America 2000 presents an educational reform agenda that neglects the arts. Prevailing misconceptions of the arts are based on a massive misunderstanding of their role in human development and education. The arts contribute significantly by celebrating the value of multiple perspectives and nuances in problem solving, relating form to content, and…

Student questioning within the Search, Solve, Create, and Share (SSCS) problem solving instructional model was investigated. The results suggest that the SSCS problem-solving instructional model increases student questioning in the presence of the teacher (n=22) when compared to a teacher-directed laboratory instructional model. The implications…

Compared 40 adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) to 40 non-ACAs on problem-solving appraisal, perceived social support, shame, suicidal ideation, and substance use; examined gender differences among ACAs; explored relations between problem-solving appraisal, perceived social support, and shame in predicting suicidal ideation and substance use. ACAs…

Special education reform has targeted placement of children with disabilities. Terms such as "mainstreaming,""least restrictive environment," and "full inclusion" describe various reform stages. This article briefly reviews the history of special education reform, discusses current ideas related to best practice, and…

Discusses a misconception about the cycloid that asserts the final point on the path of shortest time in the "Brachistochrone" problem is at the lowest point on the cycloid. Uses a BASIC program for Newton's method to determine the correct least-time cycloid. (MDH)

A study investigated the learning and reception strategies used by six learners of college-level French, tested by completion of a rational cloze passage. The analysis focused on the effect of frequency, quality, and clustering of strategies on performance. Results suggest quality and clustering are most significant. (Author/MSE)

Discusses the design of situated learning and the ecological psychology of situated cognition. Topics addressed include the teacher's role; teacher training; anchored instruction; transfer skills; the meaning of learning; apprenticeships; and the Jasper Series, a macrocontext designed to investigate the issues of situated learning. (46 references)…

This male-specific study examined the development of integrated process skill in the context of open-inquiry laboratory sessions. Findings from this qualitative study indicate that male students develop higher-order process skills through nontraditional laboratory experiences that provided the students with freedom to perform experiments of…

Presents a problem in which the incorrect application of the Law of Sines leads to an erroneous solution. Demonstrates that the commission of this error by an ophthalmologist using laser trabeculoplasty could lead to patient injury. (MDH)

Examined problem-solving strategies used by fourth and fifth graders in solving simple LOGO computer programing problems, and investigated relationships between those strategies and students' domain knowledge and cognitive style. Findings supported a diversity of cognitive styles and suggest a possible knowledge-based explanation for differences…

Describes a course designed by Moravian College, Pennsylvania, to integrate precalculus topics as needed into a first calculus course. The textbook developed for the course covers the concepts of functions, Cartesian coordinates, limits, continuity, infinity, and the derivative. Examples are discussed. (MDH)

Students do not associate traditional word problems with their own experiences because they describe situations textually, rather than contextually, and seem artificially geared to specific number operations and single correct answers. Aided by a state grant, elementary teachers in one Minnesota district are using video anchors to simulate…

Curricular framework in a democracy must move away from delivery of "self-evident" truths to a more open-ended, problem-centered structure. It must recognize the historical development of social issues and nurture the skills for broadening opportunities for individuals within society. This article describes a Honolulu high school's…

Good feedback from a consultant is evidence-based insight into the good, bad, and indifferent aspects of the work being done. The college administrator needs to prepare for hearing and acting on it. Receiving feedback is difficult, but handling it well is critical to the ultimate effectiveness of change. (Author/MSE)

Another way to add and subtract, in which the mental regrouping strategy is applied to an original 10-structure, is presented. Pupils use a visual model, called "little person," to move from counting to visualization. Originally designed for use with pupils with learning disabilities, this method has wider applicability. (KR)