The paper examines the role of critical thinking in an experience-based model of social work education. Within this model, the development of a critical approach to our own understanding of, as well as to existing knowledge about, the world is fundamental for students and educators alike. Critical thinking is defined as more than a rational,…

This article profiles Principal of the Year Mel Riddile, a former University of North Carolina football linebacker and principal of J. E. B. Stuart High school in Fairfax County, Virginia. Riddile was recently named the national high school principal of the year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and MetLife.…

Interest in foreign-language instruction in preschool is growing, both among parents and early-childhood educators trying to meet the demand. The interest, though, comes at a time when some districts are scaling back on such programs in the elementary grades in order to spend more time on reading and mathematics--the subjects currently tested to…

In recent years, Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been applied in medical and psychological areas of professional education. The PBL approach requires students to move past traditional choreographic methods toward making dances informed by real-world issues. In PBL, students work cooperatively to solve complex problems. Rather than being presented…

Background: The goal of the pedagogical content course is to teach how to make mathematics education better through the use of different teaching methods, and techniques. By learning the different teaching methods, future teachers will be able to apply their learning into the teaching. Aims: The aim of this exploratory study is to note and discuss…

Creativity in the mathematics classroom is not just about what pupils do, but also what teachers do. If they are thinking creatively about the mathematical experiences they offer their pupils they can open up opportunities for them to be creative. This article reflects the belief of staff at the NRICH Mathematics Project that mathematics is about…

The scientific method originated centuries ago, but it is taught only to a limited degree in science classes. It is proposed that the scientific method is not just a method for scientists, but also offers a general approach to problem definition and solving and serves as a guide to problem prevention and solution-challenging. The Scientific Method…

This guide is intended to facilitate the personal and social development of students in 7th through 12th grades. A suggested program cycle is described which includes these parts: assess needs; select goals; select objectives; select strategies; implement program; reassess needs; reflect; and begin new cycle. The guide is divided into sections…

Adding to the benefits of using metaphors as tools, "analoguing" (a method of analysis that focuses on metaphors for meanings in use and meanings of metaphors in use) helps avoid excessive categorization and separation by looking for unities and patterns in phenomena rather than for divisions. Six months of observation of patterns of…

Futures research involves speculation about alternative developments based upon existing data and potential choices. Effective futures research requires creativity in scientific practice rather than an overemphasis on reason. In discussing the important role of intuition in futures research, characteristics of creative scientists are reviewed and…

The manual describes the Maximize Talent program, a low budget offering for elementary gifted students. The program is said to rely on community tutors to provide creativity and problem solving experiences. Sections focus on the background (issues and problems in gifted education); program development (including sample budgets and job…

The learning activities in this handbook were taken directly from Tucson Early Education Model (TEEM) classrooms and designed to foster intellectual and language development. More specifically, these activities are designed to foster linguistic awareness, sensory perception, curiosity, and imagination, to guide the child in differentiating fantasy…

To ascertain the effects of an instructional strategy utilizing structural design problems and an instructional strategy utilizing unstructured design problems, 86 eleventh and twelfth grade students with IQ scores in the upper and lower 40 percent of the school population were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. The treatments consisted of…

Cognitive style, the impulsivity-reflectivity dimension, is reviewed as an individual difference that does significantly affect a learning/teaching situation. Relevance of impulsivity-reflectivity for learners in a problem-solving situation is established. Conclusions emphasize the importance of this individual difference. (Author)

Suggests that problem-solving extensions are appropriate experiences for differentiating learning experiences for students with high abilities. The extensions fall into four major categories: pattern and generalization, new concepts and vocabulary, creativity, and making value judgments. (PK)