It is well documented that when solving problems experts first search for underlying concepts while students tend to look for equations and previously worked examples. The overwhelming majority of end-of-chapter (EOC) problems in most introductory physics textbooks contain only material and examples discussed in a single chapter, rarely requiring…

This article develops the notion of resistance as articulated in the literature of critical pedagogy as being both culturally sponsored and cognitively manifested. To do so, the authors draw upon John Dewey's conception of tools for inquiry. Dewey provides a way to conceptualize student resistance not as a form of willful disputation, but instead…

This article focuses on life career perspectives within the field of counseling psychology. The first goal is to promote reflection and discussion of counseling psychologists' planning and decision making as it pertains to their career journey; the second goal is to promote additional discussion around implicit and explicit cultural perspectives…

This article presents different approaches to a problem, dubbed by the author as "the consecutive pages problem". The aim of this teaching-oriented article is to promote the teaching of abstract concepts in mathematics, by selecting a challenging amusement problem and then presenting various solutions in such a way that it can engage the attention…

A general systematic approach is proposed for the numerical calculation of multi-equilibrium problems. The approach involves several steps: (i) the establishment of balances involving the chemical species in solution (e.g., mass balances, charge balance, and stoichiometric balance for the reaction products), (ii) the selection of the unknowns (the…

When solving systems of equations by using matrices, many teachers present a Gauss-Jordan elimination approach to row reducing matrices that can involve painfully tedious operations with fractions (which I will call the traditional method). In this essay, I present an alternative method to row reduce matrices that does not introduce additional…

In this article, I share the shape and findings of a participatory action research project with newcomer youths on the contours of status in society. This project was nested in a professional internship experience for newcomer youth, and this experience provided the context in which we explored how privilege and status are afforded in American…

Algebraic solving ability had been discussed by many educators and researchers. There exists no definite definition for algebraic solving ability as it can be viewed from different perspectives. In this paper, the nature of algebraic solving ability in terms of algebraic processes that demonstrate the ability in solving algebraic problem is…

The 2012 U.S. presidential election is the perfect opportunity to present a timely civics lesson on how a U.S. president is elected. More important, it offers opportunities for students to reason mathematically about election issues--for example, about how much time and resources the candidates should invest in particular states. The results of…

Registered professional school nurses (hereinafter referred to as school nurses) advance safe school environments by promoting the prevention and reduction of school violence. School nurses collaborate with school personnel, healthcare providers, parents, and community members to identify and implement evidence-based educational programs. The…

We have applied the "practical paradigm" in teaching problem solving to secondary school students. The key feature of the practical paradigm is the use of a practical worksheet to guide the students' processes in problem solving. In this paper, we report the diffusion of the practical paradigm to university level courses for prospective…

At the heart of competency education is the assumption that by maintaining a laser focus on learning, allowing time to be a variable, and powerful competencies to set the bar, an education system can be created that produces high achievement for students from all income levels and across all racial and ethnic communities. However, the transition…

Problem solving skills and abilities are critical in life and more specifically in the engineering field. Unfortunately, significant numbers of South African students who are accessing higher education lack problem solving skills and this results in poor academic performance jeopardizing their progress especially from first to second year. On the…

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." This oft-cited but not-quite-accurate quote is from the Lewis Carroll's classic children's tale, Alice in Wonderland. In Carroll's altered reality, the conversation between the disoriented Alice and the mysterious Cheshire Cat actually went like this: "Would you…

Service learning involves infusing activities into the curriculum that enhance student learning, promote community engagement and effect change on the community level. Significant advantage can be applied to vulnerable communities by leveraging student action, interest, and energy, which can bring time, effort and attention to important community…