Thesis (Ph. D.) in Psychology--University of Maine, 2002. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-116).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-192). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2002. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-78). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ71623.

Within the framework of Pascual-Leone's Theory of Constructive Operators (TCO), 252 Zulu-speaking children in the 7-8 , 9-10 and 11-12 age-groups were tested four times on the FIT RAC 794, a measure of mental capacity or !i-power. Two hypotheses were investigated: (i) A "local" hypothesis (related to the fact that many black South African schoolchildren appear to struggle at school) was that 'all children have the same A-power. Performance differences are explained in terms of different learning experiences, which give rise to different repertoires of executive structures responsible for allocating M-power. It was predicted that on Trial 1 of the FIT children would underperform, but that with repeated exposure to the task they would develop the executives necessary for success. (ii) A "general" hypothesis sought to test the TCO's theoretical prediction that there is an age-linked developmental ceiling on performance, and that in spite of over-learning children will not perform beyond their age -determined M-power. As predicted the children underperformed on Trial 1. They reached criterion on Tri a1 2 and then overperformed on Tri a1 3 where performance reached a ceiling with no further significant improvement on Trial 4. The fact that chiIdren achieved scores above those predicted by the TCO on Trials 3 and 4 was explained in terms of non-M facilitating factors, developed as the result of over-exposure to the test. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1985.

No description available.

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether a shift from absolute to relative pitch perception occurs during early childhood. Other factors that can influence the development of absolute pitch, such as cognitive abilities and the child's environment were examined. Young children completed (n=88): (1) a variety of pitch tasks (absolute and relative pitch tests) prior to and after two months of focused instruction on absolute and relative pitch, (2) tests of cognitive abilities, and (3) a questionnaire gathering information about family musical environment. / The results indicate that a shift from absolute to relative perception occurs between the ages of 5 and 7. Children younger than six demonstrated limited ability to perform relational tasks such as ordering bells, identifying transposed intervals, and comparing pitches. However, they memorized target pitches better than the older children, matched target tones on the xylophone and sang newly learned songs in their original key more often than did the older children. Older children benefited to a larger extent from the training on relative pitch. Cognitive and spatial abilities were related to absolute pitch development: children who identified pitches better had a more sequential and a less simultaneous way of processing information. Family musical environment seems to have influenced the development of absolute pitch. Implications for the acquisition of absolute pitch are discussed.

The writer is of the opinion that the teaching of history is a skilled, complex and challenging activity which demands a highly professional approach. History teaching should enable children to identify and acquire certain skills and perspectives that support and develop their interest in and knowledge of the past. There has been some concern that history may not be an appropriate school subject for children and young adolescents because it requires a level of cognitive development that they may not yet have attained. Fortunately, there is a substantial body of research that addresses this question. Most of it is grounded in Piagetian theory and is concerned with the development of logical thinking in history learning (Downey and Levstik 1988:338). The writer believes that sophisticated and potentially difficult concepts like historical time, cause and effect and empathy are capable of being explained and discussed at a level that most pupils can grasp. The most frequently quoted statement of Jerome Bruner lends support to this view: "Any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development" (1977:3). This research focused on the three pivotal concepts of historical time, cause and effect and empathy. The purpose of the empirical study was to establish how significant a role these concepts play in the teaching and learning of history at the senior primary level. The study was undertaken by means of the illuminative method of research within the context of the ethnographic tradition. The writer observed and described the teaching of history in seven schools in the Durban area. Ten lessons were given by Fourth Year students from a college of education and five were taught by senior primary teachers. The depth of teaching experience in this group ranged between one year and twenty. In most of the lessons, content predominated over the reinforcing of concepts. Teachers stated openly that they experienced difficulty in teaching the concepts of historical time and cause and effect at senior primary level. This was borne out by the pupils' oral and written responses. However, most teachers did encourage pupils to empathise with the subject matter. The results of this research suggest that there is a need to heighten teachers' awareness of the centrality of the concepts of historical time, cause and effect and empathy if the teaching of history at senior primary level is to become more effective. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

It was hypothesized that children with physical disabilities would show a deficit in procedural and declarative knowledge of ball catching compared to age-matched non-disabled children. The first group of children consisted of sixteen children with physical disabilities, three girls and thirteen boys, aged from 6 years and 5 months to 12 years and 6 months. Sixteen children, five girls and eleven boys, comprised the second group. Their age range was from 6 years and 4 months to 12 years and 2 months. All children were tested individually. / Procedural knowledge of ball catching was measured by a 15-task ball-catching hierarchy. The difficulty of the tasks ranged from easy, static tasks to more difficult ones which required some expertise. Non-disabled children demonstrated higher scores in procedural knowledge than children with physical disabilities. Higher scores in procedural knowledge of ball catching were also shown by older non-disabled children compared to their younger non-disabled peers, as well as by ambulatory children with physical disabilities compared to their non-ambulatory peers. / Declarative knowledge of ball catching was assessed by a 14-item multiple choice questionnaire. The two groups exhibited very similar declarative knowledge. Moreover, no differences regarding declarative knowledge were found between older and younger non-disabled children or between ambulatory and non-ambulatory children with physical disabilities. Further investigation revealed that the association between procedural and declarative knowledge of ball catching was only moderate. / It was suggested that procedural and declarative knowledge do not develop at the same rate and a deficit in procedural knowledge does not necessarily lead to a deficit in declarative knowledge. The relationship between the two types of knowledge may be more complex than initially hypothesized. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This qualitative interpretive inquiry investigates how mathematical meaning is constructed in a sixth grade classroom during one academic year in an English medium suburban school. Mathematical meaning is situated within Piaget's constructivist theory and Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory of the development of higher mental functions. Halliday's social theory of language use provides another theoretical framework for interpreting the daily interactions between the teacher and learners and among learners. Particular focus is on modality and the use of modal auxiliaries in teacher interrogative modals across the teaching of two strands, fractions and geometry. Data collected and analyzed includes 107 audio taped mathematics classes, participant observations of the teacher and six focal children over one school year and school artifacts such as the mathematics textbook and paper handouts. / Findings indicate that the teacher used modal auxiliaries in both the fraction and geometry strands but more modals in the geometry strand. While there were similarities in the teacher's rejoinders across the two strands there were also some distinctions particular to each strand. Data sets suggest that mathematical meanings ultimately made by these learners are influenced by both personal and social factors. Teacher interrogative modals mediated understandings by encouraging multiple learner contributions which resulted in alternative strategies and thoughts being respected. Analysis of the task and activities, event flow of mathematical lessons influenced how the children perceived mathematics and how it should be accomplished Results indicate that these learners, understandings were unique and that through the power of questioning that encourages multiple learner perspectives educators may obtain insights into children's mathematical meaning making in classroom contexts.

Previous empirical studies have been inconsistent in the identification of cognitive differences between LD and EH children on psychoeducational assessment batteries. Furthermore, studies using multivariate procedures such as discriminant analysis have failed to verify the basic underlying assumption of homogeneity of variance-covariance matrices of the groups. Homogeneity of covariance can be assessed by comparing factor structures of the two groups.The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive differences between LD and EH children on a psychoeducational assessment battery Including the WISC-R, WRAT, PIAT, PPVT, and DVMI, typically used to identify the two exceptionalities. Differences In factor structures were investigated in an effort to clarify group differences in cognitive functioning, and to investigate the utility of multivariate analyses such as discriminant analysis with these two groups of children.The subjects were 1165 public school children, aged 6 to 16, referred for assessment and subsequently classified and served in special LD and EH programs. Four and five factor solutions were compared using the congruence coefficient to determine statistical similarities. The first three factors of each solution, Verbal Concepts, Verbal Achievement, and Visual Perceptual Reasoning, were found to be statistically similar in construct and interpretation. These results suggest that If the use of multivariate procedures in studying LD and EH group differences is limited to cognitive performance in the areas of verbal concepts, reading and spelling achievement, and visual perceptual reasoning skills, the results can be accepted as valid. The discriminant analysis would not likely be violating the homogeneity assumption.Differences were found in factor structures Involving the order of the factors extracted in terms of importance In explaining variance. Also, statistically significant differences were found between the factors Involving Math, Visual Motor, and Sequential skills, suggesting that multivariate analyses using these factors would likely violate the homogeneity assumption.Results indicate the presence of heterogeneity in the matrices of LD and EH children, and suggest caution in the interpretation of multivariate statistical analyses with these children. Violation of the assumption of homogeneity can invalidate statistical findings and their application to the study of group differences.