Language: English

Language: English

Language: English

Language: English

ISSN: 0027-0172

Language: Italian

ISSN: 0036-9837

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of the monograph was to determine if the process of science or the content of science should be emphasized in elementary school science teaching. The discussion attempts to show why process, and not content, should be the primary emphasis in elementary school science teaching by examining the history of elementary school science in the United States, cognitive development, and the preparation of teachers. The results indicate that educators regard the development of competence in use of the scientific method and the development of the scientific attitude the most important objectives of science instruction. Developmental psychologists such as Montessori, Piaget, and Bruner believe that child cognition is enhanced when pupils use the processes of science. Finally, there is evidence that elementary school teachers can be better trained to teach a process-oriented curriculum because it requires little understanding of the concepts and principles of science and does not require teachers to keep up to date with scientific information. (Author/BR)

Language: English

Published: Syracuse, New York: Department of Science Teaching, Syracuse University, 1973

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this research was to study the clinical and kinematic characteristics of cursive handwriting in healthy third and fifth grade children. One hundred-nine children participated in this study; 53 were in grade three and 56 were in grade five. Five commonly used clinical assessments were selected addressing strength, sensorimotor and coordination characteristics specific to handwriting. Two handwriting assessments, the Evaluation Tool of Children's Handwriting-Cursive, and the writing subtest of the Jebsen Test of Hand Function, assessed speed and/or legibility of handwriting. A simple cursive writing task was also produced on a digitized tablet and analyzed for kinematic features. Multiple T-Tests were used to determine significant gender differences and the effects of maturation on handwriting. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine if clinical or kinematic characteristics were predictors of legibility in cursive handwriting. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine if clinical or kinematic characteristics of handwriting contributed to handwriting speed and legibility. Results of this study indicate that in all groups, boys had less legible handwriting than girls. With maturation, healthy children in the third and fifth grades improve in their ability to smoothly write in the up and down direction, which is complemented by improved hand steadiness and coordination. The strong association between the grooved pegboard and legibility suggest that improving a child's in-hand manipulation skills may contribute to improvement in handwriting skills. The Jebsen and grooved pegboard contributed to handwriting speed and legibility. The findings of this study will guide Occupational Therapists in improving their understanding of the clinical and kinematic mechanisms underlying handwriting, which are critical to the development of appropriate intervention paradigms.

Language: English

Published: Detroit, Michigan, 2012

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: This paper recounts the history of nongraded elementary schools. After the American Civil War, there arose an uncoordinated effort to question graded practices. By the end of the 19th century, schools which sought to be more sensitive to differences in children's learning styles were established. Notable among these schools was Dewey's Laboratory School (1893-1903). In the 20th century, Stoddard's Dual Progress Plan proposed that students spend half the school day in a homeroom and half the day studying elective subjects under specialist teachers. In Germany around 1923, Petersen established a school that featured heterogeneous age groupings. Petersen's ideas influenced the establishment of nongraded schools in Wisconsin. Other European influences on the American nongraded school movement included Montessori's schools and the British Infant and Primary School system. Since the mid-1940s, public education in America has been in disequilibrium. The implementation of nongraded programs [Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (San Francisco, CA, April 20-24, 1992)]

Language: English

Published: San Francisco, California, Apr 1992

Language: Russian