The role of artificial intelligence expert systems in administrative issues in special education is examined. Mandate Consultant (MC) is one such system designed to provide a second opinion on the consistency of school officials' actions in implementing the Individualized Education Program team process. MC employs rules based on the Education For…

This paper discusses the incorporation of heuristics in computerized decision aids that are used for structuring decision problems. Decision theory is described in terms of linked subsystems, and sites where it is necessary to employ heuristic rather than normative, algorithmic procedures are identified. Production systems are then used to…

Political analysts have regarded the interview of former President Gerald Ford by newsman Walter Cronkite at the 1980 Republican National Convention as important in determining the final party slate, but they have been unable to explain Ford's politically dangerous openness in that interview. The interview and the events leading up to it were…

The purpose of this study was to determine if intervention instruction in encoding processes affects novice teacher problem solving ability in educational contexts of varying levels of complexity. It sought to determine the effects of intervention training in nine specific encoding processes, prerequisite to effective problem solving, on novice…

An analysis of the problem solving process reveals at least three options: (1) finding the cause, (2) solving the problem, and (3) anticipating potential problems. These methods may be illustrated by examining "Oedipus Tyrannus," a play in which a king attempts to deal with a problem that appears to be beyond his ability to solve, and…

Group density (the extent of anticipated or actual interaction between group members independent of the subject) may be a situational antecedent of paranoid behavior. Members of a high density group can discuss others in their absence, and the potential for criticism and restricted privacy is greater than in a low density group where fewer…

A six-part marine science simulation game for 4-H members concerning land use in a hypothetical community is provided. The major problem is to decide what are some possible uses of a three-mile (1,250 acre) Marsh Beach which the city recently purchased. Members assume the roles of decision-makers in the simulated environment and compete for…

Studies of human problem solving have traditionally used deterministic tasks that require the execution of a systematic series of steps to reach a rational and optimal solution. Most real-world problems, however, are characterized by uncertainty, the need to consider an enormous number of variables and possible courses of action at each stage in…

The terminology associated with instructional accountability, instructional relevance, and benefits to society were considered in determining a more efficient and effective instructional program. (Author/RK)

Contends that computers have only limited usefulness in evaluating Management By Objectives programs. (HMV)

Contending that the dominant issues confronting higher education are legal, economic, and technological, the author analyzes their specific forms of rationality and argues that although solutions will require better understanding of these forms, a broader perspective is needed that does not submerge the intellectual, cultural, and humanistic…

Research supported by Grant No. HD-01762-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Based on a paper presented at the 11th National Conference on Physicians and Schools, Chicago, Illinois, October, 1967.

A genre approach to teaching the argumentative essay in composition classes has been developed. The need for this approach emanated from problems associated with the other methods of teaching persuasive discourse, such as the logical/analytic, content/problem solving, and rhetorical/generative approaches. The genre approach depends on the…

This teacher's guide contains activity modules designed to help explain present energy use patterns and basic concepts in energy use. Also covered in the manual are suggestions for energy-related field trips and strategies for successfully conducting such trips. The activities are presented according to grade level, including primary,…