The Early Childhood Mathematics Education Revolution

This study examined the moral reasoning that preschoolers use in resolving moral dilemmas. Children's resolutions and justifications were examined with regard to their care orientation and their justice orientation. Thirty-one preschool children participated in the study (18 girls, 13 boys). Children were each read 4 stone containing moral dilemmas and were asked to resolve these dilemmas. The results indicated that children's answers revealed a care orientation or a justice orientation with equal frequency. At times, children could even accept both orientations to the same dilemma. The data analysis also revealed no gender differences in moral orientation. Results are discussed in terms of children's social-cognitive abilities. Educational implications are also raised.     

Utilization and dominance of spatially separated cues as a function of water deprivation

Utilization and dominance of physically separate redundant-relevant cues were measured in albino rats under moderate (18 h/day) or high (23.5 h/day) water deprivation. Cues were located on goal doors (brightness) and the floor (texture) in a two-choice discrimination apparatus. Three experiments were carried out with the following paradigms: incidental cue, redundant-relevant cue discrimination, and optional shift discrimination. Deprivation did not affect rate of acquisition of initial discrimination or cue dominance. Cue utilization, however, was inversely related to deprivation in redundant-relevant cue and optional shift discrimination tasks. These effects were limited, however. Over-training on the redundant-relevant cue task eliminated the effect. Within the optional shift situation, only animals that initially acquired a texture cue discrimination were affected by deprivation. Other factors affecting cue utilization in these experiments were also described and discussed.     

Nurturing Kindergarteners’ Early STEM Academic Identity Through Makerspace Pedagogy

Early Childhood Education Journal - Children’s attitudes about STEM are formed early. As such, the ecology of early childhood classrooms can either afford or deny access to relevant...