Research indicates that people do not spontaneously transfer prior clues to solve problems, even though the necessary information is available in memory. To investigate the effects of the symmetry between clue statements and problem statements on problem solving performance, subjects were asked to provide plausible explanations for five…

The ability to generalize is probably the primary aspect of intelligence. The computer's inability to generalize is the major stumbling block associated with machine intelligence. (Author/CP)

This operational theory of adult learning is based on the premise that learning is a problem-solving process involving attention, differentiation, structuring, integration, abstracting, and generalization. (Journal availability: Department of Adult Education, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.) (SK)

Results of two experiments with five-year-olds indicated that: (1) conservation can be quickly taught with lasting results; (2) training on a limited range of exemplars will produce generalized correct responses to other, untrained classes of conservation problems; and (3) children's explanations of their judgments change as a result of exposure…

Given three points in the plane, interest is in the locus of all points for which the sum of the distances to the given points is a prescribed constant. These curves turn out to be sixth degree polynominals in x and y , and thus are complicated. However, it turns out that often there is a point, within the triangle formed by the three given…

This note contains material to be presented to students in a first course in differential equations immediately after they have completed studying first-order differential equations and their applications. The purpose of presenting this material is four-fold: to review definitions studied previously; to provide a historical context which cites the…

Clinicians must work to increase the levels of self-control of their hyperactive, impulsive, or aggressive child clients to treat their academic, social, and personal problems effectively. Outcome studies of cognitive behavioral interventions have contributed data suggesting that effective application of these interventions does increase the…

This research was based on the assumption that the teaching of broadly generalizable cognitive skills should be a primary goal of education--that students can be taught to be better insight problem solvers outside of school by training in school and that they can be given the skills necessary for efficient discovery learning. The subjects were 116…

When subgoal location was appropriate to the serial pattern, subjects were likely to use a strategy resulting in enhanced rule induction and transfer with increased subgoal density. When subgoal location was not appropriate, subjects tended to use a strategy resulting in considerably reduced role induction and transfer. (Author/PN)

The operation of means-ends analysis (MEA) involves attempts at reducing differences between problem states and the goal state. It was paradoxically found that the more problem solvers knew of the goal state, the less they learned of the problem structure during the solution process. (PN)

Examines whether problem solving, decision making, and other thinking skills depend more on deep expertise in a specialty or on reflective awareness and general strategies. General and specialized knowledge function in close partnership. The partnership's nature and implications for educational practice are explored. (Author/BJV)

This paper demonstrates how to design an instructional process aimed at teaching general methods of thinking, using the Landamatics theory and methodology. Landamatics is not a collection of lesson plans, but rather a general method of approaching the design of any effective course of instruction or any lesson plan. The method formulates general…

Authors outline the advantages of using a cyclical approach of instrumented learning and compare it with the traditional classroom method. (Editor/MB)