This commentary provides an overview of abduction, also known as Inference to the Best Explanation, and argues that the term and relevant problem-solving methods should be adopted by chemistry educators. Abductive reasoning, especially within the context of science and medicine, continues to be an active area of exploration for philosophers and…

Rosemarie T. Truglio is the senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop, where she is responsible for the development of the interdisciplinary curriculum on which "Sesame Street" is based, and oversees content development across platforms such as television, publishing, toys, home video, and theme park activities.…

Raffo and Gunter (20087) argue that there is insufficient research which has "systematically examined, categorised and synthesised the types of leadership in schools that might assist social inclusion" (p. 397). In this paper I argue that Wenger's concept of a "community of practice", when applied to the parent-teacher relationship, provides a…

Radford argues that psychology needs to be of greater value to psychology students, regardless of whether they intend to enter professional practice. He also suggests that psychology should be part of everybody's education, on the basis that human behaviour lies at the heart of the most serious problems facing humanity. This author agrees very…

The research on worked examples has shown that for novices, studying worked examples is often a more effective and efficient way of learning than solving conventional problems. This theoretical paper argues that adding process-oriented information to worked examples can further enhance transfer performance, especially for complex cognitive skills…

Discussion of learning how to solve problems focuses on instructional design models and how students construct their knowledge and learn skills. Topics discussed include conceptual knowledge; procedural knowledge and skills; knowledge representation; causal knowledge; types of knowledge and relevant skills; knowledge acquisition; prediction and…

Argues that all students be taught how to negotiate and mediate and learn the role of the mediator. Three steps in managing conflicts are examined: establishing a cooperative context; creating intellectual conflicts; and establishing a peer-mediation program. The theory and research underlying these steps are reviewed. (GLR)

Workplace learning is goal-directed activity shaped by the context and needs of a particular community of practice. Learning in the workplace includes close guidance by experts and distant guidance from other workers and the physical environment. The activities and the guidance are key components of the workplace learning curriculum. (SK)

Distinguishes between adaptive learning (reproducing routine actions) and developmental learning (using creativity or problem solving). States that the learning potential of a task is function of the following: (1) task complexity, variety, and control; (2) feedback, evaluation, and reflection; (3) type and degree of formalization; (4) employee…

Distinguishes two types of learning processes: (1) learning from regularity--a linear model of problem, process, and product; and (2) learning from irregularity--adaptation to changing circumstances. Argues that these approaches lack an ethical or political dimension and advocates learning from responsibility or social commitment. (SK)

Summarizes the work of "information processing" psychologists who study cognition and contends that intelligence consists of a set of developed thinking and learning skills that can, to some degree, be taught. Nine such skills are listed including problem identification and strategy selection. (Author/MLF)

Discusses the relationship between situated cognition and anchored instruction in response to criticism of a previous article. Topics addressed include school versus nonschool settings; learning by observing models; "real-world" problem solving; transfer of training; and future work. (26 references) (LRW)

Creativity is valued increasingly in business and education. Humor, fun, and play take the brain from a cognitive, rule-bound state to a more fluid state where the whole body can work on a problem while the "thinking mind" is relaxed. Vignettes demonstrate how adventure education stimulates creativity through play, fun, humor, and…

Explicit classroom correction of the second language learner's errors is unnecessary, because errors are indications of the learner's current hypothesis, which may not necessarily match the target rule, or they may indicate that no hypothesis has yet been formulated by the learner. Explicit correction may be harmful because students can be pushed…

Argues that teaching arrangement inductively offers an alternative to the standard imitation of business communication text models. Asserts that the inductive method stimulates individual rather than formulaic responses to the problems of organization, and that inductively-trained writers see arrangements as a powerful element in persuasive…