The problem of obtaining the apparent equation of motion and shape of a moving body from its arbitrary given equation of motion in special relativity is considered. Also the inverse problem of obtaining the body's equation of motion from a known equation of motion of its image is discussed. Some examples of this problem solution are considered. As…

Describes Diagnosis for Instruction in Problem Solving (DIPS), a new line of research for science educators interested in interdisciplinary efforts and ways in which computer technology might be used to better understand how to improve science teaching. Outlines the basic architecture of DIPS in terms of instruction and research implications.…

In a previous study (Watson, 1960), college students were told that a three-number string ("2, 4, 6") conformed to a rule and that they had to guess the rule by proposing other three-number strings; they were then told whether each guess was right or wrong. However, it was suspected that, since the subject's hypothesis was falsified by…

Examined the problem-solving performances of novices (11 undergraduates) and experts (9 graduate students and instructors), comparing them in terms of background expertise and problem-solving success. Also examined problem-solving behaviors reported in other domains and determined whether or not genetics is a fruitful area for problem-solving…

Investigated use of analog tasks for determining difficulties that high school chemistry students (N=619) might encounter in solving molarity problems. One finding is that analog task used is a predictor of success on a molarity test. (Author/JN)

Investigated skills needed for critical reading of physics texts, their separability and hierarchical ranking, and relation to problem solving ability. Reports that skills required to comprehend texts in continuous format and discriminate unreported statements are respectively of higher level than and separable from those required to comprehend a…

This paper is a progress report of the first phase of a project which essentially seeks to replicate previous studies using the successful/unsuccessful design in an attempt to: (1) corroborate the surface/deep structure conclusion which has become an essential component of an understanding of problem-solving; (2) examine more closely the nature of…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the errors made by students solving genetics problems. A sample of 10 non-science undergraduate students was obtained from a private college in Northern New Jersey. The results support prior research in the area of genetics education and show that a weak understanding of the relationship of meiosis to…

The strength of intuitive knowledge is illustrated by the difficulty that individuals have in trying to restructure student misconceptions. In order to harness this power, intuition must be developed within the context of each new concept to be taught. An experiment with one possible approach to this instructional problem is described and…

The impact of 15 hours of medical decision-making instruction (provided during a clinical preceptorship) on ratings of students' problem solving during subsequent third-year clinical clerkships is reported. Problem-solving ratings were not found to be better for students who had the instruction and clinical experience than for students in the…

Chemists have bemoaned for years their students' inability to solve problems in introductory chemistry courses. However, at least part of this inability must be attributed to the fact that chemists have historically tried to teach their students to solve problems by doing nothing more than working examples. In recent years, chemists have begun to…

This study describes strategies fifth- and sixth-grade children used to solve the problem of determining how to control a "vehicle" they "drove" by pressing particular keys on a computer. The problem involves identifying or discovering a set of cause-effect relationships. (Author/JN)

Describes a study of concept mapping as a means of learning problem-solving skills. Concludes that the concept mapping subjects were significantly more successful at solving biological test questions than were the controls. Reports no significant differences between cooperative and individual mapping and mixed results for gender. (DK)

Nine undergraduate science and non-science majors (novices) who had recently completed their first college classroom study of genetics and seven genetics graduate students and biology instructors (experts) were videotaped as they attempted to solve a selected group of seven moderately complex classifical genetics problems and three Piagetian tasks…

Presented are abstracts and abstractors' analyses of four studies dealing with cognitive development, four studies dealing with attitudes, and two studies dealing with problem-solving. The cognitive development studies are: "College Chemistry and Piaget: The Relationship of Aptitude and Achievement Measures" (David Bender and Louis…