The use of modified essay questions (MEQs), developed at the University of Newcastle to assess clinical problem-solving, is reported. Reliability estimates as high as 0.91 were reported. The validity of assessment by MEQ was based on one model of medical problem-solving and another of cognitive skill taxonomies. (Author/MLW)

Intended as a nontechnical review of current scientific knowledge in the field, this essay considers the nature of primary and secondary intellectual abilities, plus the major features of, and the development of individual differences in, the skills and capacities constituting intelligence. Part of a theme issue on intelligence. (Author/SJL)

Case-based reasoning (CBR) focuses on analogy in the context of solving real-world problems. Its research methodology of computational modeling is aimed at deriving hypotheses about cognition. As a plausible educational model, CBR can help refine education philosophy and practice and contribute to the design of educational software. (SLD)

Discusses the role connectionism plays in the development of cognitive theories and in the explanation of linguistic phenomena inherent in second language acquisition (SLA). Presents a critical look at some existing connectionist models of language functions with a focus on the need for a general cognitive model of SLA that integrates research in…

Attempts to demonstrate the linkage between opinions, attitudes, and ideologies and to look for ways of explaining variation in opinions as well as in shared social dimensions of evaluative beliefs. The article argues that theories of discourse and ideologies, as well as the cognitive aspects of ideologies, should not be reduced to any partial…

Notes that little agreement exists as to which factors influencing academic outcomes for second-language learners are of primary importance. The study hypothesizes that second-language learners in immersion situations undergo an attention shift away from auditory system processing and towards visual information processing. (59 references)…

A theory for the visual and cognitive processing, which accounts for slower naming of pictures than reading of words, is introduced. Two experiments assessed the differences distinguishing word reading and picture naming, using 58 undergraduates. The coding of the mind is neither intrinsically linguistic nor imagistic; it is abstract. (TJH)

Describes a lesson based on Taba's Inductive Thinking Model that offers a set of strategies to enhance the teaching of higher order thinking skills with the use of databases. Analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information are discussed, and strategies for guiding class discussion are presented. (eight references) (LRW)

Presents a model for literary response that discriminates the spheres of authority of both teacher and student. Identifies five aspects of response: learning skills, literary competence, cognitive processes, emotional processes, and self-concept involvement. Suggests that the influence of the teacher should extend only to the first three. (KEH)

Literature since 1975 concerning the interaction of domain-specific and strategic knowledge on academic performance was reviewed. Focus was on critically analyzing the literature; presenting hypotheses about the interaction; and offering recommendations for future research leading, perhaps, to an information-processing model that captures the…

Fostering teachers' clinical reasoning as a reflection of their understanding of classrooms should be a central purpose of any modern teacher education program. This article presents a rationale for and description of a proposal for pre-student teaching laboratory experiences which utilize computer-based simulations to facilitate development of…

Summarizes a series of five studies on students' perspectives of information seeking in response to a research assignment. Feelings, thoughts, and actions commonly experienced in the information search process are described in six stages. Implications of the findings for further research and their impact on school library media programs are…

Conventional schooling too often ignores the influence of school culture on what is learned in school. Knowledge is situated, being in part a product of the activity, context, and culture in which it is developed and used; this is known as cognitive apprenticeship. Implications for understanding learning and teaching are discussed. (Author/BJV)

The latent composition of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory for High School (LASSI-HS) was studied through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of results from 367 ninth-grade students. Evidence supports a three-factor model. Interrelationships among the constructs are examined, and use of the instrument is discussed. (SLD)

Describes an instructional framework for teaching advanced cognitive skills in postsecondary education, highlighting specific teaching strategies that community and technical college educators may use to encourage critical thinking among students. Includes a description of content, teaching methodologies, and sequence of student development.…