This unit is designed to acquaint elementary students with the way a computer operates and the way people communicate with computers. The format of the unit was designed so that the instruction can be provided by the classroom teacher. The lessons are constructed so that, with some teacher guidance, the students can work through them step by step.…

Designed to expose high school students to an alternative method of conflict resolution, this lesson revolves around the Indian movement for independence from Great Britain and the principles of non-violence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi which helped make that movement successful. The activities presented are designed to fit into a general world…

This study was conducted to develop a scale that assesses perceptions of self-efficacy in potentially stressful situations for chemically dependent adolescents. Adolescent subjects (N=100) currently receiving treatment for chemical dependency were given a 20-situation questionnaire, the Adolescent Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES). Students were…

Over a l0-week period, an elementary school teacher designed and implemented a practicum study intended to help a target group of 24 kindergartners develop crucial mathematical problem-solving skills and to prepare them for taking the Stanford Achievement Test. The objective was addressed through implementation of direct instruction, modeling,…

Needs assessment is a young and growing field. Needs assessments contribute to effective educational planning and help educators improve services to students. Needs assessment can be used to identify goals and objectives, but probably has the most utility as a problem-focusing strategy that includes the following sequence: (1) identification of…

A study examined the application and availability of clinical and biomedical knowledge in the clinical reasoning of physicians as well as possible mechanisms responsible for changes in the organization of clinical and biomedical knowledge in the development from novice to expert. Subjects were 28 students (10 second year, 8 fourth year, and 10…

The paper presents the thesis that experienced physicians, while diagnosing routine cases, are operating upon knowledge structures that are distinctively different from those of novice physicians and students. In the course of their medical training, students develop rich, elaborated causal networks, explaining the causes and consequences of…

This guide presents an approach to problem solving for managers who work with young or entry-level workers in small businesses. The guide is designed to help managers (1) distinguish between a behavior problem and a performance problem; (2) balance positive and negative factors to make the changes they want; (3) devise solutions that will work for…

Contained in this booklet is a variety of puzzles, games, and activities for students in grades 5-8 "who are looking for an extra challenge." The activities are categorized by number, money, clock, age, fraction, line, logic, and probability puzzles, with some games for two or more players. An answer key is provided. (MNS)

This report summarizes research on experienced programmers' comprehension of computer programs that was carried out over a three-year contract period (1982-85). Following an extensive review of the programming skill literature, an analysis of programs based on the multiple abstractions (points-of-view) that characterize program text and design was…

The approach taken to discourse analysis that classifies text types according to isolated linguistic features is criticized, and an alternative approach to argumentative texts is proposed. This approach looks at the process of argumentation as an instance of the problem-solving process. The argumentative text is then seen as moving from the…

This booklet is designed to show teachers the many things children in preschool through grade 2 can learn about and do with numbers. Included is information on preparing to teach counting skills, getting the classroom ready, activities to do with children, projects for children and teachers, lists of materials, and computer background information.…

The use of blue ribbon commissions for higher education planning is discussed, and 25 reports produced by blue ribbon commissions in 23 states between January 1981 and March 1986 are reviewed. Blue ribbon commissions are established for a fixed duration to study a specific problem and are composed of eminent individuals from a variety of…

Based on the personal experience of a family counselor and parent, this handbook for parents describes the technique of "Family Meetings," a way of bettering family relationships, solving problems, and nurturing opportunities for children to learn fairness, respect, and self-esteem. The key principle of such family meetings is that family…

This teaching unit is part of the final report of the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Project. It consists of activities presented in an introduction and three sections. The introduction contains an activity for students in grades 4-12 which defines terms and concepts for understanding household hazardous wastes. Section I provides activities…