Animated models explicate the procedure to solve a problem, as well as the rationale behind this procedure. For abstract cognitive processes, animations might be beneficial, especially when a supportive pedagogical agent provides explanations. This article argues that animated models can be an effective instructional method, provided that they are…

This study explored support for engagement in 2 settings: a high school basketball team and high school mathematics classrooms. Specifically, the study examined 3 aspects of these practices: (a) access to the domain, (b) opportunities to take on integral roles, and (c) opportunities for self-expression in the practice. Drawing on videotape and…

This study compared the effectiveness of two instructional methods--problem-based instruction within a face-to-face context and computer-mediated participatory simulation--in increasing students' content knowledge and application gains in the area of information problem-solving. The instructional methods were implemented over a four-week period. A…

Many school principals say that the toughest part of the day is recess. That's because recess is when most trouble starts. When the author asked one principal recently about recess, she promptly rattled off a list of headaches, such as "the teasing, the fights, the bullying, the injuries, the referrals." In this article, the author describes…

To better understand how teachers can capitalize on the power of story problems, Jacobs and Ambrose analyzed teacher-student conversations in problem-solving interviews. They identified eight categories of teacher moves that, when timed properly, were productive in advancing mathematical conversations. (Contains 2 tables.)

This paper reviews the literature related to the learning and teaching of debugging computer programs. Debugging is an important skill that continues to be both difficult for novice programmers to learn and challenging for computer science educators to teach. These challenges persist despite a wealth of important research on the subject dating…

Learning mathematics has traditionally been thought of as a sequential progression. Children learn to count to 10, then to 20, and then to 100. They learn to add without regrouping and then with regrouping. The authors teach addition before multiplication and the two-times table before the six-times table. They usually teach division as a separate…

This study extends the debate concerning the mathematical skills deficit of bioscience undergraduates towards a deeper understanding of their mathematics learning, since only through the latter can appropriate and effective explicit teaching be implemented. Three hundred and twenty-six first-year bioscience undergraduates, from three pre- and four…

We report a randomized trial of a revised Behavioral Family Systems Therapy for Diabetes (BFST-D) intervention. Families of 104 adolescents with diabetes were randomized to standard care (SC) or to 6 months of an educational support group (ES) or BFST-D. Family communication and problem-solving skills were assessed at 0, 6, 12, and 18 months by…

The purpose of this research is to enhance pre-service teachers' problem-solving skills by giving them opportunity to understand the problem solving process. The study, using an experimental approach, was conducted with 85 pre-service elementary school teachers. The experimental group experienced problem based learning (PBL), while the control…

Past research has suggested that students need to be motivated by themselves (intrinsic learning motivation) and use higher-order cognitive skills so as to excel in problem solving, decision-making, and analytical reasoning in real-life situations. In this study, we examined the role of intrinsic learning motivation (ILM) and cumulative GPA in…

The number of students pursuing undergraduate degrees in mathematics is decreasing. Research reveals students who pursue mathematics majors complained about inadequate high school preparation in terms of disciplinary content or depth, conceptual grasp, or study skills. Unfortunately, the decrease in the number of students studying advanced…

It is complicated to design a computer simulation that adapts to students with different characteristics. This study documented cases that show how college students' prior chemistry knowledge level affected their interaction with peers and their approach to solving problems with the use of computer simulations that were designed to learn…

We investigate short-term learning from hints and feedback in a Web-based physics tutoring system. Both the skill of students and the difficulty and discrimination of items were determined by applying item response theory (IRT) to the first answers of students who are working on for-credit homework items in an introductory Newtonian physics…

Teachers who attempt to use inquiry-based, student-centered instructional tasks face challenges that go beyond identifying well-designed tasks and setting them up appropriately in the classroom. Because solution paths are usually not specified for these kinds of tasks, students tend to approach them in unique and sometimes unanticipated ways.…