Suggests criteria to be used in selecting problem-solving activities and criteria to be considered in choosing media, exercises, and problems for the development of problem-solving skills. Provides perspectives on developing creativity and includes a chart on how thinking and attitude components relate. Also lists related reference materials. (ML)

Provides a listing of recently published books on problem solving and life skills. Reviews articles and ideas related to the teaching of problem solving. Discusses the instructional implications of research in cognitive psychology. (ML)

Empirical and theoretical evidence is presented to support the conclusion that improvement of learning ability is an important and viable educational goal. The improvement of learning ability necessitates development not only of specific learning skills, but also an executive control mechanism that automatically accesses and combines learning…

A comparison of three instructional methods (frontal lecture strategies, mastery learning strategies, and experiential mastery learning strategies) in a paramedical course showed that frontal lecture produced the highest scores on the lower mental process subtest while experiential mastery learning produced the highest scores on all measures of…

A professor entered a four-year engineering program together with student volunteers to obtain information on their problem-solving skills. This information as well as information on student characteristics and characteristics of freshmen and sophomore years are discussed in terms of curriculum modification, available resources, and needed changes…

Learning activities regarding the future that can help high school students develop problem-solving skills and foster in them a feeling of stimulation and challenge when confronting change are described. (RM)

Designed to help youngsters with real-world learning, and with being a smart consumer, this book focuses on having students participate in decisions facing consumers every day. The book contends that this is the best way to help students think critically and solve problems. Activities in the book require students to make consumer decisions related…

This paper proposes the use of specific coaching strategies to facilitate students' use of expert-like problem-solving strategies while analyzing and solving instructional design case studies. Findings from an exploratory study, designed to examine changes in students' problem-solving skills as they analyzed case studies, suggested that students…

Review based on a report presented at the International Reading Association, Kansas City, 1969. (AP)

Skills needed for problem-solving are discussed. Examples of defining problems, questioning, observing, classifying, predicting, and confirming are provided. An overview of the Elementary Science Study (ESS) program, including a list of ESS units (grouped by subject matter), is also provided. (Author/JN)

Describes a program for training people to apply generic problem-solving techniques to personal problems. Male student volunteers (N=64) were assigned to a training group or no-training control group. The training group achieved a higher standard in their bachelor's degrees and developed an increased belief in internal control. (Author/JAC)

Assessed counselor trainees' problem solving skills before and after participation in two training programs. Results provide evidence that trainees learning core conditions, and a nondirective interview style show equal problem-solving effectiveness compared to counselors trained in a directive style. (Author/JAC)

Curriculum theory must attend to three problem areas: educational practice, ethical criteria, and content. Educational practice includes questions about predictions, explanations, and descriptions. Ethical criteria are used to clarify improvements in values. Substantive content ranges across areas of human inquiry from the humanities to natural…

A method developed at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine for teaching modification of cavity design to large numbers of preclinical students in operative dentistry is reported. It standardizes the learning process for this complex problem-solving skill. (MLW)