Expert scientific inquiry involves the generation and use of analogies. How and when students might develop this aspect of expertise has implications for understanding how and when instruction might facilitate that development. In a study of K-8 student inquiry in physical science, we are examining cases of spontaneous analogy generation. In the…

One of the greatest challenges to a peace education curriculum is preparing young people to deal with conflicts over issues central to identity. These kinds of conflict can threaten beliefs derived from authority and, accordingly, may be characterized by cognitive rigidity. Various factors central to constructive conflict resolution are…

In this article, the author describes the teaching methods he used in an environmental history course. He relates that the ecologist's web of life serves as his guiding principle for teaching in his course. From an imagined center of the web, he relates that he and his class move outward to explore two main areas of environmental history in the…

Learning a language is closely connected to learning to think critically in specific subject matter. Teachers need to teach not only the technical basics of reading and writing to English language learners but also the critical thinking skills that these students need both in and out of school. Various question-seeking activities can promote…

Parents continually struggle to find better ways to make decisions regarding their children, and many use popular parenting books. The purpose of this article is to discuss the critical thinking skills needed by parents and practitioners who work with parents to make informed parenting decisions influenced by popular media. It also addresses…

This study examines the development of teachers' metastrategic knowledge (MSK), a component of metacognitive knowledge, in the context of higher order thinking. Participants were 14 junior high school and high school science teachers who attended a professional development course. Data collection was carried out by triangulation of several data…

This paper describes a Web-based and distributed system named QSIA that serves as an environment for learning, assessing and knowledge sharing. QSIA--Questions Sharing and Interactive Assignments--offers a unified infrastructure for developing, collecting, managing and sharing of knowledge items. QSIA enhances collaboration in authoring via online…

Mathematical games provide wonderful opportunities to engage students in meaningful and rich mathematical investigations. This article describes three mathematical games suitable to be played by different groups of students, from young elementary school students, learning the basics of arithmetic and geometry, to older students making their first…

Hoping to develop in her students an understanding of mathematics as a way of thinking more than a way of doing, the author of this article describes how her students worked on a spatial reasoning problem stemming from an iteratively constructed sequence of cylinders. She presents an activity of making cylinders out of paper models, and for every…

This study investigated the possible activation of different types of model-based reasoning processes in two learning settings, and the influence of various terms of reasoning on the learners' problem representation development. Changes in 53 students' problem representations about genetic issue were analysed while they worked with different…

In this paper we consider the extent to which learning objects that focus on higher level thinking might be seen as Type II applications, as defined by Maddux, Johnson, and Willis (2001). We conclude that learning objects are at best hybrid applications, with some Type I and some Type II characteristics. We also consider whether the educational…

In this article, the author stresses that teachers need to teach their students to think critically and to reason their way. One prerequisite for teaching critical thinking is a classroom climate of high expectations, teacher warmth and encouragement, and pleasant physical surroundings. Schools should see to it that students become progressively…

If students were as engaged in reading as they are in video games, television, and sports, the world would be rife with proficient readers. Using a variety of instructional strategies, teachers can make the reading experience more meaningful, increase comprehension, and build proficiency. Mastering cognitive skills can change student reading from…

Children are fascinated with the world of nature. From the tiniest of seeds to the highest of birds, they wonder "Why?" "How?" and "What can I do with it?" This paper provides intriguing nature activities that provide a solid starting point for expanding children's thinking and learning. Through these activities, children will be building skills…

This study contributes to understanding sources of gender differential item functioning (DIF) on mathematics tests. This study focused on identifying sources of DIF and differential bundle functioning for boys and girls on the British Columbia Principles of Mathematics Exam (Grade 12) using a confirmatory SIBTEST approach based on a…