Learners must acquire a general strategic orientation in their problem solving, to determine what counts as relevant information in problematic situations. A dynamic systems approach is called for in determining whether general or context-specific instructions are needed to promote transfer of relevant information to novel conditions. (Author/JDD)

Discusses the process of generalization. Illustrates the process by generalizing the classic problem of how a farmer can get a fox, a goose, and a bag of corn across a river in a boat that is large enough only for him and one of the three items. (MDH)

This study tested three hypothesized mechanisms through which explanations might facilitate problem-solving strategy generalization in kindergarteners through second graders. Results suggested that explanations facilitated generalization through the creation of novel goal structures that enabled children to persist in use of the new strategy…

This study is one of several conducted by the authors in their investigation of the use of "higher order rules" in the solution of problems. The focus of the current experiment was determination of the compatibility of identified rules with the knowledge of average teenagers, and of the extent to which instruction in higher order rules…

Research on educable retarded children is reviewed to explicate components of and a theory of intelligence. Studies of control processes in memory and problem solving indicate that the ability to generalize is a major component of intelligence. Research on individual differences in components of information processing systems are also discussed.…

The relationships between arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic means and the root mean square of two numbers are examined. The problem of generalizing these relationships to three variables is discussed. (SD)

Imagine a wooden cube painted and cut into "unit cubes." A typical activity consists of predicting the number of unit cubes with exactly three faces painted, two faces painted, etc. This article presents extensions of this activity designed to help students develop analyzing abilities and powers to generalize. (JP)

Eighty-nine children, aged 4-8, generalized a problem-solving strategy learned on one task to a different version of the task. Compared to average-Intelligence Quotient children, the high-Intelligence Quotient children learned more from their illegal moves and more frequently recognized similarities in the tasks' features. (Author/JDD)

This study of 75 gifted students in grades 6-8 found that the group receiving Creative Problem Solving training with transfer strategies infused had a higher percentage of students applying the strategies to problems out of the context of the training sessions, compared to control group students and students receiving traditional training.…

The paper describes four categories of experience that help elementary students with learning disabilities in a writing process classroom. They are: (1) a sense of a community of learners, (2) control of one's writing, (3) collaborative and independent problem solving, (4) opportunities for generalization and transfer of learning. (Author/DB)

Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from students as they advance through the middle school years (grades 6-8) reveal insights into the development of students' pattern generalization abilities. As expected, students show a preference for lower-level tasks such as "reading the data," over more distant predictions and generation of abstractions.…

An intervention pre- and posttest design was used to study conditions that facilitate children's self-regulation of problem solving activities. In two studies, children were trained to solve a three disc Towers of Hanoi problem. After training, they were asked to solve the problem, describe how they solved it, and perform a four disc…

Researchers studied the effect of cognitive conflict between peers in a collaborative problem-solving task in which the relationship between participants could not be described as "expert-novice" and in which development was potentially possible for all. A total of 156 subjects between 5 and 9 years of age, inclusive, participated in the…

This document was written for junior and senior high school students to help them learn to cope more effectively with their problems. It is intended as a quide for helping adolescents explore and solve problems through constructive critical thinking. Ten steps in the process of constructive critical thinking are presented with personal and social…

The paper describes a pilot project in which 17 hearing impaired adolescents are participating in a program to improve thinking skills via the Instrumental Enrichment (IE) approach. IE focuses on concepts by suggesting alternative strategies by which the learner can arrive at the objective, thus allowing for opportunities to reflect on one's own…