Argues that accounts of paranormal phenomena can serve as an ideal medium in which to encourage students to develop critical-thinking skills. Describes a cooperative-learning approach used to teach critical thinking in a course on paranormal events. Reports that critical-thinking skills increased and that the course received favorable student…

Analyzes the structure of argumentative discourse produced when small groups of children discuss issues raised by stories they have read, examining the discourse from story discussions in two fourth-grade classrooms. Compares and contrasts two approaches of representing the structure of classroom arguments (the argument network and the causal…

Stresses the importance of questioning as a key element in the art of learning. Defines three types of questions: (1) multisystem, which considers more than one relevant viewpoint in thinking through a problem, issue, or question; (2) one-system, which can be tested with a multiple-choice format; and (3) no-system, which are matters of sheer…

Reports the results of a study of active ingredients of creativity techniques, devices that promote idea generation, through an analysis of 172 idea-generation methods which identified three types of idea-generation devices--strategies, tactics, and enablers. These devices were organized into meaningful categories comprising a formulary of active…

A Delphi panel of 25 engineers, scientists, and educators rated the importance of mental methods for technology education curriculum. Defining, analyzing, and communicating were rated very important; 21 others were considered important. Results could form the basis of a mental processes-based curriculum involving solution of technological…

Employing a sample of 51 12-year-old British secondary pupils, a study analyzed children's written and oral responses to a series of (contradictory) historical questions concerning the Boston Massacre of 1770. Many students were capable of abstract historical reasoning--critiquing sources, detecting bias and ambiguity, and determining flaws in…

Illustrates the game-theory concept of a dominant strategy using the MTV-network game show "Singled Out." Describes how the game show works and why this makes it attractive as an example of strategic behavior. Presents examples of how the show is used in class. (DSK)

A seventh-grader explains why the Virginia Standards of Learning tests unfairly pressure her and her teachers. She wants her free reading time restored and wishes politicians would worry more about students understanding--not just memorizing--facts. She praises teachers who go beyond the SOL. (MLH)

Assesses the etiology of the covariation between mathematics performance and general cognitive ability in data from a sample of 555 twins selected for learning deficits and from a sample of 570 control twins pairs. Results show that the phenotypic relationship between mathematics and general cognitive ability is due primarily to genetic…

Describes an interdisciplinary quantitative reasoning course that uses algebra to answer questions from science. Describes the development, philosophy, and structure of the course and demonstrates two of the projects developed for this course. Presents student reactions and attitudes towards the course. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/ASK)

Describes the different types of reasoning in scientific research activity. Outlines three different but complementary ways to integrate history into the presentation of science. Considers and illustrates the close historical relationship between mathematics and physics. (Contains 50 references.) (ASK)

Describes ways of thinking about probability and some common student misconceptions. Suggests ways of addressing students' misconceptions and illustrates these ideas with an example. (ASK)

Compared performance of children with autism, with learning disabilities, and normally developing 4-year-olds on reasoning problems with and without instruction to use imagery. Found that instruction to use imagery led to persistent logical performance. Children with autism displayed a distinctive response pattern, performing around chance levels,…

Explores the relationship between students' oral and written thought processes using an interpretive case study of seven middle grade students. Discusses the position that students' mathematical understanding is further developed through writing as a communicative tool while taking advantage of mediated social practices to make clear the rationale…

A sample of 144 mathematical tasks used during reform-oriented teaching was analyzed in terms of task features and cognitive demands. The ways cognitive demands of high-level tasks declined and factors associated with task changes were explored. Teachers used tasks that led to the development of students' thinking capacities. (MAK)