The authors claim that the principal contribution of research on teacher thinking is enrichment of understanding of what teachers know and what teaching entails. Studies of teacher planning, decision making, knowledge, and theorizing can be used to provide prospective teachers with a realistically complex picture of the cognitive aspects of…

This study examined the effect of grouping teachers and students by conceptual level (CL) upon the teachers' information handling behavior. Twenty secondary school teachers were divided into two groups of 10 HCL and 10 LCL teachers according to their scores of the Paragraph Completion Test. Forty pairs of sixth graders were formed, each pair…

Two models for research on teacher thinking are discussed: the decision-making model and the information-processing model. Research on teaching guided by the decision-making model focuses upon explaining and understanding deliberate teacher activity and is deemed more appropriate for situations in which the teacher has sufficient time and…

Following deCharms' theory of personal causation and Harvey's conceptual systems approach to cognitive complexity, it was hypothesized that the manner in which teachers choose to promote motivating classroom climates is a function of the systems teachers use to substantiate their own beliefs. A focal concept was the degree to which students are…

This study examines the relationship between covert decisions by teachers and classroom behavior. The decisions of 12 classroom teachers were analyzed through stimulated recall and content analysis techniques. Results indicate that there is a clear and powerful relationship between thought and action. A majority of covert decisions led to…

This study was intended to obtain baseline data in the areas of verbal and cognitive behavior patterns of selected secondary social studies teachers. Hypotheses for study were that there will be no significant difference between: 1) observed verbal teaching behaviors of the highest and lowest ranked teachers; 2) the observed cognitive behavior of…

This study was designed to identify stable and meaningful aspects of teaching behavior pertaining to the individualization of instruction in special classes for the retarded. Ten predominantly urban classes for intermediate educable mentally retarded pupils were selected from the total of 32 such classes in a large city. These classes were…

This paper describes the data collection, data analysis, and findings that point to the importance of instructional context as a factor in understanding the concepts teachers use when they process information about pupils in their classrooms, and the predictions they make about pupil success in learning. Three aspects of context are examined: (1)…

This document includes several articles and reviews related to science education. Included are the following: (1) a critical review of science classroom interaction studies; (2) a review of the meaning of, and arguments for, integrated science; (3) trends in selection of science courses in secondary schools; (4) cultural borrowing and comparative…

This study was undertaken in an attempt to determine if the traits of flexibility, openness, and sensitivity found in high school teachers would be associated with higher levels of satisfaction among students in general and among minority students in particular. Thirty-nine teachers and 953 students served as subjects in the study. Three measures…

Questions teachers use to elicit responses from students affect the kind of thought process the student will use and subsequently the type of answer he will suggest ways in which behavioral and educational objectives are reflected in teacher questions. Simplified interaction analysis techniques can be useful in diagnosing and assessing the…

Using methods employed by Chaikin et al (1974) and Chaikin and Derlega (1978) to determine when tutors are susceptible to expectancy effects and whether expectancies lead to discrimination against low ability students, black undergraduates (N=76) taught a lesson on fire safety at home to a 10-year-old boy. Two black male and two white male…

An investigation of the interaction patterns of Polynesian and Pakeha (New Zealanders of European extraction) children and teachers in school and play areas of Auckland, New Zealand was undertaken to discover possible ethnic differences in modes of social interaction relevant to learning. Observations of children (ages 2 to 11) and their…

The expanding complexities of American society and the demands placed upon educating American youth are causing the trainers of teachers to give increasing attention to developing innovative methods for improving teacher education. Since there is a lack of information concerning cognitive processes in the classroom and the effects of cognitive…