Examines five general issues related to research on children's use of hypotheses during problem solving: (1) types of hypotheses and how they are detected, (2) the acquisition of hypotheses through cognitive or conditioning mechanisms, (3) learning, sampling assumptions, and rule-guided behavior, (4) feedback variables, and (5) subject variables.…

Curriculum theory must attend to three problem areas: educational practice, ethical criteria, and content. Educational practice includes questions about predictions, explanations, and descriptions. Ethical criteria are used to clarify improvements in values. Substantive content ranges across areas of human inquiry from the humanities to natural…

Presents both logical and empirical evidence to illustrate that the conventional scoring algorithm for ranking tasks significantly underestimates the initial level of group ability and that Slevin's alternative scoring algorithm significantly overestimates the initial level of ability. Presents a modification of Slevin's algorithm which authors…

Test validity, coaching, the college admissions process, and achievement tests are discussed by the director of the Iowa Testing Programs. Data published on the SAT are examined. It is suggested that systematic instruction in problem-solving skills may improve not only test performance but also skills the test is designed to assess. (Author/MLW)

Two opposite views of the relations between moral cognition and moral action are described, their contrasting assumptions and implications are clarified, and the available empirical literature is reviewed. Research relating moral reasoning to real-life moral behaviors is summarized, with special attention given to design, measurement, and…

Summarizes results of studies indicating that play training led to significant increases in young children's problem-solving ability, use of language, creative thinking ability, verbal ability, and conservation. (Author/MP)

This paper reviews current models of problem solving to identify results relevant to teachers or instructional developers. Four areas are covered: information processing models, approaches stressing human abilities and factors, creative problem solving models, and other aspects of problem solving. Part of a theme issue on intelligence. (Author/SJL)

Reports the results of a series of experimental studies and a sociodemographic survey designed to determine the relative influence of age and educational experience in the development of cognitive skills as manifested in formal, psychological experiments. (CM)

Summarizes some of the common findings in the professional literature pertaining to conflict resolution (CR) curricula and peer mediation (PM) programs. Discusses theoretical, methodological and operational considerations that are relevant to conducting research and evaluation in school settings. Proposes a model to guide educators' decisions on…

Investigates the behaviors, interactions, and perceptions of junior high school students as they worked in structured or unstructured cooperative learning groups on problem-solving, curriculum-based tasks in mathematics, science and English. Results show that children in the structured groups were more cooperative and provided more relevant verbal…

Investigates a treatment package for anger control in boys ages 7 to 10 using a control group outcome design. The treatment package included modeling, rehearsal with self-talk problem-solving, daily report cards and a praise phase. At post-test treatment participants were significantly higher than controls on the Aggression Control factor of the…

This article describes the two basic versions of the responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) approach for identifying learning disabilities, the problem solving model and the standard-protocol approach. It reviews evidence on effectiveness and feasibility and concludes that more needs to be understood before RTI may be viewed as a valid…

Student-centered learning environments have been acclaimed as a means to support the teaching of divergent reasoning, problem solving, and critical thinking. Reviews and analyzes research and theory related to technology-enhanced student-centered learning environments. Provides an extensive table outlining examples, functions, and supporting…

An overview is presented of the work and theories of three teams of researchers who have focused on cooperative learning. Cooperative learning has become the outstanding example of an educational innovation in which practice is informed by research; the collective leadership of these teams has advanced its use. (JD)

Summarizes research that contrasts the approaches and attitudes of successful and unsuccessful problem solvers. Supplies a categorized list of problem solver characteristics. (RT)