Certainly educators have different perspectives about what skills, attitudes, and knowledge students need for success in the information-based society of the third millennium and imminent future. However, in order to meet the demands of the global society, educators must think like futurists and must collaborate and share their expertise from…

This study investigated the collaborative decision-making and communicative discourse of groups of learners engaged in a simulated medical emergency in two conditions. In one condition subgroups used a traditional whiteboard (TW group) to document medical arguments on how to solve a medical emergency. In the other condition subgroups used…

This paper briefly introduces alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes and their fundamental principles. The paper provides a review of the literature on ADR and discusses its applicability in educational settings. The concept of conflict is explained, along with analysis of the limitations of traditional conflict resolution processes. The…

A study examined the different degrees of satisfaction with the nominal group technique (NGT) felt by policymakers and change agents with differing professional backgrounds and responsibilities who participated in nominal groups. A total of 206 participants at four conferences at Texas A&M University (international food and water policy, Texas…

We compared the performance of three heuristics with that of subjects on variants of a well-known combinatorial optimization task, the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP). The present task consisted of finding the shortest path through an array of points from one side of the array to the other. Like the standard TSP, the task is computationally…

College students were interviewed about the information they seek and use before enrolling in a course, during instruction, and after instruction. (Author)

The process of dealing with real world problems often requires solutions that would not be totally acceptable in the world of "pure" scientific research. A systems analytic viewpoint demands that everything possible be done to define the constraints of the system and that the procedures used to construct a model out of imperfect data be specified.…

A study was made to identify and provide information and factors which should be taken into consideration by a municipality in its development of policy regarding the ownership, franchising, and ordinance issues involved in cable television. Since the report discusses Southern California activities, specifically those of the San Gabriel Valley, it…

Data collected by Rokeach indicate that the goal of scientific problem-solving is not valued as highly by Americans as is often thought. Recognizing this, the author suggests steps that educators can take to increase their success in teaching students the process of scientific problem-solving and decision-making. (JG)

The author describes the process and development-related benefits of "participatory research." Her example is of the efforts of Canada's native people to resolve the issue of family and child welfare. (Author/CH)

Reacts to Heppner and Krauskopf's article on an information processing approach to personal problem solving. Commends the approach for relating to counseling much research on memory, social judgment, coping, information processing, and problem solving. Asserts that it remains unclear how information processing/problem-solving view of client…

Reports the steps taken to develop a satisfactory group measure of the Casteel-Stahl model of cognitive-affect-process education. The resulting 60-item Likert format instrument measures a wide array of instructional outcomes, from empathy, communications, decision making, problem solving and personal consistency to acceptance of self and…

Reports on a study to determine the decision-making processes and styles used by consumer education students when confronted with a consumer credit problem. Tests were administered to 27 secondary students. Findings revealed that gender determines to a great extent the process and style used. (Author/CH)