This paper presents a study which indicates that accurate performance on a simple conservation task need not be related to congnitive maturity. Twenty adults and 20 third graders were given three verbal problems, each requiring a same-different judgment and an explanation of that judgment. Only 3 adults were able to give correct judgments, while…

The activities and research directions of the Educational Search Strategies project are outlined in this progress report. A pilot project was undertaken to study the development of problems into research projects. The research was to be divided into three areas: problem perception and problem definition, information search and dissemination, and…

Papers in this special issue of "Speech Monographs" focus on the communicative aspects of conflict as an important but neglected area of research. John Waite Bowers introduces the publication with "Beyond Threats and Promises," while David W. Johnson analyzes conflict literature in the longest paper, "Communication and the Inducement of…

Reported is a study demonstrating the effects of acknowledgment of success as related to self-concept, problem solving behavior, or science concept development of seventh-grade students. Forty-nine students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (those who received acknowledgment of successful autonomous discovery) or the control…

Decisionmaking in organizations is examined from the perspective of open systems organization theory. Employing this perspective, this paper represents a critique of the views held by planners and systems analysts and the conflicting assumptions of their critics. The conclusion reached is that neither the assumptions held by planners, nor those of…

Presented is an exploration of the behavior of 27 pre-service elementary school teachers in an elementary science methods course when solving task oriented problems. A determination of the effects of critical thinking, cognitive style, and choice of teaching level (independent variable) on problem solving efficiency (dependent variable) was also…

This study was an attempt to analyze some of the problems involved in science teaching at the junior high level in Sierra Leone. Problems specific to introducing an effective science curriculum were analyzed. A problem-solving approach applied to interest-initiated learning was suggested as the means to emphasize problem recognition as an integral…

An approach for developing examinations to assess the proficiency of health care professionals which utilizes a task inventory methodology is described. Examination development is based upon the identification of health care functions which individuals within a specific category of health professional should be skilled in performing. The several…

Expanded abstracts and critical analyses are given for each of 14 research articles. Four articles involve variables affecting student achievement and attitudes; two each on teaching abstract concepts to young children, problem solving, conservation in young children, and children's understanding of logic and mathematical relations; one on…

In order to gain a greater understanding of the intellectual strengths and weaknesses of the young child, a test was developed (for which data collection is ongoing) to investigate a broad range of cognitive skills in the three- to five-year age range. The test covers skills within four main spheres--cognitively Directed Perception, Concepts and…

The present experiment compared direct and vicarious transfer in the attainment of affirmative and relational concepts. Second and third grade children were randomly paired as model and observer. The latter observed his yoked model solve the initial two-dimensional problem before solving the intrarule transfer task himself. No differences in…

To give teachers help in understanding themselves better and in relating more positively to their students, small discussion groups were organized to provide maximum opportunities for teachers to express thoughts and feelings about themselves and about problems they were facing in the classroom that prevented them from relating positively to their…

Presentation topics of the 28th annual American Industrial Arts Association Convention include: (1) "Where We Are in Federal Legislation Programs," (2) "Frontiers in Industrial Arts Education," and (3) "Industry's Cooperation with Education." Eleven symposia were conducted on the topic of "Implementing Frontier Ideas in Industrial Arts Education…

The purpose of this book is to make people who are involved in motivation in one form or another to think twice before trying to tackle a problem in a direct, head-on fashion. Motivating human behavior is a complex task that involves finding the proper channels of motivation and thinking through the reactions of the person who is to be persuaded.…

Current definitions of illiteracy and functional illiteracy are reviewed, and their relationship both to estimates of the scope of the problem and to efforts toward its solution are discussed. Applying functional standards according to the requisites of particular societies, it can be seen that even countries with high literacy rates, such as the…