We share ideas for preparing for and enacting high-cognitive demand tasks in ways that support students in articulating and justifying their ideas. We offer strategies for developing and posing several types of purposeful questions: (1) eliciting thinking, (2) generating ideas, (3) clarifying explanations, and (4) justifying claims.

"A Framework for K-12 Science Education" identifies eight science and engineering practices for K-12 classrooms. These practices, along with core ideas and crosscutting concepts, define the nation's learning goals for science. The practices outlined in the framework are: (1) Asking questions and defining problems; (2) Developing and using models;…

Engagement in game design tasks can help preservice teachers develop pedagogical and technical skills for teaching and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through the design process, preservice teachers not only exercise critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, but also learn about an instructional method to support their…

Data literacy is recognized as a critically important skill in today's society, but thinking with and about data is often ignored in K-12 curricula. The Thinking With Data (TWD) project advocates that data literacy is a skill that should be addressed in an interdisciplinary manner. This article provides an overview of the TWD curriculum for middle…

The optimal school learning environment for gifted students is one where scholastic rigor is the standard. This rigor is needed both to stimulate the students intellectually and enhance their academic growth. The integration of critical thinking skills into the daily content and lessons is essential for achieving this rigor. This infusion, along…

The ability to raise effective questions for problem-solving learning requires considerable skill and much preparation and practice. This research provides a brief examination of three problem-solving models for both elementary and secondary-level classrooms and emphasizes the development of an appropriate teacher question repertory for each phase…

Reviews research on questioning in social studies. Shows the effects of different types of questions on student involvement, group work, and problem solving. Compares elementary-level results with results obtained in three high school social studies classes. (JDH)

This digest concerns itself with the origin of reflective thought, the application of theories about reflective thought to classrooms, conflicts and issues, and a synthesis of the essential ideas. Sections of the Digest address origin of the idea of reflective thought, definitions of reflective thinking, questioning strategies, how to generate…

The column for teachers of deaf students addresses issues in mathematics instruction including the impact of calculators, the need to ask students more "why" questions, the value of students writing about mathematics, and the effectiveness of pairing students for problem solving. (DB)

Suggests that teachers should consider which questions to ask as a part of instructional preparation. To ensure that diversity and critical thinking are involved, a teacher should use a taxonomy for a template when writing questions. Presents and discusses Bloom's taxonomy, Gagne's levels of learning, and a taxonomy for general science process…

Discusses the dangers inherent in any attempt to use a totally individualized instruction approach in teaching social studies. The authors maintain that group work is more useful in developing students' thinking skills and should be combined with individualized instruction to create a balanced program. (Author/DB)

Describes a scheme designed to guide prospective teachers beyond the point of proficiency as a student solving given problems. Provides a mechanism whereby prospective teachers advance toward assuming the role of a teacher posing his or her own problems. (13 references) (Author/MKR)

Encourages the examination of incorrect responses given by students to questions in the belief that the responses will reveal information concerning subjects' logical thinking and concept-forming abilities. College students' incorrect responses to physical science questions are analyzed. (CP)

This paper illustrates a method by which geography students can experience a process of inquiry and problem-solving by using data banks as a resource. Examples are given of open-ended and structured classroom utilization of a data bank for students to study the socioeconomic structure of Wichita, Kansas. (Author/AV)

Presents a model for introducing inquiry and problem-solving into middle grade history classes. It is based on an educational approach suggested by John Dewey. The author uses the model to explore two seemingly contradictory statements by Abraham Lincoln about slavery. (AV)