Presents findings of a study of scientists on the Wason four-card selection task, finding little understanding of the effect of disconfirmatory data in assessing conditionals. Found performance influenced by problem content. Explains performance as memory-cueing plus reasoning-by-analogy. (JM)

Annual mathematics talent searches for 12-year-old students were conducted in Hamburg, West Germany. One-hundred-fifty students took part in a long-term Saturday enrichment program to train them in problem finding and problem solving. The philosophy of this program is explained and illustrated with preliminary data. (MNS)

The author presents nine typical situations where training failed to transfer and tips on how the problem could have been avoided. Situations include rocking the boat, mismatching courses and needs, supervisory slipups, losing track of what training employees need, and no help applying skills back on the job. (CT)

Proportion problems were given to pupils in grades 3-5. Success rates were high, with elementary strategies based on addition often used. Familiarity with the use of ratios in the context, the presence of a mixture, and the use of manipulatives were variables that influenced performance. (Author/MNS)

Use of general mathematical strategies by Australian students in grades 8-10 was studied, with students required to describe their reasoning and articulate reasons for the choice of particular strategies. Main effects were found for cognitive level, year level, and sex. A taxonomy is also presented. (MNS)

Problems were developed by third graders involving holiday customs in one of the countries of their ancestors. Eight sample problems are included. (MNS)

Provides examples of if-then and combinatorial reasoning situations that have proved successful with college students and can be used with secondary school students. Proposes that practice with these problem solving processes can eliminate the need to memorize formulas that students may not understand. (ML)

This study was designed to test whether a learned helplessness treatment would decrease performance on mathematical tasks and to extend learned helplessness findings to include the cognitive development dimension. Results showed no differential advantages to either sex in resisting effects of learned helplessness or in benefiting from strategy…

Reviews an investigation of the effects of problem format and the number of independent variables on the responses of students to a control of variables reasoning task. Results indicate that adding independent variables to a control of variables reasoning problem leads to an overload of working memory which affects performance. (ML)

The author discusses trends for the future in employment, including (1) wealth creation versus job creation, (2) growth of human services, and (3) growth of entrepreneurship. He states that education for future employment should stress reading, relating, and reasoning. (CH)

The authors present ideas and techniques to stimulate divergent thinking on ways to cope with fulfilling the training department's mission, purpose, and objectives within a federal agency during times of fewer resources. (Author/CH)

Focuses on career problems and development of women who aspire to the position of school superintendent. Presents a history of female administrators, reviews major barriers to female superintendency, and summarizes three recent studies about females and the position of superintendent. (SRT)

Textbook analyses for 1924, 1944, and 1984, suggest that the mathematics program regressed in expectations for students. The number of word problems in fifth-grade books has decreased and the amount of drill problems increased. (MNS)

These activities involve students in interpreting story problems, drawing their own conclusions, and making guesses. Four worksheets, for levels 1-8, are included, along with teaching suggestions. (MNS)

How children perceive doubling and halving numbers is discussed, with many examples. The use of calculators is integrated. The tendency to avoid division if other ways of solving a problem can be found was noted. (MNS)