Proposes the concept of cultural validity as a form of test validity in science assessment. Contends that current approaches to handling student diversity in assessment are limited. Discusses ways in which adopting cultural validity as a criterion for test validity makes it necessary to shift assessment paradigms and adopt new procedures for…

Focuses on 181 school children's (aged 5-13) responses to an Awareness of Technology Survey question intended to explore their conceptual knowledge of structural strength. Explores how the framework of the program and professional development opportunities did not help teachers implement the program. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/YDS)

Discusses the importance of writing in mathematics classrooms and offers an alternative to journal writing. Presents "Chris and Pat Writing Activities" designed to help students better understand concepts by making decisions about who has used correct skills to solve a mathematical problem. (ASK)

Reports the results of a pilot study in a senior paper science and engineering class of an innovative instructional method designed to foster student problem solving and in-depth learning of material, namely student peer teaching. Reviews literature focusing on active learning methods and describes the method for student peer teaching. (Author/SAH)

Gaming is discussed against a background of rationalist and historicist traditions of reality; trivial and nontrivial machine models of problem solving; and rigid-rule and free-form games. (JKP)

Reports on (n=11) student attempts at 3 combinatorial questions focusing mainly on 3 aspects of strategy: (1) listing; (2) subdivision into cases; and (3) use or misuse of 4 standard formulas. (MKR)

Evaluates an instructional method in general chemistry that attempts to bridge the gap between algorithmic problem-solving abilities and conceptual understanding of chemistry students and emphasizes conceptual problem solving in the initial phase of a concept. Concludes that using a conceptual focus for the chemistry courses had many positive…

Five new realities affect community problem solving: (1) fewer public dollars; (2) increased local/regional responsibility; (3) renewed focus on local government integrity; (4) wider distribution of community power; and (5) increasingly diverse population. Communities that prosper practice collaborative problem solving and consensus-based decision…

Discusses successes and failures in project-organized education during the last 10 years in the Electronics Department at the Engineering College of Copenhagen. Describes elements of successful problem solving and practical experiences and problems in project organization. (JRH)

A learning activity designed for an Association of Experiential Educators workshop asked participants to lead their group through a maze symbolizing the obstacles and frustration encountered when implementing experiential education programs. Includes goals, set-up, sample presentation, and suggestions for debriefing participants. (LP)

In the process of applying community policing problem-solving strategies toward the causes of urban decay, police organizations are finding that they must address a host of noncrime-related actions, as well as inaction by community members. In doing so, community police organizations find that they must expand into the enforcement of social…

Student problem solving, even with emotionally disturbed children, provides students and teachers with a way to deal with impulsive behavior. Outlines steps to respectful problem solving by introducing students to ways to reframe their thinking. (JPS)

A study compared qualitative aspects of social problem-solving skills of 79 persons with developmental disabilities and 104 typical adults. Individuals with developmental disabilities found employment-related social problems were difficult to solve effectively followed by social skills in the community and in an independent living situation.…

This study with 203 college students used structural equation analysis and found that the relationship between students' academic stress and course grades was influenced by problem-focused coping and motivation, but not by emotion-focused coping. Greater academic stress covaried with lower course grades. (DB)

It has become increasingly possible for mathematics students to include a limited number of approved optional, non-traditional modules in their programs. Surveys coursework in four non-specialist modules over a seven-year period, and examines work in the area of mathematical cognition. (Contains 16 references.) (Author/ASK)