Urges education to help students learn through conceptual thinking. States that the first step must be to teach the subtleties of words--without a command of the language, important discriminations can be confused. Asserts that if students are to think well conceptually, surface language must dissolve, and alternative ways to communicate must be…

Discusses research identifying and examining specific "developmental assets": positive building blocks that all children and youth need for success. Discusses the role of these assets in health promotion and risk reduction. Outlines specific actions educators can take to build 12 of these developmental assets. Notes the special place of health…

Investigates differences in social cognitive processing between two sub-types of aggressive children in grades two through four: those rejected by their peers and those not rejected. Descriptive discriminant analysis reveals that aggressive nonrejected children were more likely to believe that aggression leads to positive outcomes, and were more…

Presents the first four of nine strategies that students can use to develop their critical thinking skills: using "wasted time" to practice critical thinking; choosing a problem at the beginning of each day to work on; developing a heightened awareness of universal intellectual standards; and writing journal entries each week that analyze…

Study examines attachment organization and dimensions of commitment in 101 females and 30 males with the use of an attachment questionnaire and the Commitment Inventory. Persons in a relationship who endorsed a secure or preoccupied attachment prototype reported stronger personal dedication than those endorsing a fearful-avoidant or…

Reports on a longitudinal study that partially supports Chickering's hypotheses about the relationship between collegiate experiences and psychosocial development. Results indicate that development of purpose and sense of competence were related to collegiate experiences. However, measurement issues emerged regarding development over extended…

Study examines the relationship between psychosocial development and racial development of 539 Black American, Asian American, and Latino American traditional-aged undergraduate college students. Findings suggest that both race and racial identity are clearly related to the combined tasks of psychosocial development. Explores implications for…

Discusses the perceived lack of readiness among sorority and fraternity members to reduce their drinking. Reports on a survey of 106 at-risk Greek students in which 25% report moving into stages that involve thinking about change or action to reduce their alcohol consumption. Proposes that research should assess the extent to which high-risk…

Investigates possible developmental trends in children's invented spelling (or spelling errors) in Chinese elementary schools. Notes that regression analysis for linear trend shows that a developmental trend in the use of spelling strategies exists: at the lower elementary level, phonological strategies predominate; as grade level advances, the…

Prior to and following their first semester at college, most students view this transition as a normative experience. However, particular areas of concern perceived by students include: the way their interpersonal relationships might change, the length of time it might take to adjust, and the stresses associated with the first semester. (Author)

Investigates the cognitive development of counseling students at 3 points in their training. Analysis showed a linear trend between the students' progression through the program and their cognitive development. Results lend support to the idea that it may be possible to capture the broad development of counselor education students with a…

Study assessed the effectiveness of the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA) in measuring psychosocial changes from the freshman year through the senior year using longitudinal research design. Results provide evidence of validity for the SDTLA and demonstrate that as a measurement tool, the SDTLA is sensitive to changes…

This qualitative study investigated Hong Kong teachers' perception of a whole-school approach to guidance and its practice. Findings revealed that teachers perceived a whole-school approach as fostering student development and as a system of management. Teacher dedication, communication, and team spirit were considered as facilitating factors for…

Summarizes findings from the National Study of Student Learning (NSSL), including findings that challenge conventional wisdom and findings that, in part, support it. Considers the findings' implications for faculty and administrators. Includes sidebars describing the design and conduct of the NSSL and listing other publications addressing NSSL…

Discusses how communication audits serve well as educational tools for both student auditors and employees of organizations. Describes how teachers need to gain access to organizations, especially through internal audit departments; negotiate the exchange of essentially free audit findings for a learning experience and research data; and secure…