Studies the inference from Kohlbergian theory that content and structure in moral development are independent. Administered Kohlberg's moral dilemmas of life versus law, punishment versus conscience, and authority versus contract. Finds differences in choices and reasoning between students in private Christian schools and public schools, as well…

Argues that classroom art experiences that recognize the roots, and routes, of individual identities help form pathways for understanding ourselves and others' experiences. Talks about a trip to a Paiwan aboriginal community in southern Taiwan and the lessons learned about the integration of art with cultural life and identity. (DSK)

Anecdotes about adventure experiences illustrate how an "artist"-facilitator seamlessly applies scientific methods while in the moment to best enhance student learning. Adventure educators can be artists by creatively framing, constructing, and debriefing the experience while not being central to the experience themselves, thereby…

Community leaders employ a blend of tangible tools, but the effectiveness of these tools depends on leadership skills. Describes five leadership qualities (purpose, values, talents, resources, and vision), and presents questions on each for leaders to reflect upon and answer. Sidebar describes a community leadership activity based on an adventure…

Contends that this article, a reflection on research as poetic rumination, is scholarly writing, though it might not look or sound like the writing that fills academic journals. Criticizes research that is "bloodless," having been written in the sterility of the monastic sanctum and the academic study. (VWC)

Reviews the history and causes of homeless children in the United States from early 19th century to the present. Explores four characteristics necessary for positive developmental pathways that are compromised for children who live on the street: sense of industry and competency, feeling connected to others and society, sense of control of one's…

Draws on research with Brazilian street children to present methodological and ethical challenges inherent in research with street children; provides suggestions for overcoming these challenges. Issues of concern include the following: definition and sampling, and lack of clarity in these areas; measurement aspects, including surveys,…

This study explored influences on choice of major and career related decisions of seven gifted females from the end of high school through college. Parents were strong influences, along with extracurricular involvement for those whose career aspirations remained stable over time. Expectations regarding marriage and family also influenced career…

Maintains that professional portfolios can provide preservice teachers an opportunity for self-reflection and offer prospective employers an enhanced view of their skills, knowledge, and educational philosophy. Explains that portfolios should capture the teacher's growth over time and content-area knowledge. Discusses the necessary content and…

Uses a stage-environment fit paradigm to provide evidence of a mismatch between early adolescents' developmental needs and aspects of the junior high school classroom environment. Discusses psychosocial problems possibly caused by this lack of synchronicity. Describes the consequences of differential treatment of adolescent females. Six patterns…

The physical nature of adventure activities is closely intertwined with the cognitive and emotional growth of the participants. Immersion in the physical challenge and accompanying fun opens people to the learning opportunities. An example of a teacher's inability to scale a wall illustrates how proper debriefing can turn a "failure"…

The "Passages" program is a curriculum that integrates heart, spirit, and community with strong academics. The program inspires feelings of connectedness in teenagers by addressing their unspoken needs: the search for meaning and purpose, longing for silence and solitude, urge for transcendence, hunger for joy and delight, creative…

A workshop facilitator describes his personal journey, as well as the general process, of overcoming white male social conditioning, loneliness, and disconnection through group experiences with other white men. This process can be a foundation for understanding and addressing issues of oppression, racism, and inclusivity. (SAS)

Examines issues and concerns of returning adult women students who identify themselves as co-dependent (N=10). Concerns included self-esteem, perfectionism, identity and personal boundaries, student development, and support from campus services. Ways to support these students are discussed. (EMK)

Offers a trenchant critique of Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg, both of whom claimed to identify stages in moral development that are "universal, culturally invariant, and nonregressive." Explains some inadequacies in these theories, which have become so influential in education, and offers suggestions for further investigation. (MJP)