In Japan, it is a common belief that anyone can achieve success; all that is necessary is that one persists with utmost diligence, and almost anything can be accomplished. This study investigated the thoughts of Japanese children, parents, and educators regarding the cultural phenomenon of "ganbare" (persistence), which permeates…

A broad understanding of the skills and characteristics associated with successful performance in graduate school was developed through discussions with two groups of distinguished graduate faculty members, 15 in all. The first group consisted of psychologists with expertise in cognition and assessment. The second group was composed of faculty…

This study investigated patterns of procrastination in the domains of health, relationships, employment, and creative outlets in 19 former Westinghouse Science Talent Search winners, age 32 years. A model was synthesized from the available literature and an interview schedule of 14 open-ended items was developed to elicit self-assessments of…

Teaching of computer programming in elementary and secondary schools has become a very popular activity. The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the empirical research on the benefits of learning computer programming on students' cognition abilities. The paper focuses on the question: Do the skills of computer programming transfer to…

In most schools in America little attention is paid to the nurturance of students' creative potential, with emphasis too often placed instead on rote, repetitive learning. The literature contains many suggestions for enhancing creativity in the classroom setting, such as refraining from discounting odd or unusual questions from students, finding…

This paper cites reasons to be optimistic and to be concerned about the creative potential of at-risk and disadvantaged students. Reasons for optimism include the wide distribution of creative potential, the significant role played by motivation in creative performances, and the diverse expression of creativity. Reasons for concern include the…

These four articles deal with historical developments of sloyd in Cuba and research on creativity with regard to sloyd education. (Sloyd, derived from a Swedish word, is an umbrella term for making or crafting things by hand.) "The Process of Sloyd Introduction in Cuba: Main Events" describes important events related to its introduction…

This document highlights the creative teaching ideas of Portland (Oregon) Public Schools' teachers that have been classroom-tested during the 1991 school year. IMPACT II is a teacher program that assists educational reform by providing innovative teacher-developed curriculum ideas, teacher-to-teacher networks, professional development, teacher…

Cultural development is the development of knowledge, values, and attitudes bringing about the fulfillment of personalities and their creative capabilities. School in general stresses cognitive development and uses authoritarian methods to impose its view, thereby promoting imitation over initiative and critical thinking. School counterbalances…

This section of the TESOL convention volume challenges basic assumptions which are held by language teachers and researchers while at the same time providing other assumptions for professionals to challenge. The following papers are presented: (1) My View of "Teaching Languages: A Way and Ways," by E. Stevick; (2) "'I Got…

This article explores transfer of learning in the arts to non-arts learning. The analysis is presented in the context of theories of knowledge acquisition more generally. Behavioral and neuro-function processes are discussed.

This article examines the origin of ArtsBridge America, a K-12 school/university arts education partnership. It also summarizes findings from a research study on the effect that ArtsBridge participation had on a sample of university arts students. The study indicated that the transition from student to teaching artist required transformation of…

This article reports on the development, internal consistency, and reliability of a new preschool and kindergarten classroom observational measure based on NAEYC's Guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practices. The Classroom Practices Inventory (CPI) is a 26-item rating scale tapping the curricular emphasis and emotional climate of programs…

Philosophy of education is characterized by a pluralism of philosophical methods, attracting divergent issues. The papers which make up this conference proceedings address critical comments on education. A list of the papers follows: (1) "Contra Bloom: The Center Will Not Hold" (A. Pearl); (2) "Non-Paradigmatic Research" (J.…

This report on the professoriate in American higher education explores how the use of faculty time is rewarded and, especially, what activities of the professoriate are most highly prized. Changes in the work of higher education institutions through the years--its movement from teaching to service and then research, are noted, as are conflicts…