Stress is a part of everyday life for adolescents with puberty as stress affecting sixth grade students (N=27) was addressed in a junior high school with a program designed to reduce stress through problem solving. Two evaluation devices, the Barksdale Stress Evaluation and the "My Stress Level" Test were used for pre- and post-test comparison. In…

This study investigated the extent to which participation by high school students in a computer programming course leads to improved critical thinking skills, and whether a significant difference exists in critical thinking skill development between participants in Pascal and BASIC classes. Three groups of high school students were tested using…

Over a l0-week period, an elementary school teacher designed and implemented a practicum study intended to help a target group of 24 kindergartners develop crucial mathematical problem-solving skills and to prepare them for taking the Stanford Achievement Test. The objective was addressed through implementation of direct instruction, modeling,…

The concept of the mole and its relationship to chemical algebra is difficult for many high school chemistry students to master. This paper describes a study of the use of proportional reasoning when teaching mole relationships and its effect on developing critical thinking skills. The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) was used as a pre- and…

This practicum was designed to provide K-6 grade children with peace making tools. The curriculum was piloted in a public school for one year. The goal was to teach children how to make peace with themselves and with others. The writer used a combination of strategies in the curriculum to meet the needs of the children; provided self-esteem…

This practicum's goal was to improve the organizational components of a university child care center through the development and implementation of a comprehensive program of evaluation. Several evaluation models were considered. The Context-Input-Process-Product Model was selected for its flexibility in providing formative and summative results,…

A school district's program coordinator designed and implemented a practicum study intended to provide intermediate grade teachers and students with problem-solving techniques and skills needed for success in a course in contemporary Canadian issues. Teachers' and students' problem-solving skills were assessed through reports based on…

The high percentage of high school pre-algebra students having difficulty learning the abstract concept of graphing ordered pairs on the Cartesian rectangular coordinate system was addressed by the creation and implementation of a computer-managed instructional program. Modules consisted of a pretest, instruction, two practice sessions, and a…

A minicourse that uses a problem-solving approach to teach physical therapy skills was developed for the Physical Therapy Program at California State University, Fresno. Clinical supervisors and faculty helped to identify competencies and write behavioral objectives, and physical therapy students provided input to help design the minicourse. An…

This practicum was designed to improve preschool, kindergarten, and first grade teachers' group decision making skills in order to encourage program continuity from grade to grade in schools in a culturally diverse metropolitan area. A second aim was to use shared skill building to reduce isolation and improve problem solving among preschool and…

This practicum designed and implemented a program using art therapy to improve the social competency of elementary-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/defiant disorder. Students were in a special class for children with severe emotional disturbances. The children met once a week in art therapy sessions…

This practicum addressed the importance of the development of problem solving skills in primary age children. Students need to practice recognizing the problem, deciding what steps are necessary in solving the problem, evaluating the solution, and revising the steps, when necessary. Summer camp computer students who were entering second grade…

In this project, a plan for solving word problems based on the students' level of development was developed. A 10-week implementation of a plan for solving word problems at the concrete level of development included the use of a flow chart or plan to map out and solve word problems. Students then used the flow chart and manipulatives to develop…

Over an 8-month period, a preschool teacher's aide designed and implemented a practicum study intended to improve the social skills of preschoolers in a private day care center. Lesson plans for teaching seven social skills through problem solving were created. Skills were related to entering and exiting activities without disrupting them;…

This paper addresses the issue of incorporating creative thinking and problem solving techniques into an established teacher education methods course for prospective preschool teachers. The project's goals were (1) to increase students' knowledge and understanding of the value of creative thinking skills; (2) to provide group exercises using the…