Discussed is the value of making writing a regular part of the mathematics curriculum. Writing skills can be used in creating word problems, bilingual classrooms, process problems, mathematics journals, and as a diagnostic tool. Included are examples of students math work and written explanations. (KR)

Examines peace education at the elementary school level, stressing the need to include interpersonal and international relations when teaching peace. Suggests peace education can lead children to prosocial behavior. Sees peace as a positive of being. Urges the infusion of peace education throughout the elementary social studies curriculum. (CH)

Two field experiments were conducted to compare the effects of a cooperative learning group method to a whole-class method on acquisition of selected social-environmental studies problem-solving skills by 342 fourth graders. Both methods outperformed the control, but the cooperative strategy was less effective than was the whole-class method. (TJH)

The question of how children solve force and motion problems in computer simulations without explicit knowledge of the underlying physics was investigated. Keystroke sequences made by children were saved and analyzed, and children were interviewed to understand their perception of the relationship between keyboard input and on-screen action. (CW)

Differences in critical thinking between undergraduate and graduate students in the social and mathematical sciences was investigated using multiple measures of critical thinking that reflect different types of problem structure. Educational level and academic area differences were found across measures. (Author/MLW)

Describes an action research study that observed the use of Logo by first grade children in public schools. Students' use of screen wraps is highlighted, and learning activities other than programing that resulted are described, including problem solving, acquisition of mathematical concepts and language, peer tutoring, and productive play. (LRW)

Discussion of a project in which adolescent novels were analyzed in terms of the characters' incorporation of information skills in problem solving notes the lack of information skills models in adolescent literature. Ways to use these novels--even though they lack models--to teach adolescents information and problem solving skills are suggested.…

Describes study designed to examine the effects of textual and/or computer animated orienting strategies and practice on rule-using and problem-solving skills of elementary school students using computer-assisted instruction. Four different versions of a lesson based on Isaac Newton's Law of Motion are described, and results are analyzed. (28…

Explores aspects of information retrieval skills such as end user training, indexing, controlled vocabulary systems, search protocol, boolean logic, problem analysis, and decision making. Suggests techniques for classroom instruction using simulations of online databases, CD-ROMs, and DIALOG's classroom instruction program. Describes several…

Presents a case study of a fourth grade student learning Logo and describes the teacher interventions used to help solve problems. Interviews with the teacher are related, observations of the student are described, and the process of diagnostic teaching is discussed. (eight references) (LRW)

Provides a critical review of recent research in metacognition and presents recommendations for assessing and improving metacognitive skills in trainees. Topics discussed include self-regulatory skills; training methods for problem solving; attention allocation; transfer of training; and cognitive-based techniques for task analysis and…

Harvard Medical School's integration of a curriculum on health promotion and disease prevention is described. The case method was used for all teaching in the curriculum. Students worked together in small groups, addressing the issues raised by each case under the direction of faculty preceptors. (Author/MLW)

Describes an activity which uses the computer to produce an environment that encourages an inductive reasoning approach to ratio and proportion through a billiard ball simulation. Provides examples of graphs and bouncing ball data. (RT)

The performance of sixth and seventh graders on a variety of tasks involving estimation and reasonableness of results were studied. Also examined was the effect of a short unit of activities on these two topics. Correct answers approximately doubled after instruction. (MNS)

A study involving 110 fifth- and sixth-graders (51 male and 59 female), classified as low or high in effort orientation, assessed the effects of task- versus performance-oriented instructions on a computer-assisted test programed to ensure that all examinees failed to solve all problems. Problem-solving strategy analyses were preformed. (TJH)