Describes and discusses a combinatorics exploration occurring in a recent course to help characterize the kind of learning communities to establish with students. (Author/MKR)

Presents a method for solving linear equations involving the use of inverses instead of memorizing rules. (MKR)

Electronics students (16 controls, 16 experimentals) designed, built, and tested an amplifier. The experimentals did so after it was designed through computer simulation (using Electronics Workbench software). The experimental group performed significantly better on problem-solving tests; both groups did the same on drill and practice tests. (SK)

Responds to C. Aaron McNeese's (1995) article, "Family Social Work Practice: From Therapy to Policy." It encompasses the long-standing debate in social work over micro- and macro-level approaches to problem solving, commonly referred to as the "cause-function" debate. The struggle to minimize adverse effects of diversity has…

Examined the relationship between 6- to 8-year olds' conceptual understanding of additive composition, commutativity, and associativity principles and addition problem-solving procedures. Results revealed that conceptual understanding was related to using order-indifferent, decomposition, and retrieval strategies and speed and accuracy in solving…

Describes activities that have been successfully implemented by an expert during a mathematical problem-solving course. Focuses on the identification of the qualities of these problems used to promote the development of student strategies and values that reflect mathematical practice in the classroom. Contains 17 references. (ASK)

Proposes a metatheory of problem solving. Describes differences among problems in terms of their structured ness, domain specificity (abstractness), and complexity; describes individual differences that affect problem solving; and presents a typology of problems, each of which engages different cognitive, affective, and conative process and…

Explains the principles of assessment, lists goals and criteria for problem solving, and provides forms of evidence to evaluate students' understanding of the subject knowledge and ability of problem solving. (Contains 43 references.) (Author/YDS)

Carries on from an article about the context for assessment of problem solving skills. Describes other forms of evidence in problem solving skill besides the options given in the previous article. Lists eight forms of evidence related more directly to the problem solving process. Analyzes the relationship among some of these suggested forms of…

Describes differences in modes of thinking between natural sciences and engineering practitioners and presents a study investigating the differences in how engineering and chemistry faculty approach problem solving. (YDS)

Four conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) cases were coded, and scores on the variables "domineeringness" and "dominance" were calculated. Results suggest that consultants and consultees were generally consistent with each other in their levels of domineeringness and dominance. Consultants received slightly higher scores than…

Presents a divisibility problem and how a class of students discussed the problem and determined a plan to solve it. (ASK)

Shows how a work program can help determine staffing needs as a starting point for solving maintenance delays. Steps for developing a work program are provided. (GR)

Effective collaboration in computer-mediated settings among spatially distributed people is a precondition for success in many new learning and working contexts but it is hard to achieve. We have developed two instructional approaches to improve collaboration in such settings by promoting people's capabilities to collaborate in a fruitful way and…

The study of the creative personality has established itself as a major avenue of research on creativity and creative problem solving, other areas being creative process, product, and environment (or press). With respect to personality research, over the past 50-plus years, many studies have examined characteristics, attitudes, preferences,…