In dynamical theory, mathematical understanding is considered to be that of a person (or group) of a topic (or problem) in a situation or setting. This paper compares the interactions between the situations and the mathematical understandings of two students by comparing the growth in understanding within a Fibonacci sequence setting in which…

Paradoxically, Japan presents both a difficult and promising setting for the advancement of critical thinking skills. One deep-rooted obstacle stems from anti-rational ideological traditions and prejudices. Another comes from the rigidly hierarchical, conformist nature of Japanese society, which does not encourage divergent opinions or their…

A study (the first of two studies) examined the effects that training in annotation writing had on college students' comprehension and summary writing abilities as compared with students who received a more traditional type of instruction. One half of the 144 university students enrolled in a college reading and study skills course received a…

This document is a pilot study designed to examine the extent to which currently-used subject-matter standardized tests already test for critical thinking in order to determine if there is a need for the construction of new tests. The study also is intended to be a step toward devising a reliable procedure and scoring key that will enable future…

"Making connections" is an analytic tool that promotes the search of relationships between a concept to be taught and the elements that may affect its meaning. The ability to make connections prepares students to tackle new information, to discover its basic organization, and to reduce its complexities. It adds meaning to knowledge, aids…

This book discusses the act of understanding in mathematics. The first chapter, "Understanding and Meaning," inquires into the various senses and uses of the word "understanding" in ordinary language and discusses the notion of meaning and relations between understanding and meaning. The second chapter, "Components and…

"Horace's Compromise" by T. Sizer is one of several studies that emerged from a 1981-82 investigation sponsored jointly by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of Independent Schools. "Horace's School" revisited the issues with practical advice for educators. Sizer advocated…

Communication competence is too complex to assess as the result of one course in communication. If scholars in the field of communication tell accrediting agencies, administrators in higher education, state legislators, and/or the general public that students are competent communicators when they "pass" one communication course, they are…

The interests of all communication educators would best be served if those educators could agree on a single broad definition of critical thinking that incorporates a variety of perspectives. Toward this end, questionnaires were sent to a ramdom sampling of 300 members of the Speech Communication Association; 88 were returned. The questionnaire…

A critical reader "does more than simply soak up bits and pieces of information." He applies a personal reserve of knowledge and experience to a text to ascribe possible meanings. In other words, he interprets. In addition, he compares his own values and beliefs with those suggested to him by a text and defends them, if necessary. In…

Teacher educators are faced with the challenge of restructuring teacher education to prepare teachers to meet the educational demands of a world in which diverse technologies require learners to work flexibly across numerous disciplinary boundaries. To meet these demands, teachers-in-training will need to become comfortable with inquiry…

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the security of mother-infant attachment and of infants' cognitive development on mothers' and infants' ability to coordinate their attention to objects with the attention of another person. Fifty-eight 15- to 19-month-olds were videotaped for 10 minutes while they played with toys near…

Previous studies failed to determine whether Gilligan's (1982) justice and care perspectives represent two distinct orientations of moral reasoning. Using methods developed in research on reasoning and discourse processes, a study used a discursive framework to validate an alternate methodology for the investigation of moral orientation reasoning.…

Creative teaching, which involves creating innovative lessons, games, materials, and assignments to challenge students, can be stimulated in teacher education students by stirring up their thinking and encouraging them to explore different paths. Two thematic concepts which underlie creative teaching are "reflective teaching" which…

Although there are drawbacks to the case study method, using films presents opportunities for instructors to teach to the "higher" levels presented in learning objective taxonomies. A number of classifications of learning outcomes or objectives are well served by a teaching style employing the case approach. There seem to be as many…