Citation

DeVries R, Reese-Learned H, Morgan P. Early Child Res. Q. 1991; 6(4): 473-517.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0885-2006(91)90031-F

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Enacted interpersonal understanding was studied in 56 children from three kindergarten programs in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods: a direct-instruction program (DI) called DISTAR, representing the cultural-transmission paradigm in educational thought; a constructivist program (CON) representing the cognitive-developmental paradigm; and an eclectic program (ECL) having some characteristics of both paradigms. Pairs of children were videotaped playing a board game and dividing stickers. Selman's conceptualization of enacted interpersonal understanding at three levels of Negotiation Strategies (NS) and Shared Experiences (SE) was used in microanalytic coding of videotapes and transcripts. Analysis of 8,256 NS and SE showed a predominant use of Level 1 in all groups. The CON group consistently had the highest percentage of Level 2 and DI the lowest. The CON group was more interpersonally active, having a greater number and variety of NS and SE than the other two groups. When group differences in Level 0 NS and SE appeared, CON had the lowest percentage and DI the highest. Analysis of 292 conflicts during the game showed no differences among the groups on number or subject of conflict, but revealed the same pattern of program differences in levels of interpersonal understanding as described for the entire game. No gender differences and no differences in cognitive understanding of the game were found. No differences were found in mothers' reported childrearing attitudes and practices. Interviews on life in their classrooms showed differences among programs in children's perceptions of rules, punishments, activities, and responsibilities. Differences were observed among the groups in the degree to which children continued their activities when the teacher left the classroom. While the directinstruction group had significantly higher scores on preschool-screening tests and first-grade achievement tests than both constructivist and eclectic groups, the differences between direct-instruction and constructivist groups disappeared by third grade. Results are discussed in terms of policy implications for early education.