This paper reviews and critiques the existing research on a widely recommended instructional approach called context-based physics, which involves placing physics material within a real-life context in an attempt to improve student motivation, problem solving, and achievement. Described first are the problems that exist with traditional physics…

Discusses the application of training in social problem solving with family caregivers of persons who have incurred severe physical disabilities. Outlines training procedures (i.e., Project FOCUS) that enable counselors to assist family caregivers in developing effective problem-solving skills that may translate to increased wellness for each…

This paper is a distillation of research findings on clinical problem-solving over the past decade. These findings are summarized by means of three basic concepts which describe a rudimentary theory of clinical problem-solving performance and instruction: (1) the principle of case simulation--valid clinical problem-solving behavior can be induced…

Between May 2003 and January 2004, Education Development Center's Center for Children and Technology (CCT) undertook a formative evaluation of Design and Discovery, a hands-on, project-based design and engineering curriculum being disseminated as part of the Intel Innovation in Education initiatives. The Design and Discovery curriculum invites 11-…

Describes a pilot project that extended Instructional Consultation (IC) (Rosenfield, 1987) into the middle school setting. The goal of the project was to develop an approach to training middle school teachers so that they could intervene early and effectively to address students' academic and behavioral needs. The training was based upon…

Identified in this study are the factors which affect the user's capacity to seek out and utilize information, and the factors which serve as obstacles to information use. Factors relating to both organizational and individual use include level of use, user skills, and user motivation; differentiation of level of use is presented in three levels:…

This monograph is a resource for educators who wish to explore environmental problem solving. It consists of five parts. Chapter 1 presents a psychological perspective on problem solving and its implications for teaching problem solving skills in an interdisciplinary arena. Chapter 2 presents four approaches to developing environmental problem…

This monograph discusses the current practices associated with the conduct of a research and experimentation program in technology education. It describes the background and bases of the program, the role of the teacher of research and experimentation, and advantages of the program. Next, the environment of the program is addressed, including the…

Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…

Based on the view that social and emotional learning (SEL) needs to be an integral part of middle school education, this book provides an overview to social and emotional learning and the development of middle school students, presents a representative range of SEL programs and perspectives, and offers reflections on the current status of SEL and…

Presents 11 articles focusing on primary prevention on campus and in the community. Section 1 deals with theme-focused prevention, problem solving, friendships, alcohol education, stress management, career planning, and needs assesment for college students. Section 2 describes community-based prevention with high risk persons including families…