The derivative framework described by Zandieh (2000) has been an important tool in calculus education research, and many researchers have revisited the framework to elaborate on it, extend it, or refine certain aspects of it. We continue this process by using the framework to put forward a suggestion on what might constitute a "target…

The role of analogies and metaphors has played a significant part in the work on teaching and learning science. This commentary discusses three papers from this current issue that cover a wide range of studies in the spirit of conceptual metaphors--ranging from a study somewhat similar to "classical" conceptual change, to a teacher…

Many qualitative and quantitative studies performed on peer instruction based on interactive engagement method used in many different disciplines and courses were reviewed in the present study. The researchers examined the effects of peer instruction on students' cognitive skills (conceptual learning, problem solving, reasoning ability, etc.) and…

Schemata, as defined recently by reading researchers, represent generic concepts which are stored in memory. They include underlying objects, situations, events, actions, and sequences of actions for use in interpreting new experiences. Research on schemata suggests that teachers need to pay attention to the types of questions they ask when…

In a study which required college students to learn to recognize four flexible plastic shapes photographed on different backgrounds from different angles, the importance of a context-rich environment for the learning and recognition of visual patterns was illustrated. (Author)

Three groups of third graders were used to test the importance of a teaching progressions -- concrete to abstract and abstract to concrete -- using an instruction unit on land use which developed concepts of site, scale, aerial perspective, and areal association. (JH)

One of the most typical ways in which people learn is by inferring general rules from examples. In recent years, significant progress has been made toward understanding how learning from examples can occur, determining when it does occur, and identifying conditions that promote it. This paper reviews these results and then suggests a program of…

This paper examines the cognitive process of concept development in preschool children, based on recent psychological research. Rather than attempting an exhaustive review of the more than 7000 articles written on children's concepts of categories, the paper highlights and illustrates four key themes that emerge from recent research: first,…

The development of concepts of equivalence was studied in a group of 256 children, ages 4-8. The relative difficulty of these concepts is interpreted in terms of the young child's difficulty in understanding spatial arrangement and heterogeneity as irrelevant to numerical size. (Author/KM)

The article describes a study to determine how instruction on the distinction between two theoretical ideas will affect the intake, interpretation, and recall of new information related to but different from the first. (Author/SB)

Three task context factors that form obstacles to generalizing logical reasoning strategies for adolescents are discussed. The relationship between these obstacle factors and Piagetian theory is explored. Findings suggest that it is possible to make some predictions about how and when logical mechanisms will be generalized to new situations.…

Investigated, within a Piagetian framework, was the degree of abstract preferences exhibited by five different grade levels of science students as they completed eighteen problem solving tasks. Three hundred twenty-nine randomly selected students from five grade levels, ranging from eighth grade to college seniors, were given the Shipley Test of…

Focuses on the utility of well-formulated theory in conducting research, and demonstrates that the problem of transfer of learning is still a tough and subtle one. (Editor/RK)

A colliding spheres type of experiment is used with several hundred 4-12 grade students to test for knowledge of the concept of controlling variables. Results support the contention that the concept is developed gradually during the concept stage but not fully attained until around 14 years of age. (CP)

This study considers two problems related to cognitive development: "Is development hierarchical?" and "If so, what are the mechanisms involved in the process of development?" Analysis of the results of an experiment lead to differentiation of stages of development, and problem-solving strategies at each level are discussed.…