This paper investigates the motivational profiles of students in schools that participate in a professional development program (the CASE project), which has reported remarkable success in raising students' academic achievement. On the basis of new work on the characterization and measurement of motivational orientation, beliefs, and self-view,…

These three papers are from a symposium on individual learning issues. "A Quantitative Examination of the Feelings and Cognitive Processes of a Group of Adults Undertaking a Tertiary HRD [Human Resource Development] Program" (Bryan W. Smith) examines mental and emotional states of adults in a tertiary HRD learning situation by using stimulated…

The first section of this two-part document, The Hermeneutic Struggle: A Teaching Method, explores the author's pedagogical explanation of a hermeneutic approach to teaching philosophy. According to the article, the teacher should come to the classroom and be able to approach the subject matter from the perspective of the beginner, yet, at the…

This book synthesizes information from a range of scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, developmental psychology, and psychiatry, to explore the idea that the mind emerges at the interface of interpersonal experience and the structure and function of the brain. Each chapter explores a major domain of human experience. Following an…

The neuropsychologic performance of 27 children (about 6 to 13 years old) with early-treated phenylketonuria (PKU) was evaluated and correlated with their serum phenylalanine concentrations at several ages. (Author/SEW) Journal Availability: The Journal of Pediatrics; The C. V. Mosby Company, 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Examples are given of the variety of mathematical concepts and problems being studied by psychologically oriented researchers in France. Work on decimals, circles, natural numbers, decimal and real numbers, and didactic transposition are included. Comments on designing research on mathematics concept formation conclude the article. (MNS)

A number of theories have been developed to explain individual differences in cognition. This paper explicates the Psychological Differentiation theory of Herbert Witkin and relates behaviors characteristic of his field-independent and field-dependent dimensions to artistic behaviors. Implications for research on artistic development are derived…

Concurrent validity studies are reported for the School Attitude Measures (SAM), a recently developed school affective assessment procedure. The studies were conducted at three grade levels (5th, 8th, 11th) with a total sample of 153 subjects. Results indicated that the SAM shows promising concurrent validity related to the criterion measures…

Research about the retention and transfer of motor skills is reviewed and applied to physical education and sport settings. More research that is theoretically and empirically based and from which practitioners can draw their technology is needed. (Authors/CJ)

Concepts drawn from Transactional Analysis concerning memory, association, and related components of learning theory are discussed. Ego States (Child, Parent, Adult) are described, along with the patterns and responses characteristic of each state. (PP)

Cognitive control over impulsive behavior on a Luria-type task was examined for 165 middle- and lower-socioeconomic status (SES) children in nursery school and first grade. Specific impulse control problems were found for both middle- and lower-SES children in nursery school. By first grade, only the lower-SES children continued to exhibit this…

Investigated relationships among college students (N=76) science achievement, engaged time (observed and perceived), personal characteristics of academic aptitude, reasoning ability, attitude toward science, and locus of control. Among the results reported are significant relationships between engaged time measures and achievement, and between…

Highlights findings from cognitive science which suggest new approaches for science and mathematics instruction, addressing role of naive theories and qualitative understanding of situations in problem-solving. Also considers nature of the learner based on the findings. (JN)

Describes a study that explored third- and sixth-grade students' ability to comprehend main ideas after reading natural expository passages taken from their social studies textbooks. Concludes that the children had much difficulty comprehending the passages' main ideas. Offers suggestions for content area teachers to improve reading comprehension.…

Examined influence of teaching methods on content achievement of concrete and formal concepts by students differing in level of operational thought and influence of concrete/formal teaching on the intellectural development of students (N=86 grade 9-10 biology students). Methodology, results, conclusions, and implications are discussed. (Author/JN)