Describes the concept of quality circles: small, homogeneous groups of workers who discuss product improvement. The idea originated in Japan and has infiltrated U.S. industry and, ultimately, U.S. schools. Explains the quality circle program in the Muskegon (Michigan) schools and its effects in improving communication among employees and…

Guided Design is a teaching method which stresses developing competence in problem solving and decision making. Application of the method in a United States government course is described. Small groups of students design solutions to open-ended questions. (Author/KC)

The role of decision making, and its import for generating social change are examined. Decision making is considered from psychological, semantic, and scientific viewpoints, and suggestions for constructive change in social studies curricula are offered. (RJG)

The conflicts and crises arising from a federally funded educational program initiated in a rural school district are discussed. (JD)

The article describes Potentials Unlimited, a summer camp program for gifted intermediate grade students in Cincinnati, Ohio. Aspects covered include priorities in selecting curricular activities and some of the camp activities themselves. (DLS)

Presents evidence that the psychological principles that govern the perception of decision problems and evaluation of probabilities and outcomes produce predictable shifts of preference when the same problem is framed in different ways. (Author/SK)

Pairs of elementary school children at different concept development levels were given problems to discuss, in order to examine the prediction, derived from the equilibration model, that when two children holding different beliefs must arrive at a consenus, the child possessing the higher level of cognitive development will prevail over the child…

A philosophy of rehabilitation treatment emphasizes helping the handicapped to function independently, state the authors, who outline operational components of a theoretical model to increase client and community survivability, concordance with work, and problem-solving approaches and techniques for the vocational rehabilitationist. (MF)

A description is given of materials produced by the Schools Council Project on Statistical Education. (MK)

Presents an overview of the four component parts of the activity of problem solving. These are the types of problems to be solved, the necessary prerequisites, the strategies, and the elements used in applying the strategies. (HM)

Three education deans responded to three vignettes by thinking aloud about ways to resolve problems with moral and social implications. Their responses supported a proposed conceptual framework's moral and social dimensions and highlighted themes within each of these two dimensions that education deans relied on to solve problems. Results suggest…

Using dual conceptual lenses of open-systems and micropolitics, investigates how four middle-school teams engage with their colleagues to construct an identity, assume leadership roles, and situate themselves in their schools. Findings suggest that teams and educational leaders need to recognize the influence of existing organizational structures…

Verbal think-aloud protocols were collected from 60 subjects in 3 age groups ranging from 25 through 81 years. Only 5 percent of the responses were considered wise when rated on the criteria of rich factual and procedural knowledge, lifespan contextualism, relativism, and the recognition and management of uncertainty. Wise responses were equally…

This study examined effectiveness of an instructional program designed to teach learning-disabled adolescents (N=70) to make better personal decisions. A pretest/posttest comparison design found that following instruction students showed better ability to both identify general schema for decision making and apply schema to novel problem…

Cites a need for problem-solving approaches and applications in counseling and outlines current problem-solving training programs and counseling interventions. Proposes a psychoeducational problem-solving workshop for total family participation which is based on D'Zurilla and Goldfried's model. Includes didactic presentations, role modeling, group…