Contends that the process of photography can contribute to a better understanding of thinking. Finds that, because the camera's lens often reveals nuances and detail commonly overlooked, it can promote critical thinking, particularly constructing, identifying, and assessing the dimensions of an issue; appreciating point-of-view; and weighing…

States that writing has become a major component of mathematics as a teaching, learning, and assessing mechanism of mathematical understanding. Presents some writing activities for mathematics classes and their advantages. (ASK)

A study investigated whether 73 adults with mental retardation had difficulty understanding emotion-descriptive concepts and whether that difficulty can be attributed to difficulty with abstract concepts. Participants performed better on nonemotion than emotion concepts measures. There were no differences between abstract and nonabstract concepts…

Reports the findings of a three-year study that explored the development of children's concepts of evaporation at room temperature and condensation of atmospheric water vapor. (DDR)

Examines the relations between research about processes of learning and thinking and educational practices that attempt to achieve that aim. Three research perspectives, behaviorist, cognitive, and situative, that characterize thinking and learning to think differently are discussed. It argues that the situative perspective can provide a framework…

Describes a study conducted by the Office of Institutional Research at Washtenaw Community College regarding employer perceptions of what skills, knowledge, and attitudes are most important in an employee. Indicates that technical skills are not as sought after as non-technical skills such as thinking creatively and good decision making. Contains…

Describes how successful study of mathematics requires a set of problem-solving processes that help students reason mathematically, offers a context in which students can communicate their reasoning, and provides opportunities for students to link their learning to prior mathematical contexts. Discusses the three basic processes of Krutetskii's…

Describes a mathematics reasoning course at Drake University and efforts to introduce collaborative, small-group, mixed-ability activities into the classroom. Comments on the ease, difficulties, rewards, and demands involved. Discusses student and instructor attitudes towards the collaborative activities. (AIM)

Presents suggestions for integrating mathematical problem solving into all aspects of an elementary school classroom. This includes taking data from such areas as attendance and lunch counts, numbers of seats needed for an open house, amount of money needed for field trips, and many more. The article offers tips for powerful problem solving. (SM)

Whereas prior conceptions treated cognitive development as a sequence of stages, current research points to recurring growth cycles between birth and age 30. Each recurrence produces a new capacity for thinking and learning grounded in an expanded, reorganized neural network. Cognitive spurts are evident only under optimal support conditions.…

Examines the criteria that middle school students, nonscientist adults, technicians, and scientists used to rate the validity of conclusions drawn by hypothetical students from a set of evidence. The sources of the groups' differing epistemic criteria rest in their different spheres of cultural practice. Explores implications of this perspective…

This article emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift and an underlying change in attitude toward the teaching of reading. Educators are urged to leave behind the traditional linear approach to teaching and instead respond to divergent modes and styles of learning among students. The concept development approach is described. (CR)

Studied the effectiveness of an innovative statistics course designed to improve students' scientific and statistical reasoning skills during its second presentation. Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that the 22 students made significant gains in their ability to reason statistically. Analyses also revealed some specific conceptual…

Introduces an activity on photosynthesis for middle school students involving observation and data collection. (YDS)

Describes a discussion format called Collaborative Reasoning, part of a literature-based reading program in which students discuss a central question about a story they have read. Discusses the background of Collaborative Reasoning, its discussion framework, and instructional moves that support the development of reasoning. Notes the high rate of…