Piagetian theory and the teaching of reading

An attempt is made to reconsider the implications of Piaget's theories for the teaching of reading. It is argued that the way the theories have typically been interpreted in relation to reading is unhelpful and does not accord with the behaviour of young readers. Alternative ways of linking Piagetian theory to the teaching of reading are proposed. It is considered that they both provide a more adequate explanation and offer the teacher more helpful directions along which to develop reading.     

A computational alternative to the Piagetian infant

Abstract

Piaget's (1953, 1955) increasingly controversial claim that infant knowledge depends upon action need not be rejected, provided the mechanisms underlying infant ability are conceptualized appropriately in computational terms. Computational concepts solve many problems caused by Piaget's notions of perception, behaviour, schemes, reciprocal-assimilation and action. Artificial intelligence work on vision offers a way of explaining early perceptual abilities that is precise, internally coherent and able to encompass recent findings of innate organization. Concepts from the procedural programming languages offer a way of accounting for both internal and overt aspects of behaviour, and for the functional coordination of perception and behaviour that characterizes infant anion. This perspective challenges Piaget's view that development necessitates a radical reconstruction of action-based knowledge. Conceptualized computationally, perceptual-behavioural action can be seen to involve representation in a nontrivial sense. Restructuring of action mechanisms can account for some central phenomena of infant development.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy scales

The purpose of the present study was to test the factor structure of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities in preschool children. Seventy-two boys and 69 girls between 4 and 5 years of age were tested. A factor analysis was carried out by means of the principal components method with varimax rotation. The existence of the Verbal factor and of the Perceptual-Performance factor was confirmed. The Quantitative and Memory factors appear undifferentiated. As far as the subtests which make up the Motor scale are concerned, they do not constitute a single factor. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

Piagetian constructivism and the concept of mediated learning experience

The different tools of learning potential assessment rest on a mediation stage of some learning experience between a pre-test and a post-test. Althouth mediation might correspond to a broad range of educative behaviors, in these tools, as can be seen in this issue, it most often takes the form of quite direct instructions of cognitive strategies or of more general solving principles: As if the subject’s own activity would be totally substituted by the mediation during a mediated learning experience. From a constructivist conception of the development this view of the nature of mediation is indeed too narrow and too restrictive and raises some basic questions: What might be the meaning of a cognitive potential revealed only by direct instruction? How to relate learning potential and cognitive development? How to transform potentialities in subsequent cognitive development. This paper tackles these issues from a discussion of the Feuerstein’s distinction of mediated learning experience versus learning by direct exposure to sources of stimuli. From a constructivist view of cognitive functioning and cognitive development, it tries to broaden what mediation might be in the assessment of learning potential as well as in cognitive education programs.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy screening test

The factor structure of the McCarthy Screening Test was investigated with a sample of 555 children. The sample consisted of 300 boys and 255 girls, whose mean age was 61.4 months; approximately 80% were white and 20% were black. The data from the present study and from the MST standardization samples were analyzed by a principal components analysis (with ones in the diagonal) followed by a varimax rotation. The results from the data analysis seem to indicate that the subtests all measure parts of the same attribute (cognitive and sensorimotor functions) in varying degrees.     

高速公路混凝土的施工技术在现阶段上的提高应用

在新的经济发展形势下,高速公路已在我国广泛应用,现代化的进程使高速公路迅猛地发展,给人们的交通带来了极大的便利。在实际应用当中,高速公路的施工技术涵盖各个内容,在工程体系中具有举足轻重的地位,其技术的进步则代表着高速公路的工程质量得到了质的提升,目前我国的高速公路的强度和抗冲击力都较强,具有一定的稳定性和持久性,随着交通运输的通达特点,高速公路已越来越适应时代的要求,向着更高的层次探索。下面,本文就以高速公路的施工技术为切入点,通过对施工作业前的准备及施工中的不同技术应用,探讨混凝土施工技术的应用要领。     

大板结构工程现浇混凝土超时缓凝现象探析

在工程实际中常常会发生混凝土超时缓凝现象,这对混凝土的性能及工程质量都将带来很不利的影响。文章结合某工程项目在施工过程中出现的超时缓凝现象,分析产生原因,介绍处理方法,并从合理选择原材料、减少外界因素的影响以及技术措施三方面对混凝土超时缓凝的预防及处理进行了探析且提出了切实可行的措施。     

A validity study of two paper-pencil tests of concrete and formal operations

Two group paper-pencil batteries, the Longeot (consisting of three subtests) and three puzzles (KLR) from Science Teaching and the Development of Reasoning, were administered to 607 students from ninth and tenth grade mathematics and science classes. A subsample of 69 students was then administered three Inhelder tasks (chemicals, rods, and shadows). In general, the expected developmental trends were confirmed, with formal status being most difficult to attain on the Inhelder tasks and easiest to attain on the Longeot. The correlations between the KLR and Inhelder (0.61, p < 0.01) and the Longeot and Inhelder (0.55, p < 0.05) were moderately high. According to the method of Shayer (Note 2), it was found that each of five paper-pencil subtests discriminates at or between the 2B (late concrete) and 3A (early formal) levels while the sixth subtest, the mealworm puzzle, was found to discriminate at the 3A level. This study indicates that either group battery may be useful in identifying transitional subjects. However, if a more stringent criterion of “formal” is needed, a “success” rate of four or five out of the six subtests may be required. Both group batteries are relatively easy to administer and score with a minimum of guidance, although the KLR scoring might need to be simplified for use by the practitioner. Sex differences found on the KLR and the Longeot are suggestive of the potential differential use of these tests by researchers investigating sex differences in achievement or aptitude.     

Contributions of Piagetian and post-Piagetian theories to education

The aim of this article was to reflect on the contributions of Piagetian and neo-Piagetian theories to education. Topics analyzed included the evolution of Piaget’s and co-workers’ theory, the reaction by the scientific community to the main theoretical and methodological aspects of each period of his work, the educational potentialities of methodological and theoretical aspects of his theory, the criticisms about the potentialities of Piagetian theory for grounding educational practice. Then the emergence of the neo-Piagetian theories was described, as well as their major aims and their educational potentialities. Finally some considerations concerning the strengths and weaknesses of Piagetian and neo-Piagetian theories were presented.     

Factor structure of the K-ABC for referred school children

Previous factor analyses of the K-ABC for school-age children have offered varying degrees of support for the test, depending on which subtests have been analyzed. Further, most previous analyses have involved only children from the standardization sample. Here, K-ABC scores for 585 school-age children referred for psychological evaluation were factor analyzed. Results of the analysis of K-ABC MP tests were quite consistent with those of previous analyses and with the structure of the test itself. The factor structure of the MP and Achievement tests together was also consistent with previous analyses and, like those analyses, was somewhat less consistent with the theoretical structure of the K-ABC; the factors found could be interpreted from several perspectives. As in analyses of the standardization data, the Achievement tests appear to be better measures of general intelligence for referred children than do the MP scales. Thus, while it appears that the K-ABC factor structure is quite consistent for both normal and exceptional children, the meaning and names of factors found are open to interpretation.     

男性毒品犯的人格结构特征

为了探讨毒品犯的人格结构的构成因素 ,以 378名在押男性毒品犯接受CPI测验的原始资料为基础 ,采用主成分分析与方差极大正交旋转在分量表水平上进行因素分析 ,获得 4个特征根λ>1的因素 ,其中因素Ⅰ由适宜感、智力效率、社会化等 9个分量表构成 ;因素Ⅱ由社交性、社交风度、自我接受等 6个分量表构成 ;因素Ⅲ由心理感受、通情、进取能力、独立成就所构成 ;因素Ⅳ即分量表灵活性。根据各因素含义分别命名为遵从性、外向性、成熟性和灵活性。此因素模型能够较好地解释毒品犯的人格结构特征     

社会主义本质及其在初级阶段的表现

1992年春,邓小平在南方谈话中,对于社会主义本质做出了"五句话"的概括.这一概括对于我们进一步理解和把握社会主义的本质具有重大的指导意义.但是,这一概括是以社会主义初级阶段理论为立论基础的,并不是对整个社会主义社会阶段的本质概括,对于"什么是社会主义,怎样建设社会主义"的问题也只是做出了初步的回答.客观地讲,这一本质论断只是社会主义本质在社会主义初级阶段的具体表现和反映.     

混凝土结构设计耐久性环境区划标准

混凝土结构耐久性环境区划标准的目的就是为混凝土结构耐久性设计提供合理的设计参数.混凝土结构耐久性环境区划标准在结构全寿命周期成本原理基础上考虑了环境对结构的影响,并将结构的重要性、结构形式和功能等多方面因素一并纳入考虑之中.首先给出了混凝土结构设计耐久性环境区划标准的概念和建立该标准的3个基本原则,其次根据自然环境条件和结构重要性等确定了区划的主要影响因素,然后以浙江省公路桥梁结构耐久性环境区划图的编制为例说明了混凝土结构耐久性环境区划的可行性与实用性,最后根据区划图给出了耐久性区划标准的若干设计规定.     

Cognitive development of intellectually gifted: A Piagetian perspective

This article explores some of the materials prepared for parents of gifted children and examines the explanatory language and concepts used in terms of their potential for shaping parental attitudes and affecting the adjustment of gifted children. The author argues that the conceptual frameworks used to explain giftedness, nongiftedness and the nature of differences have powerful effects on societal and educational attitudes, including the willingness to provide differentiated services for gifted children. A strong plea is made for professional sensitivity and responsibility in describing giftedness in ways that do not isolate gifted children or their parents and which potentiate shared advocacy with other educational advocacy groups.     

“混凝土结构设计原理”精品课程的建设与思考

进行土木工程专业的“混凝土结构设计原理”精品课程建设,要明确课程定位,合理安排教学各环节,改革教学方法,加强师资队伍建设。