Research on working memory has revealed a developmental trend in memory performance, but a controversy exists as to whether the improved performance is due to a developmental increase in working memory total processing space (M-space), is the result of more efficient processing and storage of material, or is due to the use of "chunking" or other…

Disruptive behavior, which can range from tardiness to violence against classmates or staff members, is a growing problem in adult basic education (ABE). Many feel that this is because ABE programs have begun serving young adults below the age of 18 who are quite different from their more mature classmates both psychologically and emotionally.…

Drawn from a larger study involving 16 children and 7 classrooms at a New Hampshire elementary school, this book presents a case study of one child's growth in writing during third and fourth grade. The first section of the book describes the inception of the writing workshop in one classroom, including the partnership between the researcher…

Three paper-and-pencil measures were administered to students in fourth (40 students), sixth (30 students), and eighth (30 students) grades to assess different aspects of their knowledge of English derivational suffixes. Results indicated that children appear to develop a rudimentary knowledge of derivational morphology--the ability to recognize a…

The study described in this report was conducted to assess the intellectual development of adult learners in a community college using William Perry's cognitive development framework. After introductory material provides a rationale for the investigation of the intellectual development of adult students, the purpose of the study is presented. The…

Adverse effects of material rewards on Wechsler subscale performance may be the result of a reward-produced developmental regression. To further explore that idea through replicating earlier findings with adults, and to extend the enquiry to children, selected Wechsler subscales were administered to 32 subjects at each of three ages (5, 10, and 18…

This panel presentation presents results of an assessment study of the reliability, validity, and utility of caregivers' reports on: (1) the behavioral competencies of severely handicapped children, and (2) the adaptive and intellectual behaviors of moderately handicapped children. The Kent Infant Development (KID) Scale (used with severely and…

This study is concerned with preservice primary school teachers (N=100), a group of tertiary students who traditionally come from the secondary school stream. These students have, on the whole, avoided subjects like physics, chemistry, and mathematics that demand a high level of cognitive development for understanding/assimilation of abstract…

Although informal age norms which influence the timing of major role transitions have been well documented, recent research questions the pervasiveness of this influence. In order to assess the effects of age, sex, and occupational level on perceptions of informal age norms, white-collar and blue-collar men and women (N=462) at two age levels,…

Discourse and conversational analysis methods were used in a qualitative reconstruction of one aspect of the regularities in the way 61 children "do" personal reference. Of particular interest was the development of two reference forms: minimization--preference for simple (one word) forms, or recipient design--reference forms indicating…

Proposed is an integrative-organized approach to early childhood education to maximize the total development of the child. The overall goal of this approach is to provide an environment conducive to learning through active exploration and social interaction. Implementation of an integrative program requires an understanding of the organization of…

A multiple-group, single-intervention intensive time-series design was used to examine the achievement of an abstract concept, plate tectonics, of students grouped on the basis of cognitive tendency. Two questions were addressed: (1) How do daily achievement patterns differ between formal and concrete cognitive tendency groups when learning an…

A cognitive gap between students' development and school curriculum may be one of the reasons why chemistry is difficult for high school students. This study examined cognitive development in the effect of modified instructional methods for students at the concrete stage of development. The Arlin Test of Formal Reasoning (ATFR) was used for…

Empirical validation of the Self-Identity Development Model of Oppressed People (SIDMOP) prompted the choice of a multi-methodological approach that would test the underlying theory and not the participants' ability to perform a matching task. Few identity developmental models of oppressed people have been systematically developed, and even fewer…

This selective review of literature presents research and theory in support of the proposition that language is an essential component of early artistic development, and is crucial to the nature and nurture of visual expression. Young children frequently accompany drawing activities with descriptive, reflective, and social conversation, verbally…