The development of social problem-solving skills in preschool children (namely, cooperative play, sharing, taking turns, understanding another person's feelings, helping, and the verbal resolution of conflict) was assessed following instruction under three conditions. A total of 35 children, of whom 18 attended a formally structured preschool…

In this study, the teaching strategies of mothers of 14 gifted preschoolers were compared with the teaching styles of mothers of 14 nongifted children of the same age. Mothers were individually observed and videotaped while teaching three problem-solving tasks to their children. These videotaped interactions were then coded according to the…

The research described in this paper leads to an instructional design approach which is an alternative to the consideration of such issues as mathematical skills or level of cognitive development. The approach uses an analysis of traditional instructional tasks to specify the underlying cognitive processes and structures necessary for the…

The way that graphs can be used to make calculations that are commonly used by institutional researchers is described using specific examples, and the technique of constructing computational graphs (and nomographs) is outlined. It is shown that once a calculation involving several variables has been represented by a computation diagram or a…

The major task in solving a physics problem is to construct an appropriate model of the problem in terms of physical principles. The functions performed by such a model, the information which needs to be represented, and the knowledge used in selecting and instantiating an appropriate model are discussed. An example of a model for a mechanics…

A study investigated how the attribution of a problem solution to an individual or group affects the consumer's perception of the solution's quality. Based on the tendency to support group decision-making (Hydra phenomenon) it was predicted that decisions attributed to groups would be perceived as higher in quality than those made by individuals,…

Examination of four programs in which young people have consistently excelled shows common elements, despite differences in setting, population, and goals. The four programs, which exemplify problem solving, peer counseling, community service, and communication respectively, include: (1) the Youth Action Program in New York City, a community…

This book emphasizes the importance of research to the school psychologist. Written in a conversational style, it looks at research as a tool for problem solving and a basis for action rather than as an academic exercise. Research is described as an interaction, a point of contact to get things moving, a different way of seeing a problem. The…

Depression has been linked to cognitive deficits and learned helplessness models in various theories. To examine depression effects on abstract problem solving ability and the relationship between intelligence and anxiety, 66 of 303 college students (23 male, 43 female), evidencing least and most depressed states as assessed by the Beck Depression…

The lesson plans for gifted/talented students in grades 5 and 6 focus on logical thinking enrichment activities. Information on each activity is presented in terms of objectives, entry skills, teacher's approaches, student activities, resources, and followup/evaluation. Among activities described are completing analogies and determining analogous…

In anticipation of providing a baseline of competencies on which teachers and school researchers could build, an ethnographic study was conducted of the communicative competencies of kindergarten children as revealed in spontaneous speech occurring across entire school days. Nonparticipant and, occasionally, participant observation methods were…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Adults can help students become more responsible by teaching them new ways of thinking about self-control. The research summarized here suggests that: If students do not feel a sense of control over the outcomes of their actions, they will not exert much effort or assume much responsibility for what…

Subjects taught by a model performed better on interpretation of programs and on problems requiring looping, while nonmodel subjects excelled on straightforward generation of programs. The model used was especially helpful for low ability subjects. Practice in interpretation helped nonmodel subjects most and practice in writing simple programs…

Some possible remedies that would enable the modern high school to expand its curriculum and give its students a greater course selection were discussed. (Author)