Written in the form of a workshop transcript for participants to take with them, this booklet is designed to present new ideas, reinforce ideas covered in the workshop, suggest applications of workshop content, and encourage participants to use the applications. The concept of "problem" is defined; key ideas in problem solving are considered;…

An overview is first given of some main theoretical frameworks underlying current European research in mathematical thinking, learning, and teaching. Together with the information-processing and the (neo)-Piagetian approaches, both well known in the United States, two other research paradigms can be distinguished: the action-oriented approach to…

A task was developed to differentiate the reasoning of elementary school students in fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. Subjects completed 16 matrices containing two, three, or four dimensions and varying in the embeddedness of the dimensions. They also solved a formal operational task assessing ability to isolate, exclude, and include variables.…

The effectiveness of environmental simulations in developing students' awareness of environmental issues, whether perception of environmental relationships was affected by the simulations, and whether the use of microcomputers as the medium of instruction affected student attitudes towards computers were investigated in this study. Undergraduates…

This paper provides a brief overview of some of the current thought on teaching problem-solving and decision-making skills and presents selected exercises that have been used successfully in a graduate course in problem-solving and decision-making strategies. In addition to learning theories that are presented in order to help learners understand…

Secondary prevention programs for aggressive children should be based on research about processes which mediate children's expression of aggressive behavior. The relative importance of perceived competence, self-esteem, and social problem solving processes was investigated in 20 aggressive and 18 non-aggressive fourth and fifth grade boys. Teacher…

Adults learning at a distance at Athabasca University (Alberta, Canada) make use of telephone tutors. Concerned over the lack of time and/or effort spent in training tutors, and recognizing that tutors had emerged as an important component of distance delivery at the university, a joint effort went into the development of a training manual that…

Following some years of eclipse by the basics, imparting thinking ability to students is once again emerging as the primary goal of public education. How to teach thinking skills, is, however, subject to question. For example, not only is the domain of the higher order skills broad and imprecisely specified, there is also considerable naivete in…

This paper presents an examination of the construction of logic in multidigit subtraction. Interviews were conducted with 90 grade 2 and grade 3 students to determine whether they understood the logic of borrowing and whether the construction of the logic was related to procedural expertise or corresponding conceptual knowledge. Of 34 students…

Intervention to enhance Interpersonal Cognitive Problem Solving (ICPS) skills has been shown to significantly reduce observable negative, impulsive and inhibited behaviors and increase positive qualities in young, low socioeconomic status (SES) children. An ICPS model for older children was implemented with 202 low SES fifth graders to test…

Factors that contributed to the demoralization of junior faculty at a university with 214 teaching and professional staff were identified and change strategies were recommended. A consultant held interviews with 65 current and 8 former staff members. Themes that emerged from the interviews were used to develop suggestions for improving specific…

The Value-Added Program at Northeast Missouri State University is discussed. The value-added approach emphasizes the use of existing resources to enhance student learning, as well as the evaluation of student learning and personal development through regular assessment. To indicate the need for a value-added approach, the current crises…

Contradictory research findings on teachers and teaching are frequently the result of overlooking or neglecting a systematic approach to teaching, using principles of human learning to enhance pupils' learning and their enjoyment of learning. In discussing teacher preparation, it is pointed out that task analysis is a crucial operation, in which…

Noting that a distinction can be made between the different types of problems faced by managers in today's organizations, and that managers increasingly face problems of a more complex nature, this paper suggests that an interactive management approach is best for solving complicated problems. Following an introduction that distinguishes between…

This booklet contains 10 short plays written especially for performance by spcial education students who ranged in age from five to ten and in academic level from kindergarten to fourth grade. The plays focus on promoting character development and topics include death, prejudice, manners, senior citizens, responsibility for others, and positive…