its relationship to developmental growth from infancy to middle childhood. Discussion focuses on: (1) sensorimotor play in which infants and toddlers experiment with bodily sensation, motor movements, objects, and people; (2) pretend play in which children carry out action plans, take on roles, and…

This study sought to ascertain the needs of teachers as they progress through their induction year. Three parochial schools in the Chicago Archdiocese, each with unique attributes and school make-up were the sites of the study. Due to an increase of new teachers in these schools, the principals approached the researcher for assistance in providing…

The relationship between children's cognitive developmental level, as assessed by Piagetian tasks, and their performance on measures of intellectual and neuropsychological functioning was studied. Eight female and 22 male children--ages 8 to 12 years (mean=10.3)--with negative electroencephalographs and neurologic screening and no history of brain…

This document gives parents, teachers, and others basic information and suggested guidelines for teaching children aged 10 and younger about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). These topics concerning AIDS and young children are discussed: (1) talking with young children about AIDS; (2) things to keep in mind when talking with children,…

Six groups of children 2- to 4-years-old were videotaped and interviewed during five 30-minute free play sessions for the purpose of investigating the evolution of children's conceptions of the process of cooperation. Children's answers were organized into six themes, each of which described some aspect of cooperative activity. For each theme,…

This paper presents a model that offers strategies for enhancing quality relationships across the family life cycle. The materials support the identification of characteristics of strong families and describe the course of marital development. The model includes a description of the need for an educational and/or intervention framework to enhance…

Six very different articles focusing on the prospects of today's youth upon reaching adulthood have been assembled in this booklet. The introductory chapter surveys the articles, with special attention given to technology's effects on life and education both now and in the future. The first article points out changes, good and bad, that will…

A cognitive training strategy was employed to investigate the nature of development in children's concepts of death. Subjects ranging in age from 3 to 11 years and attending Jewish-affiliated preschools participated in the study. Measures of verbal concept formation, abstract reasoning, general intelligence, and ability to conserve were…

This study designed and tested the Relationship Self Inventory (RSI) intended to measure the self-descriptive value of Gilligan's "connected self-in-relation-to-others" model. Gilligan's research indicates that the formation of self based on connection with others and an orientation to care (connected self) is associated primarily with…

A study of children's recognitory comprehension, the rudimentary ability to begin decoding the content of language, at the end of the first year had as subjects 36 infants aged 10.5, 11.5, and 12.5 months. In an examination of monthly developmental change in their ability to comprehend newly introduced referential terms, the children were exposed…