Investigated was the level of cognitive development of Afro-American students enrolled in general chemistry courses to determine the strategies used by both successful and unsuccessful problem solvers in solving stoichiometry problems. Results indicated that a higher level of cognitive development may be crucial in solving more sophisticated…

Reanalysis of the data from a 1984 study on making and breaking problem-solving mental sets with 50 children found that gifted subjects who failed to initially form the set made the most errors of any group and were least likely to recognize their own errors. Results suggest that motivational reasons may underly this inferior performance by some…

A methodology for confronting students with the inconsistencies entailed by their own beliefs is outlined. This methodology is illustrated using the dynamics domain of physics and a computer modeling program, DYNALAB. (KR)

A group of nine Filipino children (ages five to nine) from disadvantaged backgrounds received training in higher level cognitive thinking skills and was compared to a control group that received no training. The training program was based on Benjamin Bloom's cognitive levels of thinking. Students receiving the training showed better performance on…

Examined is the situation in which pupils invent mathematics on their own and teachers' reactions to this situation. The assimilation of students' original ideas into correct mathematical concepts is discussed. (CW)

Describes the social role of cognitive growth throughout the lifetime. Includes mediation, self-regulation, metacognition, the zone of proximal development, and critical and creative thinking. Discusses resources, methodology, and goals of education in a democratic society. Emphasizes the value of independent, self-monitoring individuals who…

This study tested the effectiveness of having fifth-grade students generate their own examples of selected concepts on energy. Hypotheses were that subjects would perform better on sections of a test related to definitions and recognition of exemplars of the concepts for which they found their own examples than on sections related to comparible…