The paper critically appraises the concept-learning and developmental perspectives in science education to show that Pascual-Leone's Theory of Constructive Operators leads to a progressive problem-shift between Piaget's epistemic subject and Pascual-Leone's metasubject. (SM)

In an attempt to specify in some canonical terms what many heuristic programs known as "expert systems" do, an analysis was made of ten rule-based systems. It was found that these programs proceed through easily identifiable phases of data abstraction, heuristic mapping onto a hierarchy of pre-enumerated solutions, and refinement within this…

Describes the U procedure, a seven-step model that facilitates management problem solving. Explains how this model was taught to farmers, with small groups assigned to solve class members' actual farm management problems. (CH)

The author describes the process and development-related benefits of "participatory research." Her example is of the efforts of Canada's native people to resolve the issue of family and child welfare. (Author/CH)

Discusses contextualistic and integrative approaches to the concept of wisdom, and the evolution of the concept from an independent construct of intelligence to a component of intelligence, i.e., practical intelligence. Suggests operationalization of wisdom as the ability to integrate cognition and affect. Illustrates the integrative approach with…

Draws examples of creative problem solving from the negotiations by delegations from Egypt, Israel, and the United States at Camp David in 1978. Uses Bales's "Field Diagrams" to show the relationships of the participants. Uses Taylor's five levels of creativity to rate decisions. (BH)

Based on assumption that paradox itself is a conceptual and not an empirical phenomenon, study presents an analysis of these situations by analogy. This analysis has implications for psychotherapy which render the use of contralogical techniques of change more easily specifiable. (Author)

Discusses expertise, what an expert system is, what an expert system shell is, what expert systems can and cannot do, knowledge engineering and technical communicators, and planning and managing expert system projects. (SR)

Describes practical problems and issues that arose during multisite and single site studies that used qualitative research methods. Studies described include study of student involvement in out-of-class learning opportunities at 14 institutions of higher education and study of what students learned as result of membership in National PanHellenic…

This book describes the friend-to-friend process, a non-professional approach for helping a friend through a problem. The first chapter presents a transcript of a high school senior working through a problem. The use of three questions which address three levels of the human personality (thoughts, feelings, and actions) is described. Guidelines…

The authors introduce the concept of group facilitation skills for managers. They describe a framework that will help managers recognize group process problems, diagnose underlying causes of group problems, and consider how to take the group past its problems. (Author/CH)

Discusses the development and nature of computer software for intelligent systems, indicating that the key to intelligent problem-solving lies in reducing the random search for solutions. Formal reasoning methods, expert systems, and sources of power in problem-solving are among the areas considered. Specific examples of such software are…

Presented is a questionnaire to help individuals determine their own unique thinking style: pragmatist, analyst, realist, synthesist, and idealist. Questionnaire is from "Styles of Thinking: Strategies for Asking Questions, Making Decisions, and Solving Problems" by Robert Bramson and Allen Harrison. (JN)

Discusses an alternative approach to intelligence tests as a measure of intelligence. The approach is based on three classes of performance dealing with a person's choice of an internal representation for a problem, strategies for manipulating the representation, and abilities to execute elementary information processing steps required by the…

Suggests that organizational development consultants should use more explicit representations of the problems they work on with client teams. Offers an approach to overcome difficulties and provides a strategy for intervening in the processes of problem definition in teams. (Author)