The relationship between cognitive development and problem-solving skills is discussed. One approach for improving students' problem-solving skills rests in the application of cognitive development theories to instruction. Instructional strategies that facilitate cognitive development can be categorized into two groups: instruction that challenges…

The current status of mathematics education in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is reported. The perceptions of Davis and Romberg reflect their own observations and discussions with Soviet educators. Kantowski and Rachlin give their impressions resulting from reading reports on Soviet research techniques and findings. Davis and Romberg…

The Family Support Act (FSA) of 1988 provides opportunities for educators to form linkages with other agencies to strengthen families and help them move toward self-sufficiency. The FSA affords professionals chances to forge critical interagency connections and expand the range and capacity of programs for learners at risk. A strategy for forming…

There is an increasing awareness of the usefulness of foreign language training in a number of seemingly diverse areas. Foreign language students develop not only technical skills related to language use but also tangible advantages in the job market because of their increased communication skills. Mastery of languages also enhances the enjoyment…

Presented are four fact sheets relating to mathematics education topics and which were produced by the ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education in 1981. Fact sheet topics are: (1) Females and Mathematics, (2) The Problem of Problem Solving, (3) Mathematics Teacher Supply and Demand, and (4) Microcomputers and…

Teacher absenteeism is the topic of the 12 ERIC abstracts contained in this leaflet. Research on the topic discusses the causes of the problem, including, among others, job dissatisfaction, the organizational structure of the school, school size, weather conditions, and relaxed teacher responsibility. Strategies for improving teacher attendance…

Abstracts of most of the papers presented at the 55th annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), held at the Abbey, Lake Geneva, WI, April 5-8, 1982 have been collected in this publication. Papers relate to such topics as teacher education: preservice and inservice, cognitive development, research…

This digest discusses the unique needs of mathematically gifted students and reasons why curriculum and instruction should be differentiated for these learners in mixed-ability classrooms. Recommendations for differentiation include: (1) give pre-assessments so that students who already know the material do not have to repeat it but may be…

With few exceptions, the development of adult intelligence assessment instruments has proceeded along the lines of the Binet-Simon tests for children, stressing psychological assessment over the evaluation of what an individual knows. These tests, developed over 90 years ago, were quite effective in predicting school success, but were much less…

Constructivism is the theory that people learn by constructing meaning through interpretive interactions with the social environment. Constructivist perspectives are a growing influence among educators seeking to help students connect learning with life experiences, making constructivism highly relevant to vocational and career educators. This…

Some recent research findings with implications for improving mathematics instruction are reviewed in this report. The focus is on two topics: computation, in particular subtraction and estimation, and problem solving. Findings about each are listed, with references for each cited study included. Effective algorithms and strategies used by…

The document opens with an editorial comment discussing the role of mathematics in teaching and learning. Then, 13 reports related to mathematics education are abstracted and analyzed. Three of the reports deal with problem solving, and another three look at aspects of cognitive development. There are two each on mathematics instruction,…

The papers contained in this document were originally presented at the May 1978 conference on Modeling Mathematical Cognitive Development sponsored by the Models of Learning Mathematics Working Group of the Georgia Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Mathematics. Most have been revised to reflect comments and suggestions made at the…

Presented are four information bulletins produced by the ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education in 1981. Bulletin 1 is concerned with various pieces of information related to citizen participation activities in which citizens interact with each other to get a response from the government regarding governmental…

The role of the academic dean, role conflicts, and the occupational experiences and performance of deans are considered. Role conflict for academic deans is related to clashing constituencies, role ambiguity, lack of correspondence between organization requirements and the personalities of incumbent deans, changing organizational needs over time,…