This paper reviews the research of Ference Marton and his group of researchers at Goteborg University. It describes and explains research on: 1) what students learn, 2) how students approach learning, 3) the relationship between approach and learning outcome, 4) student perceptions of learning, and 5) the possibility of manipulating student…

This study explored some ways that cognitive style (different individual patterns of perceiving, memorizing, organizing and utilizing stimuli) might influence intellectual achievements. It was specifically concerned with cognitive tempo--the individual's tendency to be either slow and accurate (reflective) or fast and inaccurate (impulsive). A…

This study investigated social interactions and the development of social concepts in preschool children in terms of two conceptual domains, the moral and the societal. The former has to do with concepts of justice and fairness, the latter with social conventions, rules and social organization. Subjects were children 3 to 5 years of age enrolled…

This study examines the development of children's concepts of illness in light of Piagetian findings regarding the ontogenesis of causal relations. The Concept of Illness protocol was administered to 72 3-, 7-, and 11-year-old children; 24 from each age group. Children were interviewed individually in a school setting. Raters assigned subjects'…

This review of research, developed in cooperation with the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, was designed to analyze and synthesize the research related to developmental psychology and its relationship to science education. The review is divided into five parts: (1) Introduction; (2) Historical Precedents of the Developmental…

The activities described in this report are focused on a preliminary investigation of the effects of presenting problems to children without any prior formal problem-solving instruction, on the children's ability to solve the problems, and on their subsequent problem-solving performances. The work was an outgrowth of activities related to the…

Instructional materials used in two pilot studies are presented. Appendix A contains components of the problem-solving bulletin board. Eighteen problems are stated along with suggestions for solving each problem. Problems 1-10 contain questions extending the original problem. Teacher answer sheets are given for problems 4-18. Appendix B contains…

MANY STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF A SLUMP OR INVERSION IN THE PROBLEM-SOLVING EFFICIENCY OF CHILDREN AT THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE INTERFERING EFFECT OF THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX HYPOTHESES BY THE CHILDREN. SINCE A TENDENCY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY WOULD PRESUMABLY INHIBIT THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX…

The motion variable in the learning process was investigated in three parallel experiments (science, motor skills, social studies), each designed to meet instructional objectives of fact learning, serial ordering, and concept learning. Stimulus sequences were shown as motion pictures, sequenced still pictures, or single still pictures to 582…

A differential diagnosis of three types of severe reading disability cases is presented. The brain damaged-ego disturbed child suffers a defect in the central nervous system which makes it extremely difficult to develop such basic skills as perception, concept formation, and language. The specific brain injury cases, classed as organic remedial,…

A research program on teaching instrumental music tested the value of concept learning for beginning band pupils for the first 12 weeks of their instruction. Eighteen randomly selected schools from Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming provided fifth-grade students (9 control classes and 9 experimental classes) who met in classes of 18 pupils for two…

THESE LESSON PLANS WERE DEVELOPED, ALONG WITH OTHER MATERIALS SUCH AS (1) DEMONSTRATIONS, (2) FILMS, (3) FILM CLIPS, (4) KEY QUESTIONS, AND (5) POSTERS, FOR USE IN A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE RELATIVE LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING OF CERTAIN CONCEPTS OF FORCES ACHIEVED BY PUPILS IN GRADES 2-6. EVALUATION WAS MADE BY MEANS OF PAPER-AND-PENCIL…

The purpose of this study was (1) to develop a specific series of instructional materials which promote the concept of models, (2) to determine if there were significant differences between the apparent ability of students as indicated by their placement in various tracks and their ability to understand the elements of model building, and (3) to…

A discussion augmented by plans of a partially transportable industrial arts learning laboratory. The design calls for four laboratories, parts of which are fixed and parts of which are capsule sections which can be rotated between four junior high schools on a nine week basis. Advantages and disadvantages of the design are discussed in sections…

The purpose of this study was to investigate a proposed model for the acquisition of the concept of displacement volume and to compare two methods of conservation task presentation. A 12-stage hierarchical model for the acquisition of the concept was proposed, based on four primary assumptions: (1) concept attainment can be measured by…