WebQuests have become a popular form of guided inquiry using Web resources. The goal of WebQuests is to help students think and reason at higher levels,and use information to solve problems. This paper presents modifications to the WebQuest model drawing on primarily on schema theory. It is believed that these changes will further enhance student…

This paper provides a program overview and review of the literature on the Teaching Students to be Peacemakers Program (TSPP), which offers peer mediation and conflict resolution to students of all ages. The program features seven steps: creating a cooperative environment; teaching students the nature of conflict; teaching all students the problem…

This paper describes the approaches taken at a middle school to improve student problem solving ability and test results for the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) mathematics tests. The focus was on grade 6. In 1996, 35% of the 437 students in grade 6 did not master the mathematics problem solving skill. A committee of…

Details are provided of computer-simulated experiments developed by the co-directors of the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC), University of Pittsburgh. The initial materials were designed to help students learn physics. New materials are being developed along similar lines for elementary mathematics. The views of the creators are…

When problems defy solution, mathematicians can settle for "almost." This branch of mathematics (called computational complexity) encompasses both the number of parts involved in a problem and the intricacy of their interrelatedness. Current research in this area is discussed, considering various computer applications involved. (JN)

Describes an activity which introduces students to each other while introducing the concept of Cartesian coordinates. Also describes an activity for finding the least common multiple, and computer programs (with listings) for generating shapes resembling windowpanes and for determining amounts wagered in a golf game. (JN)

Provides ideas and suggestions for helping students increase their problem-solving skills, including a four-step general problem-solving approach. Specific examples (considering qualitative problems and problem sequence) and comments on testing/grading are also provided. (JN)

Describes a course designed to familiarize students with alternative sources of energy, with emphasis on problem-solving strategies. Includes list of major topics/subtopics addressed and list of textbooks and recommended readings on alternative energy sources. (JN)

Discusses two computer programs ("Billiard Ball" and "Taxman") that foster the development of higher-level thinking skills in children. Indicates that children develop such skills as planning ahead, analyzing, and using models/diagrams in the first program. Includes list of 26 programs with price, source, hardware needed, and…

Examined relation between college students' (N=108) ability to solve simple ratio tasks (for example, their proportional reasoning patterns) and their rule-governed behavior with the balance beam. Also identified modifications in a set of rules for the balance beam tasks. Results and implications for science instruction are discussed. (JN)

A problem-solving network (flow chart) constructed for use in calculating titration is described. Points out that use of the network has greatly improved student confidence and skill in performing these calculations. (Author/JN)

University graduates in China are viewed as the new mandarin class in China. University entrance examinations are seen as the modern counterpart of the long tradition of civil service examinations. It is noted that China's 630 universities and colleges only accommodate four to five percent of those seeking admission. (Author/MP)

Discusses the use of microcomputers and software as problem-solving tools, including comments on "TK! Solver," automatic problem-solving program (reviewed in detail on pp.84-86 in this same issue). Also discusses problem-solving approaches to bridge the disciplines, such as music/physics, junior high science/mathematics (genetics),…

Discusses steps involved in model building and simulation: understanding a problem, building a model, and simulation. Includes a mathematical model (focusing on a problem dealing with influenza) written in the DYNAMO computer language, developed specifically for writing simulation models. (Author/JN)

Argues that computers are not the inhuman devices stereotyped in the popular media but valuable tools which can humanize education and help develop basic human traits by enhancing autonomy, individuality, rationality, affectiveness, responsiveness, and creativity. (DC)