In the interaction between the child and the adult, interest can be a significant motivational initiator of activities. Systematic monitoring and development of the interest in music activities enables the teachers to influence the preschool children in forming a positive attitude towards the art of music. The research involving preschool…

American educators have become very concerned by mandates prescribed in the federal No Child Left Behind Act and a slew of state-level reforms such as new curriculum standards and requirements. It is difficult for them to entertain other suggestions. The concern is understandable because noncompliance leads to unbearable consequences. Failure to…

While block play is essential for both boys' and girls' social, cognitive, language, and motor development, girls do not engage in block play as frequently as boys. This situation can be attributed to the socialization process--children learn societal expectations for behavior and materials for both boys and girls--lack of experience for girls…

To create unique and appropriate learning opportunities and environments and to nurture the development of creative thinking abilities among learners are some of the demands for creative thinking currently expected of teachers globally and also in South Africa. Creative thinking in academic context assumes, among other things, the ability to…

This guide will help policymakers understand and define the principles behind fusing core subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills. Recommendations that reflect these principles will help policymakers support 21st century readiness for all students throughout a reauthorized ESEA and other federal legislation.

This article explores how organizational cultures shape workplace learning for those learning to be educational leaders. The discussion is illustrated with the data from an ethnographic case study which explored the workplace learning of five school leaders. The findings suggest that workplace boundaries were constructed in response to perceptions…

This article presents the authors' critique of lessons proposed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). The authors initiate a discussion about content that they hope will play out in schoolhouses and statehouses across the country. They take on a different task: they present a handful of lesson ideas from P21 that could enhance studies…

The main emphasis of this investigation was to study the relationship of three cognitive styles (response tempo, response style and response ambiguity) of problem solving. A sample of 288 junior high school students participated in the study to ascertain the degree to which each cognitive style contributes to creative problem solving. The…

Research related to two uses of tests of creativity in mathematics is reviewed. The use of tests to predict creativity is discussed, as well as testing to determine the outcomes of discovery learning experiences. (SD)

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of classroom activities to enhance children's imaginations could improve their creative abilities. Subjects included 25 fifth-grade students in the Grand Forks, North Dakota, school district. Students were given the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and were provided with materials designed…

To compile a list of activities and achievements considered as creative by laymen, 239 graduate and undergraduate students named their three most creative accomplishments and activities in each of six areas: mathematics and science; music; fine arts; performing arts; literature; and miscellaneous. This resulted in a 198-item list, which was rated…

Two issues were investigated: (1) Are parents able to recognize creativity in their children? and (2) Are teachers able to recognize creativity in their pupils? Subjects were 68 elementary school children, their parents, and teachers. The children attended 22 schools, grades 1-4. Creativity was assessed by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking…

In order to help the child develop his creative potential, it is necessary to understand (1) what personality characteristics distinguish the potentially creative child from the average child and (2) what environmental conditions, if any, facilitate the development of creative behavior. Research on the contribution of attitude, temperament, and…

A Color Association Exercise (CAE) with four scales (Originality, Abstraction, Fluency, and Elaboration) was devised to assess verbal creative ability. When administered to 173 adolescent students, the Color Association Exercise appeared to have only moderate potential as an assessment technique for verbal creative ability. Abstraction and…

The purpose of this study was to determine relationships among verbal and nonverbal creative thinking, literal reading comprehension, intelligence, and creative oral response to a literature stimulus. The subjects were 74 black fourth grade boys and girls in three classrooms of an inner-city school. The Minnesota Tests of Creative Thinking,…