This paper compares a number of different Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) in their solution of one-step and multi-step problems. The CAS programs considered include DERIVE, Maple, Mathematica, and MuPAD while the problems are taken from the final examinations of grades 9 and 12 in Estonian schools. The different outputs to one-step problems with…

This study was designed to examine the motivation levels of middle school aged children in public schools. It is part of a larger project that seeks to determine the children's problem solving approaches to their schoolwork and common social problems. A cohort of age and gender matched participants from Beijing, China was added for a…

The choice of teaching an effective method--one that most students can master--or an efficient method--one that takes the fewest steps--occurs daily in Algebra I classrooms. This decision may not be made in the abstract, however, but rather in a ready-to-hand mode. This study examines how teachers solve linear equations when the purpose is…

Previous research has shown that many secondary school students improperly apply linear models when solving non-linear problems involving lengths, area and volume of similar plane figures and solids. This phenomenon is called the "illusion of linearity". This paper presents a teaching experiment in which we developed and tested a learning…

This paper concisely chronicles the evolution of the concept of expertise since the 1960s. After presenting the key themes of expertise throughout the years, we propose a breakdown of the evolution into three waves: information-processing wave, speed/problem solving wave, and emotional intelligence/ways of expertise wave. We then show the…

Conflict resolution education has proven to be one of the key components of school strategies that not only assist young people in finding alternatives to violence, but also support them in developing the social competencies of cooperation, empathy, creative problem solving, social cognitive skills, and relationship skills. This handbook is a…

This book provides practical advice and lessons based on outstanding children's literature, fostering a better understanding of creativity and helping educators and parents recognize and nurture creative thinking in young children in grades K-4. The book describes components of the creative process--fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration,…

Much of administrative preparation and practice centers on problem solving, developing alternative solutions, and selecting among competing alternatives for the most feasible solutions. Some of the persistent dilemmas resident in the training and the functioning of administrators are examined here by scholars and practitioners of educational…

The reasons people most often give for the failures of U.S. schools involve poverty, racial inequality, and a host of social problems. This paper argues that even if all these conditions were remedied, the schools would not produce many more people with the ability to think than they do today. Teachers, who are usually able to think, do not know…

This study investigated patterns and effects of cognitive tools usage during engagement with an open-ended hypermedia learning environment. Seven technical institute students engaged in problem-solving tasks concerning anatomy and physiology. They used 16 cognitive tools embedded in a hypermedia system and their tool use patterns and corresponding…

This literature review on teaching thinking skills examines information from the British Education Index, ERSDAT, and ERIC database. After discussing whether thinking skills can be taught, it describes what science says (e.g., there is much to learn about the working brain, and much of the growth in human brains occurs in early childhood),…

This document contains the four keynote papers from ICCE/ICCAI 2000 (International Conference on Computers in Education/International Conference on Computer-Assisted Instruction). "Using Technologies To Model Student Problem Spaces" (David Jonassen) contrasts examples of semantic network, expert system, and systems modeling…

This manual is designed to introduce problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to 8-13 year old students. Following an introductory section, eight lesson plans are given. The first three lessons present basic skills of conflict management. Lessons four through eight focus on the steps in the mediation process. Each lesson includes suggestions…

Storytelling with persona dolls (dolls that are given names, family histories, and other traits by teachers) is a powerful tool for teaching classroom and social skills, giving children words for and tools to manage their feelings, developing problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, expanding children's comfort with difference, undoing…

This report describes a program for improving students' oral and written communication in mathematics. The target population consisted of third and fourth grade classes in a suburban, middle class community located in a large Midwestern state. The current lack of communication was demonstrated by the results of class surveys, student interviews,…