Student problem-solving behaviors are analyzed using a four-dimensional framework with related detrimental factors identified for each dimension. General approaches and specific techniques developed to address negative factors are reviewed. Examined are means of developing the components of problem-solving teaching. (KR)

Discusses the relationship between Lawrence Kohlberg's cognitive-stage theory as a further development of Piaget's moral theory. Argues Kohlberg describes moral thought and not the formation of the independent moral function. Finds Kohlberg's major interest is in the characteristics of stages of individual moral reasoning and the principle of…

Children and adults listened to stories that contained a goal sentence and an inconsistent outcome. Several encoding and retrieval factors were simultaneously manipulated in the stories. Interaction effects in situations with weak encoding constraint decreased with age. (BC)

Tested children's ability to produce appropriate similes, evaluate a given simile's appropriateness, and select an appropriate simile. Minimum competence appeared around the age of three years for the multiple choice task, four years for the production task, and five to seven years for the evaluation task. (BC)

Looks at how the theories of William Perry and Jean Piaget explain choices students made in writing persuasive essays. Examines the implications of their theories for teaching persuasion to eighteen-year olds. (SR)

Focuses on strategies that aid cognitive competence in children of poverty. Explains how development may be hindered, delineating instructional strategies that may be useful to the development of cognitive processes. States multiple strategies exist to promote cognitive competence and that intervention strategies assist the child's effectiveness…

Efforts to enhance student motivation can be more effective if they are approached from the perspective of psychological models of what drives human behavior including social learning theory, personal growth as a primary goal, cognitive development theory, self-efficacy theory, and expectancy-value theory. (Author/MLW)

Offers ideas for asking good questions in the classroom. Recommends that key questions be written down prior to class. Questions should clearly cue students to respond specifically and briefly. Presents examples of types of questions that have been found either to encourage or to inhibit thinking. (JS)

The article describes a multifaceted intervention program based on social cognitive theory which was used with six boys, ages six to eight, with antisocial, aggressive tendencies. The intervention addressed cognitive/affective variables, behavioral factors, and environmental conditions. Evaluation indicated the program was effective, and it has…

Discussed is the relationship of concept-mapping by students to the meaningful learning of genetics and ecological concepts. The implications of these results for teacher education in biology are addressed. (KR)

Examination of a second grade additive-bilingual (Spanish-immersion) classroom, compared to a monolingual classroom for nonverbal problem-solving and native-language development, found significant differences in problem solving in favor of the bilingual class and no significant differences in native-language development. (46 references) (Author/CB)

The constructivist approach of the Teacher as Composer project used analog experiences that replicate thinking and social demands. Classroom constraints, inservice limitations, and teacher mindsets impeded its application. Personal narratives and principles of children's thinking helped bridge the gap between theory and practice. (SK)

Study of eight teachers who participated in the Cognitive Training-Intervention Program showed students were more likely to become competent thinkers with explicit encouragement and reinforcement; teaching quality diminished when teachers did not teach what they planned nor assessed what they taught; and only three of the eight benefited from…

Outlines the rationale, resources, and techniques for teaching K-12 physical science via toys. Includes 65 references and a list of 9 mail order suppliers of scientific toys. (MDH)

The oppressive mechanisms of racism suppress the development of children of color. Teachers must critically analyze school structures; conventional notions of ideology and identity; and cultural artifacts such as ideas, ideals, language, and routines to reveal how they reproduce the racism of the larger society. (SK)