Examines the relationship between four types of communication (i.e., integrative, distributive, indirect, and avoidance) and 14 perceptions of problem situations. Finds that a relatively specific relationship exists between each type of communication and the set of perceptions for both personally experienced and undefined problem situations. (MS)

Provides information on the problems with the Hubble Space Telescope and how the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is trying to fix it. Includes a student quiz and possible student outcomes. (JOW)

Examines ways in which students collaborate to construct, use, and revise conceptual and strategic knowledge as they solve complex genetics problems. Concludes that students used three types of knowledge during model revision: knowledge of genetics, knowledge of the process of model revision, and knowledge of their own problem-solving strategies…

Investigated problem- and solution-related activity of (n=28) fourth and fifth graders in ill-defined and open-ended settings. In the course of their negotiations, students demonstrated an uncanny competence to frame and reframe problems and solutions and to decide courses of actions of different complexities in spite of the ambiguous nature of…

Discusses the continuity equation and presents two real-life problems involving salmon survival and the construction of dams. (JRH)

Explores trapezoidal numbers, which are the result of subtracting two triangular numbers. Includes classroom activities involving trapezoidal numbers to help students develop their problem-solving skills. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Underprepared college freshmen (212 in control group; 178 in experimental group) were monitored through 1 year of college mathematics in a study that showed cooperative learning and problem solving had a significant effect on mathematical success. An appendix contains sample problems. (MKR)

Open-ended tasks for developing numeracy skills reflect the fact that real-life math problems are seldom closed or have a single right answer. The "giving a party" problem shows how different math concepts and problem-solving skills can be brought out in open-ended tasks. (SK)

Presents a writing assignment from a class in general semantics in which students write about a personal application of general semantics. Presents a paper submitted by one student. (SR)

In a series of studies, a positive problem orientation was prospectively associated with greater positive effects on problem-solving ability under a variety of conditions. However, the relation of the problem orientation variables to distress appeared to be mediated by trait affectivity. Results are interpreted in light of the social…

Drinking patterns, alcohol expectancies, and coping strategies were assessed for 121 persons with recent spinal cord injuries during hospitalization, 3 months after surgery, and 12 months after surgery. Although the rate of heavy drinking decreased, preinjury problem drinkers still had the lowest rate of positive reappraisal, problem solving, and…

This article describes inventions devised by 50 undergraduates, and groups them into 6 categories: personal/body, home, transportation, convenience devices/services, entertainment/recreation, and miscellaneous. Examples of inventions by national winners (ages 6-12) in the Invent America Contest are also given. (DB)

The importance of phonology in assigning words to the correct grammatical category in language processing is discussed. Correlations between phonology and grammatical class are discussed. Experiments demonstrating that adults and children have learned these correlations are proposed and evaluated. (SLD)

Provides counselors with concept-based materials that clients can use to understand and structure career problem-solving and decision-making process. Notes that clients can use this knowledge to solve immediate career problems; transfer knowledge to future career problems; or generalize knowledge to other types of personal, social, and family…

Three kinds of implicit knowledge are (1) unconscious and nonverbalizable, stemming from familiarity with environment; (2) conscious but nonverbalizable (feeling-sense); and (3) unstated conscious and verbalizable (hidden assumptions). Implicit knowing makes its main contribution at the initial stages of problem solving. (SK)