The concept of an algorithm derives from the physical sciences, but it has often been misunderstood and misapplied in the social sciences and in education. The theoretical and practical significance of algorithms stems from their applicability to problems of learning, instruction, and instructional design, and they may potentially provide the…

A discussion is given of the formative evaluation process as it was conceptualized and conducted to assess a R&D training program under development. Included are a discussion of the evaluation context, the evaluation model, the procedures and instruments developed and implemented and their success, the types of evaluation problems encountered…

The objectives of this project to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of American Indian education through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) were (1) a system analysis of the BIA schools to identify educational goals and objectives and the critical factors contributing to or impeding eeducational effectiveness in achieving the goals; (2)…

The general purposes of a model are discussed, then seven papers are presented which demonstrate several different facets of the problems associated with constructing and using models of mathematics learning. In the first paper, the task addressed concerns how to incorporate developmental psychology into perceptions of what is happening in the…

Using a model for higher education, the author explores the relationship between planning and university autonomy. He examines how the two imperatives can be satisfied at the same time. (Author/AV)

This theory takes in concepts of a "decision" and the decision-making process. The process model has three parts: (1) personal and situational variables, (2) decision behavior modes, and (3) decision procedures. Emphasis is placed on the influence of personal values in decision making. Implications for adult education research are drawn.…

This model of consultation is a process of highly structured consensus for decision making. The consultant provides a framework for generating plans and solutions. The weakest link in consultation appears to be research and evaluation. Infusing consulting interns and university professors into internal operations will result in better evaluation…

Discusses an experiment designed to give students a feel for the way in which theoretical models evolve. Students are given a system unknown to them and asked to develop a consistent model which fully explains all their observations on the system. (Author/GA)

This article presents a systematic eclectic model for organizational change. It is a proactive model in which the change agent defines goals, assesses needs, and reaches out in an active, purposeful way to intervene in the target system. Paper prepared for the Chicago, 1975 Convention of the American Psychological Association. (Author/BP)

Suggests a decision-making model that can be applied by high school students to a variety of environmental problems, and illustrates how the model can be used to make decisions concerning future energy shortages. Provides criteria for judging allocation priorities of limited resources and stimulates awareness of alternative solutions to energy…

The model presented here is an assessment model. Once individuals have assessed their decision-making process, they have the necessary data as a base on which to plan behavior change. Their next step is to plan a course of action and implement it. (Author)

The implications of the interaction between knowledge acquisition and problem solving are discussed. Options for the teaching of problem solving are listed including: giving students the opportunity to solve many problems, facilitating students' exploration of the mental processes used to solve problems, and providing explicit training in the…

The author describes the Training Technology System, a model for separating training from nontraining problems and a means of systematically solving training problems in industry and business. He lists the system phases: (1) analyze, (2) design, (3) develop, (4) implement, and (5) control, and he critiques the system. (CH)

Presents a conceptual framework for the development of decision support systems which outlines abstractions involved in the decision-making process and describes various functions and components of the system. The computer architecture is described and an example of an application is provided. (31 references) (Author/CLB)

Data were generally consistent with the view that preschoolers and elementary schoolers can respond to memory probes by applying arithmetical processing to running gist from recently solved problems. Discussed are two competing interpretations of the development of working memory: fuzzy-trace theory and the generic-resources hypothesis. (Author/RH)