Computer-based microworlds: A bridge between constructivism and direct instruction

The field of instructional technology is characterized by its products, such as instructional media, and its processes, such as instructional design. Over the past 50 years, the process of instructional technology has been shaped by advances in learning and instructional theory. Much of the development work to date has been associated with direct instruction or instruction based largely on the application of behavioral and neobehavioral principles. In contrast, constructivism, a faction within cognitive psychology associated with Piagetian learning theory, is characterized by discovery and experiential learning. Constructivists have sought to tap the computational power of modern microcomputers to create computer microworlds, such as those found in LOGO, in which learners can experience and appropriate sophisticated ideas from (but not limited to) the domains of science and mathematics. Proponents of constructivism and direct instruction usually are viewed in opposition to one another. It is suggested here that each has something to learn from the other, and that computer microworlds offer a platform for collaboration.     

The Long-Term Effects of Parental Divorce on the Mental Health of Young Adults: A Developmental Perspective

The effects of parental divorce during childhood and adolescence on the mental health of young adults (age 23) were examined, using the National Child Development Study (NCDS), a longitudinal, multimethod, nationally representative survey of all children born in Great Britain during 1 week in 1958 ( N = 17,414). Children were assessed at birth and subsequently followed up at ages 7, 11, 16, and 23 by means of maternal and child interviews, and by psychological, school, and medical assessments. Parental divorce had a moderate, long-term negative impact on adult mental health, as measured by the Malaise Inventory total score, and controlling for economic status, children's emotional problems, and school performance preceding marital dissolution. The likelihood of scoring above the clinical cutoff of the Malaise Inventory rose from 8% to 11% due to parental divorce. This indicated that the relative risk of serious emotional disorders increased in the aftermath of divorce, but that the large majority of individuals did not exhibit such risks. Path analyses revealed that the negative effects of divorce on adult mental health operated indirectly through higher emotional problems and lower levels of school achievement and family economic status at age 16. Results related to timing of divorce, remarriage, and interactions between age 7 emotional problems and divorce, and between age 7 emotional problems and child gender, are also discussed.     

Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds,simulations, and games

Little attention has been given to the psychological and sociological value of play despite its many advantages to guiding the design of interactive multimedia learning environments for children and adults. This paper provides a brief overview of the history, research, and theory related to play. Research from education, psychology, and anthropology suggests that play is a powerful mediator for learning throughout a person's life. The time has come to couple the ever increasing processing capabilities of computers with the advantages of play. The design of hybrid interactive learning environments is suggested based on the constructivist concept of a microworld and supported with elements of both games and simulations.The author thanks Luther Rotto and Tillman Ragan for their comments on an earlier draft of this paper. He also thanks Ron Oliver and the faculty and students at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia, for their comments and feedback of this work presented during his visit in the summer of 1995. Special thanks go to Cindy Ellington and Holly Ward for their participation and cooperation in various aspects of the project in which children designed their own educational computer games.     

Another look at rapport

The purpose of this essay was to describe the rationale and method of research in natural settings so that communication undergraduates may use these techniques. The author explains the concept of systematic observation and answers basic questions through the use of an illustration. The illustration is a case study of communication interaction on a commuter bus in metropolitan Washington, D.C. In the illustration, analysis is divided into verbal and nonverbal communication. The focus of attention is placed on how typical interactions differ from the unusual. Finally, the uses of this research in the classroom are discussed.