Noting that thinking processes cannot be separated from educational content, this two-volume collection aims to define the profound changes in educational thought during the 20th century, as well as to present examples of how these changes are embodied in excellent schools and other learning communities. Volume one is divided in three sections. The first section provides the background for thought-centered schools and probes their potential, examining both barriers to restructuring and major paradigm shifts already occurring in the schools. Section two calls for substantive school renewal and redesign from the inside out, addressing policy formation at the national, community, and school levels. Section three dictates transformational change for schools, that is, curricular reconceptualization that goes beyond the cognitive and into the metacognitive realm, in which the uses, applications and creative transfer of learning become the most significant outcomes. Volume two also presents three sections. The first delineates the theoretical basis for instructional methodologies that highlight cognitive skills and strategies, outlines cognitive strategies to foster thoughtful classrooms, and presents two scenarios depicting future school models. The second section introduces cooperative learning as a means for developing intellectual skills, indicating that problem-solving and critical-thinking skills can be experienced, practiced, analyzed, and applied in collaborative settings. The final section begins with a reassessment of student assessment methods, elaborates on methods and models for assessing, and provides a strategic plan for tracking students' transfer of learning. Each of the 51 articles includes references. (AA)