Described is a senior project course that is intended to prepare graduates for solving problems in a real engineering environment. Students in electronics engineering technology may choose between an independent study option and a structured course in which they design and implement a project in a specified field. The scheduling, evaluation, and…

Presented are the basics of this discrete mathematics topic. Several problem-solving techniques are illustrated. Several suggestions for senior projects are provided. (CW)

The column for teachers of deaf students addresses issues in mathematics instruction including the impact of calculators, the need to ask students more "why" questions, the value of students writing about mathematics, and the effectiveness of pairing students for problem solving. (DB)

Examined selected problem-solving behaviors of school-age children and their parents in dyadic and triadic contexts. Parent-child interactions revealed sex-of-parent and sex-of-child differences as a function of problem-solving contexts. (Author/BB)

An instructional method called Transformation-Based Writing is presented that encourages second graders to engage in writing strategies that are typically more advanced. The method begins with writers establishing goals centering on content and genre and achieving the goals through iterative application of problem-solving operations. (Author/JDD)

A survey of 251 postsecondary students enrolled in management education revealed that the students preferred a student-centered and problem-based curriculum and felt their current curricula did not correspond to that model. Results are detailed and the questionnaires used are appended. (Author/MSE)

Studied cognitive processes of 12 elite orienteers (cross-country racers who navigate a course) during a race through indirect observation and interview. The 19-year-old orienteers reported their mental activity onto a small tape recorder. Responses were divided into four stages of mental activity: planning, registration and navigation, control…

Ways in which linear lesson sequences can be modified to provide increased opportunities for open-ended activities especially with problem solving are considered. Examples drawn from chemistry and plant reproduction, seeds, and germination are given. (KR)

Activities in which students determine the half-life of a substance using M&Ms, solve a crime using chromatography, and calculate the speed of a toy car are presented. The activities include the topic, an introduction, the time needed, a list of materials, safety precautions, procedure, analysis questions, and teacher's notes. (KR)

The influence of matched and unmatched application adjunct questions on the acquisition of problem-solving skills from a prose passage was studied for 78 undergraduates. Unmatched application questions produced superior problem solving, classification of novel examples (CNE), and recall of concept definitions. Matched application questions…

Alternatives to the traditional unknown tests that permit a clear and unequivocal differential identification decision between Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium are presented. Plates of Phenylethyl Alcohol agar with Blood (PEAB), slants of Bile Esculin agar and plates of DNA agar are used. The materials, methods, results, and conclusions…

A training program used successfully in more that 40 school systems consists of an intensive 5-day workshop involving lectures, role-playing exercises, simulated negotiations, and indepth discussions about bargaining issues. (MLF)

In response to recent school violence, schools are turning to conflict resolution training. The goal of such programs is to help students control their anger before anyone raises a fist or weapon. The article examines conflict resolution programs which involve teacher training, student mediators, and classroom curriculum. (SM)

Presents case study exemplifying use of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in educational decision making. CBM is portrayed as more than just set of brief fluency tests with strong conceptual ties to three related assessment models (behavioral, ecological, and problem-solving assessment). Delineates key elements of each model. Case study shows how…

Compares students' solutions to a business writing problem-solving assignment to their personal beliefs about government regulation of business. Finds that although most students do not favor government intervention, they turned to the government when finding solutions to business problems. Suggests that this paradox is a result of students'…