Examines the shared cognitive dimensions of cultural institutions like museums, libraries, and parks, suggesting they make similar situations for transmitting information. The article encourages a critical understanding of public cultural institutions to enlarge the potential for discourse about their analysis and criticism. Heuristic questions…

A study of 44 teachers who had experience in implementing problem-solving activities in technology education classes concluded that problem-solving activities are becoming an integral part of technology education. The outcomes of such activities depend on the processes and thinking techniques taught and applied. (JOW)

Addresses the difficulties for upper elementary students in shifting from reading to learn to reading for content. Suggests that integrating reading instruction into social studies lessons will help students improve in confidence and responsibility for learning. Includes detailed plans for two lessons and the strategies to be used. (DK)

Investigates whether cognitive skills training influences college students' calibration of comprehension. Finds a significant correlation between students' judgments of their comprehension and performance on an objective comprehension test. Suggests that brief cognitive skills training can temporarily alter "normal" calibration of comprehension.…

Summarizes 15 papers commissioned for the workshop on "Assessing Higher Order Thinking and Communication Skills in College Graduates," convened in response to National Education Goal V as presented in the America 2000 document. (RS)

Discusses the role of abstraction in the development of mathematical concepts among young children. (MDH)

Learning is not a spectator sport but requires active learners who integrate new experiences into existing cognitive structures. Principals can help students develop self-responsibility by initiating discussions on this topic, identifying and sharing multiple learning resources for student use, and modeling uses of assignments based on mastery…

Suggests that, because both history and computers are information based, there is an natural link between the two. Argues that history teachers should exploit the technology to help students to understand history while they become computer literate. Points out uses for databases, word processing, desktop publishing, and telecommunications in…

Examines the nature of complementarity reasoning, its relations to logical, analogical, and dialectical reasoning, and its function for resolving the many perceived contradictions and paradoxes that characterize religious life. Argues that complementarity reasoning is crucial to religious development and this type of reasoning is reached toward…

Some school districts are experimenting with learning experiences outside the classroom that benefit the community and engage students in a more meaningful and multisensory learning experience. Students involved have a higher success rate in school and are encouraged to develop higher order thinking skills. (CJS)

This study examined the ability of 10 moderately to mildly mentally retarded children (mean age 117 months) to use contextual information and clarification requests to resolve referential ambiguity. The children were able to select the appropriate referent when the context was informative but not to request clarification when the context was…

The impact of divergent thinking and ideational talent research on understanding young children's creativity is discussed, focusing specifically on use of particular topics or stimuli to facilitate divergent thinking; recognition of the influence of the setting, teacher, and feedback; and importance of recognizing both the quantity and the quality…

Recommends using fairy tales to help students use higher-order thinking skills. Offers reading activities designed to promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation while preserving the magic and fun of fairy tales. (MG)

Numerous suggestions are offered to teachers (especially secondary teachers of specific disciplines) to integrate thinking skills instruction with their subject matter. The ideas for teaching creative, evaluative, and predictive thinking in history, literature, math, and French are designed to develop independently thinking students without…

Stories were elicited from 20 closed-head-injured children (ages 100 to 194 months) and matched nonneurologically impaired accident victims. No significant differences were found between the groups on any of the measures of narrative ability (story grammar and intersentential cohesion). (Author/DB)