The theoretical and methodological model of Mathematical Working Space (MWS) is introduced in this paper. For over 10 years, the model has been the object of collaborative research among various researchers, generally coming from French and Spanish speaking countries. Articulating epistemological and cognitive aspects, the MWS model is aimed at…

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an educational approach that, by being a catalyst of social change, promotes sustainability. Although South African education policy and practice appear to be oriented towards ESD, the concept is contested, and ragged with ambiguity and vagueness. Because the transformation of South African education…

A school that holds as a central belief that knowledge is individually and socially constructed by learners who are active observers of the world, active questioners, agile problem posers and critical and creative problem solvers must evolve leadership models and organizational patterns that mirror this model of genuine and meaningful learning as…

This article recounts reflections by a small group of students and their supervisor on play utilized at their meetings as part of a Problem Based Learning (PBL) process. The students experienced how a less traditional professor-student relationship arose, which transformed their interaction and relationship into a more holistic, trustful,…

In an introductory chemical engineering course, the conceptual framework of a holistic problem-solving methodology in conjunction with a problem-based learning approach has been shown to create a learning environment that nurtures deep learning rather than surface learning. Based on exam scores, student grades are either the same or better than…

This paper explores how educational psychologists working in a training/consultative way can enable teachers to manage challenging pupil behaviour more effectively. It sets out a rationale which encourages schools to embrace a group based teacher peer-support system as part of regular school development. It then explores the usefulness of the…

Poverty, neglect, or family stress can make it especially difficult for young children to develop the self-discipline and habits of mind they will need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Armed with research and a commitment to the whole child, Washington state has transformed the way its agencies work together and in partnership with…

How do people select among different strategies to accomplish a given task? Across disciplines, the strategy selection problem represents a major challenge. We propose a quantitative model that predicts how selection emerges through the interplay among strategies, cognitive capacities, and the environment. This interplay carves out for each…

Background: A federally-funded program at the University of Texas at San Antonio adopted a holistic problem solving mentoring approach for novice teachers participating in an accelerated teacher certification program. Aims/focus of discussion: To investigate a novice teacher's problem-solving activity through self-expression of challenges and…

This article focuses on current examples of project or design-based learning at the secondary school level in the context of the increasing importance of creativity and innovative thinking in the twenty-first century. The authors argue that students today learn more effectively in pedagogical practices that emphasise holistic thinking, active…

Elements of a program development model are discussed, including change requirements, maintenance requirements, and development of a problem-solving management plan (identify problems based on needs, determine solution requirements and identify solution alternatives, select solution strategies from among alternatives, implement solution…

Proposes that teaching methods be changed to move away from a positivist model toward an ecological model. Discusses three assumptions for future practice involving holism in environmental studies; the role of values in environmental studies; and the process of learning. (Contains 26 references.) (MDH)

The implications of the interaction between knowledge acquisition and problem solving are discussed. Options for the teaching of problem solving are listed including: giving students the opportunity to solve many problems, facilitating students' exploration of the mental processes used to solve problems, and providing explicit training in the…

Business managers are faced with complex decisions involving a wide range of issues--technical, social, environmental, and financial--and their interaction. Our education system focuses heavily on presenting structured problems and teaching students to apply a set of tools or methods to solve these problems. Yet the most difficult thing to teach…

Suggests a model for teaching mathematics with three dimensions: facts and skills, understanding, and problem solving. Geometric examples are used to illustrate each dimension and suggestions for integrating the teaching of the three dimensions are given. (PK)