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)

The scoring technique was used successfully to score the 1974 computerized patient management problems examination taken by pediatric candidates as part of the certification process required by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Problem types, strategies, and scoring details are described. (LBH)

Discusses the role of teamwork in an American corporation: the role of team leadership in problem solving, training, and facilitating team interaction; showing team achievement to gain management support; commitment to the individual; shared leadership; and reward systems. (CT)

To improve problem-solving skills of learning-disabled students, five attributes of problem solution are outlined: the solution's permanence, starting time, length of time required, ease of implementation, and creation of additional problems. Based on these attributes, a structured method for rating and choosing solutions to personal or social…

The differences between school learning and other learning are discussed. To make these types of learning more similar, schools must develop students' skills slowly and must stress practical problem solving. Education then will be fulfilling its cultural function of promoting reason and analysis based on shared knowledge. (VM)

Discusses the responses of science graduates (N=34) to control of variable problems. Two content areas (biological/plants and physical/pendulum) and two formats (experimental planning and data interpretation) were employed in their study. Results suggest that different problems elicit a variety of solution procedures and are affected by prior…

Discusses whether and how computer programing courses can teach problem solving. Provides results of an integrated set of studies of middle school programing students whose problem solving skills increased in a programing class. Argues that "exemplary" instruction is more efficient than "typical" instruction. Examines the influence of students'…

Outlines various misconceptions about problem-solving (PS) and several strategies to improve intellectual skills and strategies. Also describes the Covington Productive Thinking Program (designed to help develop PS skills) and several lesson problem sets from this series of 15 books. (JN)

Argues that critical thinking and problem-solving skills are best taught (and learned) as part of the instruction in the regular content areas. It is suggested that teachers should be more explicit when using specific thinking skills and point out when students are engaged in using those skills. (MBR)

Description of the philosophy and general nature of a course at Drake University that emphasizes basic concepts of analytical thinking, including think, decompose, simplify, specify, and rethink problems. Some sample homework exercises are included. The journal is available from University of California Press, Berkeley, California 94720.…

Discusses teaching techniques, course content, strategies, and problems of teaching a behavior modification course to university students. Course target areas include subjects such as anxiety control, fear elimination, weight control, smoking reduction, interpersonal interaction, assertiveness, and exercise maintenance. (Author/DB)

This literature review on teaching thinking skills examines information from the British Education Index, ERSDAT, and ERIC database. After discussing whether thinking skills can be taught, it describes what science says (e.g., there is much to learn about the working brain, and much of the growth in human brains occurs in early childhood),…

Storytelling with persona dolls (dolls that are given names, family histories, and other traits by teachers) is a powerful tool for teaching classroom and social skills, giving children words for and tools to manage their feelings, developing problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, expanding children's comfort with difference, undoing…

A significant positive correlation between multiple classification was found, in testing 65 children aged 6 to 8 years, at the stage of concrete operations. This is interpreted as support for the existence of a structure d'ensemble of operational schemes in the period of concrete operations. (Authors)

Discusses constructive ways to use microcomputers as educational aids. Areas considered include software packages with graphics capabilities to help students visualize their work, programs fostering skill development (including problem-solving), microcomputer rentals, use of computers to learn programing languages, and others. (JN)