This collection of four papers deals with problem solving and the measurement of problem solving. "Climbing Up the Competence Ladder: Some Thoughts on Meaningful Assessment of Problem-Solving Tasks in the Classroom" by K. C. Cheung uses the metaphor of a competence ladder to represent the problem-solving continuum with progressive…

The purpose of this report is twofold. The first is to deliver an accurate portrayal of students' achievement in geometry and measurement as gleaned from the results of the 1986 Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program (MEAP). The second is to provide K-12 teachers of mathematics with activities that have proven to be helpful in encouraging…

The Environmental Studies Center Outdoor Science program should represent a continuation of the county science curriculum. However, science teachers were insufficiently involved and generally unprepared to conduct effective classroom follow-up activities with students upon returning from outdoor field excursions sponsored by the Environmental…

Microcomputer-based laboratories (MBLs) are believed to have significant potential for improving laboratory experiences in science classrooms. A study funded through a grant project called STEPS to Better Science sought to broaden the knowledge base by examining MBL use by teachers and students in a variety of science classrooms in six high…

Emphasizing critical thinking as the source of renewal and survival of organizations, this document begins by analyzing the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger as examples of inadequate critical thinking. The role of management education in promoting critical thinking is explored as well as the need for a…

This manual provides a substance abuse prevention curriculum for preschoolers that includes numerous activities that can be used in traditional learning centers. Unit One helps caregivers examine their style of interacting with young children and identify strategies that will facilitate children's problem solving, critical thinking, and decision…

The union of thought and feeling, the basis of the concept of "thoughtfulness," is one of the major themes of this book, which is designed to help teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and parents empower students to take more control of their own education and lives. It presents strategies for teaching students about the nature…

The United Way of America has issued a Call to Action that asks the United States to make the achievement of literacy a top national priority. The goal is to achieve literacy by the year 2010. The Call to Action includes a set of strategies, objectives, and actions based on United Way's community problem-solving approach. At the heart of the Call…

Although the "what" of schooling has become clearer through a convergence of research findings, educators still do not understand the "hows" of effectively using that knowledge to make necessary changes. This paper's objectives are to argue the necessity of fundamental changes in the patterns of schooling (the "whys") and to present a conceptual…

GUIDON is an intelligent computer-aided instruction (ICAI) program for teaching diagnosis, which has been tested using the infectious disease diagnosis rules of the MYCIN consultation system developed at the Stanford University School of Medicine. GUIDON engages a student in a dialogue about a patient suspected of having an infection and thus…

This curriculum guide is designed to lower the dropout rate and improve the academic achievement of handicapped and nonhandicapped high school students by developing their personal and social skills. It may be used in a variety of classroom, special education, and guidance settings. The lessons use relevant experiences to stimulate learning…

Guidelines which explain five phases of the consulting process are offered to educators contemplating the employment of consultants. Discussion of the first phase, "contact/entry," contains seven tips to consider before hiring a consultant and six tips on forming the base of the working relationship with the consultant. The second phase,…

Studies were conducted to identify critical barriers which could impede the progress of Hispanic undergraduates enrolled in science and engineering programs. The underlying theme in most studies was the interplay of language in various problem-solving tasks. Studies examined: (1) predictors of academic achievement (as measured by grade point…

The role of computers (especially microcomputers) in the mathematics curriculum and suggestions for using them in mathematics instruction are discussed in this yearbook. The 27 articles are presented under five headings. Part 1, Issues, includes articles on comprehensive instructional computing, possible new curricula, and a syllabus for a…

A collection of word problems for fifth and sixth grade students are presented. The problems, which are divided into four sections and which get progressively more difficult in each section, include: (1) 38 problems on ratio and proportion; (2) 40 multistep problems (problems which require more than one calculation); (3) 40 problems on geometry…