A review of relevant cognitive research in mathematics is presented and applied to instructional practice with students with learning disabilities. The review focuses on the role of three principles of curriculum development in facilitating procedural competence in mathematics: the nature of examples, explicitness, and parsimony. (Author/JDD)

The complex interactions between picture, text, and learner are examined, based on a 3-D model which describes the context of the learning task. The different strategies that children of various ability levels use in reading from illustrated texts are described. (KR)

Describes an exercise that uses riddles to expose students to important aspects of the process and experience of scientific thinking. Contends that the exercise allows students to examine their thought processes and to view scientific questions from different perspectives. Reports positive student reaction. (DB)

Argues that student comprehension difficulties are often diagnosed as reading problems, even though the problem extends to other learning skills. Considers the issue of comprehension in the context of reading, and examines aspects of the issue that extend to teacher communications. Suggest ways to help students understand social studies material.…

Examines the effect of the manipulation of logical structure as well as the specific mental demand of general chemistry problems on student performance. Studies the relationship between student performance on these problems and a number of cognitive variables. Contains 96 references. (DDR)

Investigates the reasoning strategies of urban year-six students involved in creating their own questions and plans for scientific investigations. Focuses on how students generate ideas for their own investigations. Contains 24 references. (DDR)

Describes a theoretical framework based on cognitive/developmental research. Argues that science learning is a gradual process during which initial conceptual structures based on children's everyday experiences are continually restructured. Contains 46 references. (DDR)

Donsiders the role and nature of learning sequences occurring in the second-language classroom situation. (Author/VWL)

Introduces the Cognitive-Motivational Model of Decision Satisfaction that extends work on closure and the motivational aspects of instruction and learning. Recognizes the importance of information processing in judgmental tasks and specifies confidence as a major contributing factor to learning satisfaction. Suggests potential applications to…

Proposes a framework for thinking about how metacognition research might apply to design activities. Examines two basic approaches to supporting metacognition: strategy training, and creation of a supportive social environment for metacognition. Identifies two kinds of content that are taught using these two approaches: knowledge about a specific…

Examined task factors, cognitive processes, and individual differences as determinants of performance in 188 adults locating a position on a topographical map. Both spatial visualization ability and a visual learning style were found to be effective predictors of performance. A form of verbal strategy training produced significantly improved…

One of 4 strategies for learning animal facts was taught to each of 120 high school students. Students demonstrated greater learning when instructed to use elaborative interrogation (a questioning strategy using "why" questions) relative to repetition of experimenter-provided elaborations of facts or nonelaborated facts. (KS)

Twenty ways are presented to help students with special needs gain and apply learning strategies more efficiently, including helping students discriminate whether information is useful or irrelevant, focusing on metacognitive development, encouraging self-sufficiency, helping students organize material into meaningful units, and having student…

Describes what a methodology for situated action should do for students given problem solving in school settings. Proposes that a methodology for understanding situated action should afford the instructional designer, the methodologist, and the problem solver opportunities to co-construct coupling dynamics that operate on multiple space and time…

Explores the differences between deep and surface approaches to learning science. Findings indicate that the deep-surface learning differences fall into five categories: (1) generative thinking; (2) nature of explanations; (3) asking questions; (4) metacognitive activity; and (5) approach to tasks. Suggests that teachers can encourage a deep…