After assessing its programs and teacher education research, it was decided by the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University that the ultimate goal of the programs would be to develop teachers who would be problem solvers who were able to assess each unique classroom situation and select from alternative strategies the strategy that is the…

One approach to the study of problem solving is to observe how people with different skills (novices and experts) solve problems by collecting and analyzing protocols and formulating models to obtain solution processes. Individual differences are subsequently explained by the differences in the knowledge possessed, as embodied by the sets of…

This workshop presenter's guide is intended for use by administrators in training one another in the Project Leadership program developed by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). The purposes of the guide are: to provide administrators with a framework for deciding when others (particularly subordinates) should participate in…

The effect of computer-assisted instruction on spatial problem solving skills was examined in this study. Subjects were fifth grade students from nine classes, who were divided into three treatment groups in a nonrandom fashion: (1) computer-assisted group, which used computer software designed to help students improve spatial problem solving…

This digest suggests that research findings can provide teachers with verification and clarification of how children learn mathematics, and thus how to teach mathematics more effectively. Three topics are discussed: (1) number concepts; (2) problem solving; and (3) manipulative materials. (PK)

The impact of the general education program on students at Trenton State College (New Jersey), was assessed using the American College Measurement Program (COMP) from the American College Testing program and from Tests of General Education (TGE) from the Educational Testing Service. Participants included 144 freshmen, 32 seniors, and 37 transfer…

This study investigated problem solving skills in mechanics problems that required the use of diagrams. These skills were examined in two ways. First, the study examined student problem solving skills using solution scripts from the Western Australian Tertiary Admission Examination in physics. Solution attempts by students in the 1978 and 1979…

Science is suggested as an excellent content area for teaching primary students the creative and critical thinking skills that can help them become better problem solvers. J. P. Guilford's Structure of Intellect model and Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives serve as the basis for developing exercises which lead to improvement of…

A historical review of educational literature concerning measurement of cognitive skills is provided, with reference to test construction. Focus is on assessing abilities beyond recall of information. In light of interest in assessing critical thinking in the California Assessment Program, it must be noted that concern with critical thinking is…

This report provides a description of and content specifications for video and print resources designed to reinforce basic language arts, mathematics, and problem-solving skills through the integration of five economic concepts into the curriculum of the early elementary grades: (1) scarcity, (2) opportunity cost, (3) consumption, (4) production,…

A 1975 Dartmouth Outward Bound Mental Health Project, begun with a pilot project for disturbed adolescents, has evolved into an ongoing treatment option in three separate clinical settings for psychiatric patients and recovering alcoholics. Outward Bound consists of a series of prescribed physical and social tasks where the presence of stress,…

In the research described in this document, the goal was to develop definite theoretical characterizations of understanding in a specific domain of problems. Some performance that provides persuasive evidence of understanding was chosen, and hypotheses about cognitive structures and processes that cause the performance to occur were developed.…

An introductory problem for a theatre history course presents the process of group decision making and problem solving in theatre studies, encourages students to compare values when collecting information and making decisions, and illustrates the variety of dramatic forms, production styles, and economic concerns of contemporary theatre. Entitled…

To investigate the influence of group settings on the receiver's perception of an inducement to rhetorical transactions, 45 undergraduates in a basic speech communication course were asked to rank from most important to least important a group of items that might help survivors of an arctic plane crash. After completing individual rankings,…

Creative thinking and problem-solving, skills related to people's flexibility, tolerance of ambiguity, curiosity, and risk-taking ability, are especially useful for foreign adults currently living in the United States. These skills are crucial in adapting to a new culture and in making decisions in a society based heavily on individual choice. The…