Understanding how geologists conduct fieldwork through analysis of problem solving has significant potential impact on field instruction methods within geology and other science fields. Recent work has highlighted many aspects of fieldwork, but the problem solving behaviors displayed by geologists during fieldwork and the associated cognitive…

This study was undertaken to investigate the progress in operational scientific literacy skills through demonstrating cognition associated with undertaking scientific processes. Scientific literacy is taken here to mean utilising science knowledge and skills, particularly with relevance to creative problem solving and making reasoned decisions in…

At the heart of competency education is the assumption that by maintaining a laser focus on learning, allowing time to be a variable, and powerful competencies to set the bar, an education system can be created that produces high achievement for students from all income levels and across all racial and ethnic communities. However, the transition…

This study investigates whether groups of children on a microcomputer task show superior performance to individuals and whether the differences are due to social-cooperative or individual-cognitive facilitation. Considers the relationship between expressed knowledge and problem-solving performance across three conditions. (Author/CT)

Defines skills used in the reasoning process: problem solving, classification and organization, making reasoned judgments, and researching a subject. Lists Vermont's basic competencies in reasoning and notes that teachers and the community must accept the competencies of reasoning as legitimate educational concerns. (KC)

Presents a case study analysis which attempts to illuminate the difference between knowledge accumulation and ability to deal with problem solving in stoichiometry. Competence is presented as ability to properly represent, solve, and verify solutions. Discusses rule or algorithm based vs. heuristic based problem solving. (JM)

The question of whether performance measures may be more accurate than examination methods to assess an individual's abilities and knowledge is examined, based on a literature review. An information processing view that focuses on the internal activities of thinking and the relationship to external stimuli is considered. Information processing…