A developmental investigation of the ability to control variables was conducted. One or two logically similar physics problems were individually administered to 120 subjects age 12 to 14. The problems involved either familiar or unfamiliar variables. Each problem was presented in three different informational formats. Success on the problems in…

This three-volume report deals with the hypothesis that males are more successful at solving mathematical and spatial problems than females. The general relationship between visual spatial abilities and mathematical problem-solving ability is also investigated. The research sample consisted of seventh graders. Each pupil took five spatial tests…

Papers presented at the 1980 National Conference on Reasoning, Piaget, and Higher Education are presented which address the implications of Piaget's research on the teaching of reasoning skills in higher education. Contents include the following: "Piaget: An Agenda, Not an Answer for the 80s," by Catherine M. Warrick; "Project…

This paper describes seven interrelated studies concerned with children's understanding of sequential actions and with the effects of observing a model on this understanding. A total of 546 elementary and secondary school students served as subjects for the studies. The tasks for all of the studies involved deriving the pattern for a sequence from…

This study of Piagetian formal reasoning in seventh grade students reports the relationships between four aspects of the ability to control variables in an experiment and the relationships between those four aspects and other constructs. The four aspects of the ability to control variables identified are: (1) set up a controlled experiment, (2)…

IN PHASE I (OF THREE) OF A RESEARCH PROJECT, 475 SOUTHERN DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN (RANGING IN AGE FROM 3 TO 6) WERE TESTED IN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DESCRIPTION, DEVELOPMENT, AND SEQUENCING OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES DESIGNED TO YIELD INFORMATION ON CHILDREN'S LEARNING WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND CURRICULUMS. COGNITIVE TASKS WERE SELECTED…

This appendix includes seven papers which focus on various aspects of the learning processes of children ages 5-7: (1) S. Thompson, "Transitions to concrete operations: A survey of Piaget's writings" (in outline form); (2) S. H. White, "Changes in learning processes in the late preschool years," an examination of cross-cultural…

Self-regulated learning combines cognitive skill and motivation enabling handicapped students to select challenging tasks, apply effective learning strategies, and measure success against personal standards. Research on the development of specific techniques such as informed strategy training, self-control training, conditional knowledge,…

Synthesizes research on reasoning development and studies of teaching in order to present an approach to teaching guided thinking. (SRT)

Characterizes gap between potential of computers in education and their performance in classrooms; documents differential participation of males and females in computer experiences and discusses contributory factors; describes two studies of how males and females respond to computer learning environments; and suggests actions to foster equitable…

Describes a study of junior high students which investigated academic achievement and higher cognitive skill development outcomes of a computer programming course in which two augmentations to traditional BASIC instruction were compared. A model for understanding learning outcomes is presented, suggesting ways to augment instruction to focus on…

The career preparedness component of British Columbia's Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) curriculum commits two fundamental category mistakes in its classification of employability skills, both with potentially serious consequences for education. The first type of category mistake is incorrectly conflating distinct categories of concepts under…

Investigates the effect of intensive instruction in cue attendance upon the ability of preservice elementary science methods students to solve paper-and-pencil reasoning tests that require a form of formal operation thought. (Author/HM)

The current and future state of intelligence testing of educable retarded children are discussed in terms of prediction, diagnosis, and remediation. Individual testing formats, task analysis, transfer of training, social nature of testing, degree of contextual support, and Neisser's distinction between academic intelligence and everyday thinking…

Described is a student-produced bulletin board that illustrates that mathematics is a universal language and that mathematics is being created around the world. Presented are two approaches for resolving a problem involving three equations and three unknowns. (KR)