When college teachers are explicit about specific methods and strategies involved in effective thinking, students are more likely to learn and use these skills. Labeling test questions with the thinking skills required can help students refocus their study methods, resulting in more effective thinking, problem-solving, or decision-making skills.…

A law professor explains how he came to view legal problem solving as the driving concept in law school curriculum design and draws on personal experience and a survey of students concerning teaching methods in a commercial law course. He outlines six curriculum design principles for teaching legal problem solving. (MSE)

Considers three main components of self-directed learning: (1) topic knowledge; (2) procedural skills; and (3) self-monitoring. The role of computer-assisted instruction in autonomous learning is discussed, software that fosters independent problem solving is reviewed, and it is recommended that computers be incorporated in courses emphasizing…

Discusses the use of microcomputer applications software in education, reviews the literature involving studies on the development of problem-solving skills and on the instructional use of spreadsheets, and describes a project for secondary school students using spreadsheets that provides cognitive support. (Contains 35 references.) (LRW)

Gifted and talented fifth and sixth grade students participating in Montana's Future Problem Solving Program are developing their information retrieval skills as they use electronic equipment to retrieve research literature and use a hypercard authoring system to record and manipulate their findings. (JDD)

This article reviews literature on higher order thinking focusing on three issues: perspectives of philosophers and psychologists, attempts to differentiate between lower and higher order thinking, and the relationship between critical thinking and problem solving and what that means to higher order thinking. (SM)

In full-service and community schools, principals must possess a collaborative attitude and strong boundary-spanning skills. Principals must believe that collaboration can address children's complex needs, be able to obtain and distribute information strategically, view problems imaginatively, craft solutions, and develop and support others'…

Describes a study that investigated the effects of computer-assisted videodisc-based anchored instruction on attitudes toward mathematics and instruction as well as problem-solving skills among Taiwanese elementary students. Findings suggest that video-based anchored instruction provided a more motivating environment that enhanced students'…

Discusses emotional literacy, which combines emotions, intelligence, and literacy, and suggests ways to increase emotional intelligence in school libraries and classrooms. Emotional literacy skills include self-awareness, empathy, social problem solving, mood management, and the understanding of motivation. (LRW)

AVID--Advancement Via Individual Determination--is a California program that empowers students to take responsibility for their own learning and develop the academic and interpersonal skills allowing them to take rigorous college-prep courses. AVID's pedagogy is based on intensive writing, inquiry, and collaboration. (MLH)

Preventing high school violence takes more than security measures alone. Problem-solving approaches involve skill-building strategies that teach students conflict-resolution skills that become alternatives to the use of violence. Peace-making strategies seek to improve school climate by targeting key relationships in the school. Lists eight steps…

Mayer and Wittrock (1996) have raised the specificity-generality issue as it applies to the teachable aspects of problem-solving transfer. Simply put, do the instructional practices that foster more efficient acquisition-learning of problem-solving strategies automatically foster more efficient problem-solving transfer? On the basis of the present…

Compares the perceptions of first year British college students, third year students, and staff on the teaching, practice, and assessment of personal transferable skills within a geography program. Reveals that the staff and students agree that personal transferable skills should be taught but finds a variety of discrepancies among the three…

Studied orienting and self-judging as study and problem-solving activities with 47 college freshmen and two control groups of 47 each. Results show that the intervention group, taught these learning tools, had more knowledge about orienting and self-judging and used these skills better. Both metaknowledge and transfer behavior were positively…

Schools play a vital role in decreasing the occurrence of bullying among children. Victims of bullying behavior need guidance in developing the skills and strategies needed to effectively respond to bullying. Through small group work, the school counselor can help students develop the knowledge, attitude, and skills that will enable them to deal…