To move information toward knowledge and activity toward mastery, learners must play with ideas, use them, and make them their own. Methods for achieving mastery include interdisciplinary approaches that require deep thinking, story telling, and reflection. (Contains 20 references.) (SK)

Described are activities for thinking through patterns using toothpicks, paper strips, wooden cubes, and people patterns; thinking with attribute items such as geocards, namestrips, and treasures; and thinking with geometric materials such as geoboards and dot paper, cubes, and simple puzzle pieces. (MNS)

A computer program is presented for the billiard ball problem. It can be integrated into a lesson on inductive reasoning and suggests several ways to do so. (MNS)

The problem-solving strategy "look for a pattern" is explored. The staircase problem and the region problem are discussed in detail, with varying solution procedures, and three other problem activities are outlined. (MNS)

Games and activities which involve problem solving are presented in order to help teachers develop the numeric, geometric, and logical thought processes of elementary school students. The activities and games (many of which are pencil-and-paper) require using logic, plan-ahead strategies, spatial reasoning, strategies based on prior patterns or…

Described is a project in a third grade class in which problem-solving skills are developed through activities with patterns. Activities for growing picture patterns, making number tables, and developing open sentences or formulas are discussed and illustrated. (MNS)

Chess experts remember meaningful knowledge in the form of networks or patterns. Applied to mathematics instruction, effective classroom approaches can use investigation to identify patterns or rules. Described are a class activity and a small-group activity to investigate addition of signed numbers and linear relationships. (MDH)

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…