Reasoning skills are needed in the future work life. As such, it is important that reasoning skills be assessed in higher education, both in the selection phase and during education. This study aims to describe the instruments that are used to assess reasoning skills in higher education. The ultimate goal is to provide information upon which…

Argues that the information-processing paradigm can both revitalize so-called strong-effects theories in mass media research and make them more inclusive. Discusses how the four previous studies in this issue show the use of simple solutions to problems that have plagued mass-media-effects research and call out for further inclusion of discussions…

The present study explores stages in managerial problem-solving skills of participants beginning with formal education, and continuing through the professional workplace setting. We studied nine different levels of expertise: from novice student groups, to graduates and expert groups. Participants were asked to diagnose and solve business cases.…

Develops a contingency model for managing a variety of corporate crises. Views crisis management as an information-processing situation and organizations that must cope with crisis as information-processing systems. Attempts to fit appropriate information-processing mechanisms to different categories of crises. (PRA)

This study investigated the problem representations formed by college students while solving mathematics problems. Problem representation characteristics indicative of understanding were identified by analyzing audio-tapes and written work of sixteen subjects, ages 16 to 24, who solved mathematics problems using the think-aloud technique. These…

In the pair of experiments reported here the authors investigated the relationship between meaningfulness of problem statements and subjects' use of these statements in problem-solving tasks. Subjects (96 university students) were required to memorize meaningful formulae such as "volume = area x height" or corresponding symbolic formulae such as…

A set of computer programs and data files have been designed to provide a simulated experience with patient-diagnosis problems for medical students. The programs, called CAPS (Computer Assisted Patient Simulation), aims to provide opportunities for making diagnoses and decisions; develop problem-solving skills; expand knowledge of specific disease…

The goal of problem-solving education should be to develop tools for thinking that will constitute a shell or framework of action procedures that can be applied on an ever-changing database. These tools come in the form of heuristics that can be modified and adapted to new situations. (Author/MLW)

An experimental context designed to directly affect discourse processing by inducing subjects to generate inferences involving text content was compared to a context in which subjects simply listened to and recalled the content of a text. Context did effect the amount of inferred and overgeneralized semantic information in subjects' text recalls.…

Attempts to determine the skills that make people good problem solvers and some of the methods that have been developed to teach these skills are reviewed. Methods used by educators and psychologists to define, describe, or analyze problems and problem solving determine the method used to teach problem-solving skills. (Author/MLW)

The investigation reported is primarily a description of how college students solve or fail to solve algebra equations. Protocols were collected from two groups of college students; one group was expected to be good solvers, the other group contained many poor solvers. The investigators sought to identify and classify the difficulties students…

Focuses on human information processes and problem solving. Although a large body of knowledge is prerequisite to acquiring skill, the authors state that knowledge must be indexed by patterns that guide the person in a fraction of a second to relevant parts of the knowledge store. (Author/SA)

The strategy used by St. Olaf College to integrate computing into a liberal arts curriculum is discussed. Faculty computer literacy was developed first, followed by the use of computing in a wide variety of courses. Computer science, problem analysis, symbol manipulation, and information processing are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Identifies and describes the differences in the problem-solving methods used by faculty teaching introductory chemistry and students enrolled in an introductory chemistry course. Results indicate that students correctly solve algorithmic-mode problems more frequently. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

An educational program based upon information processing theory has been developed at Southern Illinois University. The integrating theme was the development of conceptual ability for coping with social and personal problems. It utilized student information search and concept formation as foundations for discussion and judgment and was organized…