Seven principles are presented for improving creative thinking, based on assumptions of creativity as a perceptual shift resulting from a metamorphic mental image. Principles include (1) the future initiates and pulls creative thought; (2) initial fact finding is best postponed; (3) problem redefinition is often retrospective; and (4) metaphors…

Discusses children's use of metaphors to create meaning, using as an example the pragmatic and "scientific" ways in which preschool children explain thunder and lightning to themselves. Argues that children are being shortchanged by modern scientific notions of abstractness and that they should be encouraged to create their own explanations of…

A connectionist model of argument strength that applies to categorical arguments involving natural categories and predicates about which subjects have few prior beliefs is proposed. This feature-based model was tested in argument strength rating studies with 34 undergraduates, and its validity is discussed. (SLD)

Proposes using some of the 26 Nobel Prize lectures as teaching tools in economics courses. Notes lectures are reprinted in economic journals. Lists titles of lectures from 1969 to 1988; identifies level of difficulty; and categorizes the lectures by subject field. Outlines George Stigler's 1982 Nobel lecture and gives suggestions for teaching. (NL)

Examined effects of reasoning and choice on prosocial behavior of 48 second and third graders enrolled in day camps. Results indicated that the children were more helpful in choice than in no-choice conditions. However, prosocial behavior was most likely when no reasoning was used. (Author/BB)

Describes electronic clustering, an evaluation strategy that graphically reveals students' higher level thinking skills. (MG)

Considers the ways that conceptual mapping as a classroom technique can help students reflect critically on complex conceptual relationships. Shows how teachers can use conceptual mapping in the classroom. (HB)

Presents six teachers' responses to the "Private Eye" workshop (which encourages thinking by analogy and incorporating writing in many forms into content area teaching). Notes that the workshop was described in two articles in the November/December 1993 issue of this journal. Notes the energy that flows out of the teachers' writing about…

Discusses Lawrence A. Hirschfeld's (1995) experiments, which Hirschfeld claims demonstrate that preschoolers use a biologically grounded theory in reasoning about race. Argues that the methods used cannot address the issue and therefore, the results do not support Hirschfeld's claims. Maintains that the experiments fail to demonstrate that 4- and…

Responds to John J. Kim's critique of his studies of preschoolers' understanding of race. Maintains that his and others' investigations demonstrate that preschoolers differentiate the pattern of causal reasoning governing transmission and maintenance of racial characteristics from that governing transmission and maintenance of perceptually similar…

Presents some methods for describing and referring to mathematical objects and consistently and unambiguously signaling the logical structure of mathematical arguments. Presents the problems involved in referring to mathematics objects and properties. Discusses certain individual words used to communicate the logical structure of mathematical…

This study compares scores on the Alternate Uses Test of 19 Australian children (ages 4 to 12) with severe visual impairments, and 19 controls. Comparison of mean scores revealed no significant differences between groups, however, the range of scores reflected in the standard deviations were higher for those with visual impairments. (CR)

Examined the effectiveness of the Pedagogical Heuristic Device (PHD) in encouraging preservice teachers to use a wide variety of cognitive processes and critically apply what they learned in courses on decision making in the classroom. Results support the use of the PHD to help preservice teachers learn to reason about pedagogy. (SM)

Presents a dice game that students can use as a basis for exploring mathematical probabilities and making decisions while they also exercise skills in multiplication, pattern identification, proportional thinking, and communication. (ASK)

Examines current literature on the pedagogy of counseling. The authors offer a critique of current counselor education practices and suggest constructivist methods for educating reflective practitioners. (Author)