This paper reviews research conducted at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan for the Agency for Instructional Technology as part of "Solutions Unlimited," eight instructional units that integrate computer software, videocassettes, and related print materials. The units are designed to improve the problem-solving skills…

Abstracts and abstractors' critiques of nine published research reports related to problem solving, elementary school science, science process skills, and curriculum and instruction are presented. Aspects addressed in the studies include: (1) problem-solving skills of high school chemistry students; (2) spatial puzzles and the assessment of…

Computer simulations of agricultural finance and management may be helpful to students preparing for agricultural careers. Simulations would provide problem definition and problem solving in realistic interactions with complex and ambiguous situations similar to those encountered in farming. The paper describes a major financial problem for…

Action learning is a potentially empowering management development strategy--empowering to managers and through them to employees. The core of the action learning process is similar to the empowerment process identified by Freire (1973), although the context of these approaches is very different: praxis. Praxis involves critical reflection on…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…

This issue contains abstracts and critical comments for ten mathematics education journal articles, plus an editorial on teacher education needs by Thomas J. Cooney. Two articles focus on problem solving; the remainder concern instruction about and with computers, geometric perceptions, preservice teachers' conceptions of volume, attitudes toward…

The associations among cognitive automatization, abstract problem solving, and educational performance were studied using 127 fourth to ninth grade students. A number of measures of fast, automatic, and fluent performance (FAF measures) were used: writing the alphabet; reading from a word list; and mentally performing arithmetic operations. The…

A conceptual model is presented for the development of thinking skills by using an instructional model employing high level cognitive demands. "Distancing" is proposed as the concept to denote behaviors or events that separate the child cognitively from the immediate behavioral environment. Forms and functions of distancing behavior are…

This booklet is intended to help mainstreamed mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, or learning disabled high school students acquire a basic understanding of the responsibilities and working conditions of painters and to practice basic math skills necessary in the occupation. The first section provides a brief introduction to the occupation…

This booklet is intended to help mainstreamed mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, or learning disabled high school students acquire a basic understanding of the responsibilities and working conditions of radio-TV service persons and to practice basic math skills necessary in the occupation. The first section provides a brief introduction to…

While problem-based learning (PBL) has a relatively long history of successful use in medical and pre-professional schools, it has yet to be widely adopted by K--12 teachers. This may be due, in part, to the numerous challenges teachers experience when implementing PBL. In this paper, we describe specific hurdles that teachers are likely to…

The major objectives in the establishment of a clinic in a department of psychology are to provide a setting for clinical training and for clinical research. Five issues must be considered in order to evaluate a departmental clinic effectively. First, there should be prior specification of objectives and periodic restatement of goals that include…

The American College Testing Program's College Outcome Measures Project (COMP) Objective Test and Activity Inventory were administered to 93 Nazareth freshmen in fall 1980 and to 36 seniors in spring 1981. Results provided data on the actual level of student performance in relation to several key general education outcomes and comparisons of…

The aim of this guide is to help state education agencies (SEAs) find effective ways to improve relations between schools and their communities. Focusing particularly on the Northeast and New England, the document reviews literature on school-community relations and presents numerous examples of school-community interaction. First, the author…

To investigate the assumptions that interpersonal problem solving skills can be systematically taught to young children and that such skills mediate behavioral adjustment, 37 black, economically disadvantaged preschool age children participated in a year-long intervention project and a 6-month follow-up. Specifically, the study evaluated the…