The two objectives of this study were to compare the results of the teaching of written composition to high school students, using a problem-solving approach, with the results obtained using a traditional approach, and to determine if a problem-solving approach produces a significant difference in reflective thinking skills. Three null hypotheses…

Addressed is the identification of factors that effect learning as perceived by college students. The assumption is that a knowledge of these perceptions will help teachers and university administrators organize and provide more effective learning situations. Data are presented on: (1) students' perception of statements concerning the instructor;…

Abstracts of 36 research reports are provided. The reports were prepared by investigators for presentation at the 55th annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. A broad range of topics related to mathematics education is covered. Nine reports deal with problem solving, eight are concerned with instructional methods, five…

Educators have been very aware of the crisis due to student unrest, which in turn is due to political, economic, or racial tensions. Another crisis is at hand: students, like others in our society, have developed a distrust of authority, and consequently of traditional education. Vocational schools are flourishing because they have weeded out the…

Methods and resource materials are suggested for teaching elementary level students about the concept of interdependence in terms of the Bicentennial. The rationale lies with a belief in human interrelatedness and the universality of human rights for which the signers of the Declaration of Independence struggled. Students are encouraged to explore…

The University of Missouri-Kansas City Medical School uses a healthcare team approach to medical education. As partial evaluation of the approach, this study explored the views held by health professionals concerning their experiences on the team. Their images of the concept of the team itself, their opinions on the educational function of the…

A problem-solving model for teaching industrial technology values and value judgments in industrial arts classes is presented, with an example of a curriculum plan format to include the values level in teaching graphic arts. Values clarification techniques are intended to help students in solving life problems. (MF)

Describes 10 key elements of generic teaching strategies for developing student thinking and provides a rationale for the participation of school library media specialists in developing student thinking skills. The role of media specialists within the school and the importance of information-based decision making in a free society are discussed.…

Presents the results of a study of grading strategies that suggests that reluctant students can improve their work and develop a better attitude about school if less emphasis is placed on evaluative grading. (JC)

English as a second language teachers should make learners comfortable with the fact that not being understood at times is a natural and expected part of the communication process. Encouragement to understand what lies behind the misunderstandings and what strategies might be employed to ensure continued communication serves learners well on the…

Argues that construction of knowledge bases is an instructional tool that encourages students' critical thinking in problem solving situations through metacognitive experiences. A study is described in which college students created expert systems to test the effectiveness of this method of instruction, and benefits for students and teachers are…

Describes an ongoing project involving 23 second grade teachers who are teaching all mathematics, including computation, through small-group problem solving and whole class discussion. The authors suggest that teachers are generally successful in creating a "problem-solving atmosphere" and consequently the children persist in attempting…

Examines various types of problems that researchers have used to demonstrate problem solving. Focuses on genetics problems. Discusses classes of learning outcomes, conceptual knowledge gains, content-independent heuristics, content-specific procedures, understanding the nature of science and a typology of genetics problems. (CW)

Discusses the work of Donald Graves, who has achieved wide recognition for propounding a method of teaching writing that stresses unstructured expression of personal experiences, using a case study of 16 children as his research base. Concludes that because Graves never considers negative evidence for his hypotheses, his work constitutes reportage…

The article provides step-by-step procedures for teaching learning-disabled students how to ask for teacher help. Procedures involve role playing a classroom situation as it had occurred, modeling a situation for problem resolution, role playing again, analyzing and synthesizing the modeling situation, and applying these steps to other classroom…