Thinking and doing are both necessary to prepare technological problem solvers. The key is designing learning that will result in creative, functional, and open-ended technological thinkers. (JOW)

Describes problem solving in relation to interior design. Discusses the six-stage design process that will enable consumers to evaluate the critical thinking process. (JOW)

Presents a design brief to illustrate a simple technique that can be used to teach problem-solving and critical thinking skills. (JOW)

Discusses problem-solving and reasoning strategies. Discusses the think aloud process and teacher-guided reasoning process which have been used in many curriculum areas. (MG)

Sheds light on the state of teaching problem solving in technology education and offers suggestions for enhancement. Suggests that teachers need to become aware of the natural process of solving problems so that students can be taught to use their natural thinking skills. (Author/JOW)

This article describes the connection between a novel puzzle and uses of algebra to generalize the fewest moves to solve it.

The basic purpose of shaping college students' and upper-grade school students' critical thinking, as well as that of adults who do not have established skills of thinking creatively, is to expand their thinking competences in order to deal effectively with social, scientific, and practical problems. In the process of teaching uppergrade students,…

Maryland redesigned its CTE (career and technical education) program a dozen years ago to prepare students for the 21st Century's global economy and its rapidly changing workforce needs. With 350 business and industry representatives, the state created a program whose emphasis is problem-solving and critical thinking, rather than narrow,…

Students have used Cogito.org to pose and/or solve math problems and brain teasers, share their experiences in academic competitions, debate the pros and cons of using biofuels for energy, design an alien world based on sound scientific principles, and expand their cultural understanding by connecting with students from around the world.…

In this article, the author describes how one high school chemistry teacher, Sharon (pseudonym), implemented a literacy-based unit that appealed to her students by capitalizing on their out-of-school interests in forensics and how her students responded to that unit. The author also describes how two colleagues at her school joined her in teaching…

Why children need critical thinking skills, how a climate for critical thinking can be created at home, and programs that promote critical thinking by elementary school children are discussed. (MT)

This paper reports on the vital role that reflective thinking plays in solving problems involving the mathematics of change and variation particularly multivariable calculus. We report on how reflective thinking is one kind of self-regulatory (in the sense of metacognitive) thought mechanism. We present an outline of the results of a larger study,…

Three experiments assessed kindergartners' performance on simple concept-like problems in which the correct solution could be selected from a specified set of possible solutions by using the information provided by a single positive or negative stimulus. (Author/DB)

Reviews significant findings of recent brain research, including the concept of five minds: automatic, subconscious, practical, creative, and spiritual. Suggests approaches to training the brain that are related to this hierarchy of thinking. (JOW)

In a September 1988 "NASSP Bulletin" article, the author challenged readers to construct a question analysis matrix for curriculum evaluation in relation to critical thinking and problem solving. The author's solution, featuring various "domains" or components categorized according to planning, implementation, and outcome stages, comprises this…