240 BOOK REVIEWS

ignore the existence of instructional technology; however its potential is such that it will probably bring about a major reorientation in the practice of education.

While the Commission strongly urged a reduction in time to earn a bachelor’s degree, Mayhew sees little chance for adoption of this recommendation because of “powerful pressures to increase the length of time spent in postadolescence and preadulthood.” He feels that attenuation of professional programs is likely to come to pass. If the professions of medicine and law do successfully reduce their time period of preparation Mayhew feels other programs are likely to follow. Just as this review is written, a medical school has announced a program for taking students a t the conclusion of high school; this program will be six years in length. Two institutions of higher learning have announced a special program for law school. A combined program of studies will result in a bachelor’s degree and a law degree a t the end of six years.

Overall Mayhew feels that the work of the Carnegie Commission must be judged to have been highly successful; that the studies and reports are technically competent, and that they focus on important issues in higher education. One will come away from this book enriched with a greater understanding of the higher education enterprise in the United States and grateful for Mayhew’s sophisti- cated interpretation of the Commission’s reports.

G. R. G.

BREARLEY, M. The teaching of young children: Some applications of Piaget’s learning theory.

FURTH, H. F. and WACHS, H. Thinking goes to school: Piaget’s theory in practice. N. Y.: Oxford, 1974, 297 pp., $8.95.

MEEKER, M. N. S O I abilities workbook: Cognition. Segundo, CA. : SO1 Institute (214 Main St.), 1973, 220 pp., $7.50.

MEEKER, M. N. The structure of intellect: I t s interpretation and uses. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill, 1969, 203 pp., $7.15. Two giants in the development of our understanding about human cognition

have been J. Piaget and J. P. Guilford, one depicting the growth of thinking and the other its components. Neither man influenced the original development of intelligence tests, and the unfortunate lack of any theoretical base to the Wechsler or Binet tests continues to plague school psychologists. (Would it not be nice to know what bead stringing really measures?) Nor, for years after the introduction of their theories, did they have much impact on school instruction. One reason was the lack of translators of their abstruse conceptions into specific educational practice.

But pioneers have their disciples, and dozens of their students are plowing the resistant sod of schools for new applications of their theories. The race to introduce new psychometrics now includes conservation and other Piagetian-based tests. Structure-of-intellect tests derived from Guilford’s factors are on the way. But the big plum is instruction. I n a society where it has become imperative to teach children the how of thinking, teachers have wanted concrete and helpful tools to teach cognitive skills. Often mentioned today is the need for process rather than content education.

N. Y.: Schocken, 1970, 192 pp., $5.50.