Describes how speech acts in the beginning of many telephone conversations signal and resolve problems. Examines data from telephone conversations using "call-waiting" to show how ambiguity may provide resources for problem solving. (MM)

Examines whether problem solving, decision making, and other thinking skills depend more on deep expertise in a specialty or on reflective awareness and general strategies. General and specialized knowledge function in close partnership. The partnership's nature and implications for educational practice are explored. (Author/BJV)

Describes a project that used simulation to help students improve human relations skills. Principles of human relations and skills important to interviewing, listening, interacting, speaking, and report writing were emphasized. (JOW)

Among 294 children of three to eight years, tactual oddity learning increased gradually with age. The finding of bidirectional cross-modal transfer of oddity learning supported the suggestion that such transfer occurs when training and transfer oddity tasks share a common vehicle dimension. Results are considered consistent with the view that…

Advantages and disadvantages of common ways to justify the answer to a probability problem are discussed. One explanation appears superior to the others because it is easy to understand, mathematically rigorous, generalizes to a broader class of problems, and avoids the deficiencies of the other explanations. (MNS)

A diagrammatic approach to invariants of knots is the focus. Connections with graph theory, physics, and other topics are included, along with an explanation of how proofs of some old conjectures about alternating knots emerge from this work. (MNS)

Role playing of basic negotiation styles forms the basis of the A-E-I-O-U curriculum (attack, evade, inform, open, unite). Techniques such as position/need analysis, problem solving, and conflict resolution can be applied beyond the classroom to work and personal situations. (SK)

The problem-solving method of teaching and learning is recommended, to provide for the intellectual and artistic needs of all students, including gifted students. The method encourages a diversity of strengths by involving children of many abilities in a shared activity. A third-grade social studies unit illustrates use of the approach. (JDD)

Knot theory has been inspirational to algebraic and geometric topology. The principal problem has been to ascertain whether two links are equivalent. New methods have been discovered which are effective and simple. Considered are background information; the oriented polynomial; the Jones polynomial; the semioriented polynomial; and calculations,…

Factors influencing students' interpretation of learning tasks are discussed and two qualitatively different types of student interpretation are identified--procedural and content-related. The implications for research on the alternative frameworks used by students are discussed, including the identification of different levels of alternative…

Two studies compared strengths and deficiencies in the problem solving abilities of about 80 learning disabled and 110 nondisabled fifth and sixth graders using a microcomputer as an assessment tool. No significant differences in performance on problem solving tasks were found. The microcomputer is postulated as possibly responsible for this…

Examines the problem resolution phase of a retrospective conversion project of monographic records at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass). The kinds of problems encountered are categorized and discussed. Suggestions for developing editing guidelines are offered, and the guidelines developed for standardization of problem resolution at…

Consists of an interview with Bill Mollison about the concept of bioregional association, that is, an association of residents of a natural and identifiable region. Topics also touched on are importation of products, unemployment, and job satisfaction. (CH)

The effects of limiting the availability of immediate feedback while using LOGO were studied for 48 students aged 9 to 11 solving rotation problems. Limiting feedback reduced the incidence of trial and error strategies, and higher level problem solving strategies were apparently used to compensate for the restricted feedback access. (SLD)

Discusses the integration of decision-making exercises into biology courses. (MKR)