Describes types of puppets, including finger, glove, hand, shadow, marionette, and mechanical. Gives reasons for using puppets with children ages two through seven, including enhancing language and thinking skills. Explains how teachers can introduce tough issues such as AIDS and abuse through puppetry. Details a sequence of activities for…

This study examined social problem-solving motivations and abilities, concurrent levels and types of distress, and personal problems among 688 high school students. Surveys of student stress and problem solving indicated that as problem-solving scores increased, distress and personal problems decreased. Negative attitudes greatly influenced…

College psychology students rated 18 books on children's fears according to their potential impact on children's socioemotional growth. During a training program, they coded the books based on story grammar and specific categories of children's fears. Students then rerated the stories. Interrater reliability increased significantly from initial to…

Two studies involving a total of 66 Australian high school students investigated the effects of training in the use of general strategies on the performance of high- and low-achieving students in trigonometry. The positive effects of management training were identified for both high- and low-achieving students. (SLD)

Agrees with Alberts and Tuomi about the need for an experiential approach to science instruction but argues that science kits are too easily used in ways that do not significantly advance students' skills in problem solving and critical evaluation and that the kits too often seem to relieve the teachers from responsibility for their own continuing…

Discusses how early and frequent communication to students, teachers, staff, and parents concerning the indoor air quality (IAQ) in their schools can save money and time in air-quality problem solving. Further, it examines the relationship between building occupant anger to an IAQ problem and the activity level and costs associated with its…

Used a penny arcade game concept constructed by preschoolers as a learning tool. Found that the interests of children were clearly visible through their use of peer teaching, collaboration, problem solving, divergent thinking, and use of multiple strategies. Found children were tuned in to learning due to a sense of ownership and empowerment. (SD)

Discusses the role of writing about problem solving in the development of mathematics and science skills. Provides examples of student writing in math and science to show students' enhanced engagement and cognitive awareness. (JPB)

Describes the skills needed by teachers to work effectively with parents. Explains the use of active listening, "I" messages, correct diagnosis of problems, and synergistic problem-solving. Asserts that as these tools become part of a teacher's repertoire of skills, they begin to feel natural and teachers become proficient and…

Documents a case of model-building in biology through microanalysis of one student's interaction with "Science for Living: The Circulatory System (SFL)", an interactive multimedia resource prototype for research. Describes the student's learning goals, gains, and activities with particular attention to interactions with representations,…

When the president of George Washington University challenged his education faculty to comment on the status of public schools and higher education, three faculty members (Sylvia Marotta, Sharon Lynch, and William Lynch) recommended expanding disciplinary boundaries, strengthening scholarship, and revamping teacher education. (MLH)

Explains tendencies and difficulties experienced by students aged 14 through 17 years during an activity involving measurement in physics. Surveys these tendencies and difficulties through clinical interviews involving data collection, data processing, and data interpretation. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Describes the ILPO (Information Literacy Planning Overview) that combines facets of information literacy including critical thinking, problem solving, and information technology into a planning document to support teachers and teacher-librarians. Discusses the whole-school approach to integrating information literacy into the curriculum that has…

Describes results from two independent investigations of college students that were conducted to study the impact of differences in users' cognition and search tasks on Web search activities and outcomes. Topics include cognitive style; problem-solving; and implications for the design and use of the Web and Web search engines. (Author/LRW)

Reports the results of research on effects of detailed feedback on problem solving within a computer-based simulation. Participants were 54 undergraduate students. Results indicated highest performance was associated with feedback based on an expert model supplemented with provided textual commentary, suggesting that under some circumstances…