I have some specific comments first and then some more general ones. =
First, my interest in this book is as a text for a course in development=
for people working on their M.A. in elementary education. This course is=
intended to provide some exposure to the psychology that elementary school=
teachers would find of some benefit, and who have not had prior psychology =
training.
----
Chapter 13 focusses on the relations between schooling and cognitive=
development. It might be worthwhile to expand coverage of multiple=
intelligences by Gardner, to include some treatment of 'learning styles'=
and 'learning preferences'. These are terms that are in common use by=
practicing teachers as I have encountered in the various states of WA, CO,=
MA, and SC over the last year, although it must be mentioned that the=
latter sampling is over teachers pursuing an inservice technology degree.=
Learning styles/preferernces has been used to promote multi-media in=
education and it could be worthwhile shedding some impartial light on the=
issue. I recall an online aera discussion perhaps about 2 years back on=
learning styles, from which i gleaned the following references. =20
The Utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Pittenger, David J.
Review of Educational Research, v63 n4 p467-88 1993
Stahl, S., & Kuhn, M. (1995). Does whole language or instruction matched to
learning styles help children learn to read? School Psychology Review,
24(3), 393-404.
RIDING, R.J. y WATTS, M (1997). The effect of cognitive style on the
preferred format of instructional material Educational Psychology, 17, 1-2,
179-183
----
In the box about computers, I find that the category of computer-as-tool to=
encompass the two prior categories: -as-pupil, and -as-tutor. It is really=
just a matter of who is using it as a tool - the student or the teacher, so=
the categories, in that sense, have no sharp boundaries. BTW, berkeley has=
an nsf project called 'The Computer as Learning Partner (CLP) project' and=
there is a description with some research references, mostly Marcia Linn's,=
at:
http://www.kie.berkeley.edu/clp.html
In the computer-as-tool category, Ellen Mandinach from ETS has a book called=
'classroom dynamics' that treat the difficulties of research with the=
complexities of the classroom for interventions. She does not document=
well how her particular treatment (systems modeling) relates to students'=
development. =20
In another book 'learning with artificial worlds' (mellar et al. eds.)=
several contributors treat generative cognition tasks of students building=
qualitative and quantitative models using tools that range from special=
purpose software (stella, link-it, etc) to general purpose purpose=
(spreadsheets). I believe that computer based modeling is part of the=
national curriculum in the UK. =20
--- Also related - to contrast with schools emphasis on learning more through= talking, writing and listening, rather than through doing, is the following= book. It describes the 'design and technology' approach that treats= technology more broadly than computers, that is also part of the UK= national curriculum. There is similar interest in the US:Understanding Practice in Design and Technology (Developing Science and Technology Education) by Richard Kimbell, Kay Stables, Richard Green=20 "Reports on the relationship between British children learning science and= technology and activities of their teachers. Delves into what is and is not= part of Design and Technology, a new subject mandated by the British= National Curriculum " =20
Bob McCormick at the Open University may have done some research with regard= to children's activities of designing and making. The 'design and= technology association journal' has some developmental related research: http://www.data.org.uk/datajournal.htm
---I find that reading chapter 13 is enlightened by reading chapter 14, on= social development. Could there be a segue created between the two= chapters? I don't know the relevant research on the issue of how schooling= promotes social development, but the fact that it throws children together= for so many days of the year, with significant mediation by adults,= schedules, rules, etc. must have some effect on people's ability to= interact later in life, whether in work or play settings. The shifting= emphasis in schooling from individual to group work may also have some= impact on the aspects of cooperation and competition as well.
Bill Barowy, Associate Professor Technology in Education Lesley College, 31 Everett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-2790=20 Phone: 617-349-8168 / Fax: 617-349-8169 http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/wbarowy/Barowy.html _______________________ "One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly become the author of something beautiful." [Norman Maclean in "A river runs through it."]