The purpose of this study was to create a conceptual awareness in science education for accurate observation of what is happening around us. To correctly understand the conceptual framework of the curriculum currently being implemented and to make us aware of our need to know how to put this framework into practice will serve as a guide for…

Teachers of 9 and 10 year olds were found to use varied versions of lessons that increase conceptual understanding. Their effectiveness in supporting conceptual understanding was compared experimentally. Findings and implications for science teaching are discussed. (Author/DKM)

Recent research suggests that knowledge is stored in the learner's head as a network of concepts or constructs. Children's mathematical problem-solving strategies become increasingly abstract as they are able to engage in more abstract thinking. An experimental study using an alternative Cognitively Guided Instruction approach is described.…

Describes a model for generative teaching of comprehension that focuses on students' knowledge base and preconceptions; motivation; attention; and generation of new models and explanations. Generative teaching procedures for facilitating comprehension in elementary school are reported. (Author/LB)

The core of schema theory is the concept that text is understood according to the reader's world knowledge and that this knowledge is altered whenever the reader encounters new information in print. Inferencing, that is the hypothesizing or predicting that the activation of schema sets in motion, is critical in this process. Recall is important…

This study compared effectiveness of cognitive modeling with and without verbalization in teaching 60 learning-disabled elementary students efficient questioning strategies. Results indicated that both groups showed significant reductions from pretreatment to posttreatment in the number of questions required but no effectiveness differential…

This review presents a framework that accommodates static and dynamic approaches to comprehension of students' transfer of knowledge and skill. The review focuses on three sets of variables considered fundamental to students' ability to access intellectual resources in potentially relevant situations: knowledge bases, strategies, and dispositions.…

Interviews with (n=20) primary teachers, who had participated in inservice workshops on Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), revealed three patterns of CGI use--as mainstay, as supplement, and decreasingly--which seemed related to their beliefs about mathematics, learning, and CGI itself. (40 references) (MKR)

Research suggests that preservice teachers who have organized knowledge structures are able to respond to instructional situations more effectively than those who do not. It appears that the way a teacher organizes knowledge influences how easily the information is accessed and applied in instructional situations. This study investigated the…

A pilot study was conducted to contrast children's comprehension of inside view (where writers share the inner thoughts of characters with readers) and character plans in an original story and its basal reader adaptation prior to and following participation in a reading conference focused upon these aspects of character. Subjects were 12 students…

Describes how discrepant events can be employed as a viable teaching strategy. Reviews the theory of cognitive dissonance and provides examples and approaches in its resolution. Offers samples of discrepancy events and unexpected situations. (ML)

This aptitude-treatment interaction study explored the relationship between cognitive restructuring ability and treatments varying in the amounts of teacher guidance on tasks with fractions. An interaction was found between cognitive restructuring ability and levels of teacher guidance for items having continuous perceptual distracters. (MNS)

Learning to teach mathematics for understanding is not easy. First, practice itself is complex. Second, many teachers' traditional experiences with and orientations to mathematics and its pedagogy are additional hindrances. This paper examines teaching practices and reviews some of what is known about prospective and experienced elementary…

The mathematical experiences of elementary students often focus on memorizing facts and rules as opposed to making sense of the subject and developing problem solving skills. Students spend large amounts of time processing, memorizing and sorting collections of data which are tasks well performed by computer technology. To correct this situation,…

This article considers relatively neglected resources for the "bootstrapping" of cognitive growth, including chance plus selection, the affective boosting of relevant schemas, the operation of innate biases, and use of spare mental capacity. Implications for educational research are illustrated with reference to recent work on the…