Contains a systems analysis of the Mankind-Education System and a block-diagram model of this system. (DD)

Report offers several working definitions of the process of critical thinking, then describes several ERIC documents dealing with ways of teaching critical thinking in general on the secondary level, and finally points to some aspects of learning about literature and language that involve critical thinking skills. (Author)

Author's discussion is based on the following assumptions: (1) the greater the degree of correspondence between the student's language and his world, the greater are his chances for sanity and survival; and (2) creativity consists of seeing new relationships, forming new organizations, or building new cognitive structures. (Author/MB)

A workshop concerned with Dienes' six stages in the process of abstraction and generalization is described. One of the logic games used with children in one of the demonstration lessons is explained in detail. (DT)

Comparison between relational concepts and word definitions coincided with lower levels of thinking, and abstract definitions with the highest level. (Author)

A spirit of constructive social action is predicted, with the university emerging as a model of how life should be lived. (Editor)

Compared performance of kindergarten children (N=52) on reasoning, visual-motor integration, and verbal development to achievement scores in kindergarten, second grade, and third grade. Results showed relationships between reasoning in kindergarten and achievement on two tests in second grade, but not between kindergarten visual-motor integration…

Examined the possible facilitating effect of thematic materials in Wason's selection task. Two experiments failed to replicate previous findings. In support of a memory-cueing hypothesis, improved performance was found for an implication rule that was part of subjects' past experience. (Author)

Describes a project designed to assist 12- to 14-year-old students in developing abstract reasoning skills in math and science via interactive computer programs. Examples of learning modules designed to be run on microcomputers are included. Seven references are listed. (MER)

Argues that phonemic awareness in young readers may be knowledge that is constructed in the unique situation of trying to match speech to an alphabetic orthography. Stages of learning about print, teaching children about written language, and the roles of alphabet recognition and perceptual-motor skills in learning to read are discussed.…

Describes a course module designed to instruct beginning engineering students at the University of New Mexico in problem-solving methodology as suggested by Polya (understand, plan, carry out, look back). (SK)