Reports on an exploratory study to examine problem formulation and to isolate factors that influence it. Four areas were addressed: how organizations become aware of problems, the methods of inquiry, the influence of managers, and the emergent themes that characterize problem formation in organizations. (Author/IRT)

A statistical technique designed to highlight the contributions of two continuous predictor variables to a continuous criterion variable is described. The technique involves selecting subpopulations, called pockets, via regression techniques. An example using cognitive styles to predict performance on problem-solving tasks is discussed.…

This study examined problem solving as a function of display type (table/graph) and numeric function (linear/nonlinear) in four problem solving domains. Twenty-two stimulus problems were developed, and line graph and table displays were constructed for each problem. Half of the displays contained linear numeric functions and the other half…

The problem-solving performance of elderly individuals was facilitated by manipulating the demands of problem-solving tasks. The fact that elderly individuals can use more efficient strategies under certain circumstances suggests that the elderly have such strategies in their repertoires. (Author)

Describes a study of undergraduates that investigated the effects of providing access to a case library of related stories while solving ill-structured problems. Describes experimental, comparable, and control group treatments and discusses results of multiple-choice tests and short answer questions. (Author/LRW)

This study extended concepts derived from Rothkopf's mathemagenic hypothesis to problem solving. While previous mathemagenic research has established that adjunct questions interspersed with written prose facilitates learning, it has been criticized as educationally nonsignificant because the research has focused on verbatim learning. To test…

This study assessed the effects of learning logo computer programing and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on specific cognitive skills, metacognitive skills, creativity, and achievement. The programing group scored significantly higher on measures of operational competence, two of three measures of metacognitive skills, and a measure of…

Describes a study conducted at the University of Southern Queensland (Australia) that investigated problem-solving behavior in statistics by documenting differences between successful and unsuccessful students. Two methodological approaches are described: one required students to identify key structural features of common problems, and the second…

Describes an experimental test conducted with high school students to determine the effect of posting explicit goal structures on problem-solving performance in an intelligent tutoring system for calculus. Related rates word problems are discussed, and student performance in terms of speed and accuracy is analyzed. (Contains 29 references.) (LRW)

This study compared the effectiveness of the BASIC programming language and the HyperCard authoring language on promoting problem-solving skills and the reduction of computer anxiety. Two groups of students participated in the study. One group (N=13) received instruction on BASIC and the other (N=8) on HyperCard. Students in both groups responded…

This article reports data on the retention of problem-solving performance after one month, four months, and six months, in three separate studies conducted in school settings involving a variety of grades and subjects. (Author/LMO)

Discussion of task motivation focuses on study that investigated the choice behavior of college students within a computer problem solving task as they controlled and selected problem difficulty levels which maximized either intrinsic interest or extrinsic reward. Sex differences are examined, and treatment for experimental and control groups is…

The majority of research investigating gender-related differences in problem-solving ability has focused on the product of word problem solving--the problem solution. This paper reports an investigation of potential gender-related effects on sixth-graders of an explicitly stated problem-solving plan. Two versions of the test were given: the…

Teachers average a decision every two minutes when they are teaching. The kinds of decisions they make affect their students. One hundred twenty-two undergraduate and graduate education majors were tested to explore what decision they would make when confronted with problem statements related to the planning and delivery of instruction. The test…

Order Analysis is a multidimensional scaling (MDS) technique for determining order among items. This paper reviews articles by different authors describing various components of ordering theory. A common nomenclature is constructed to link together the various ideas and is applied to a fairly simple set of data. Topics discussed include a more…