Argues that the syntactic and mental model accounts of the suppression effect in deductive reasoning are inadequate. Proposes a relative salience model. Describes a test of predictions from this model in a suppression model, which obtained evidence of convergent validity for the salience construct. Results could not be reconciled with either the…

Addresses NCTM recommendations regarding nonroutine problem solving. Illustrates general approaches, teacher discourse, and aims of problem solving via three nonroutine problems. Compares expert and novice approaches to problem solving and applies procedures endorsed by Polya regarding problem-solving strategies. Includes nine additional…

The Mediated Learning Program (MLP) is a comprehensive preschool curriculum for children with and without disabilities, based on theories of mediated learning, with a mediator facilitating children's thought processes and problem-solving strategies. MLP includes 19 curriculum units broken into specific daily principles or objectives used to teach…

Defines metacognition, examines metacognitive differences in learners, reviews past and current developments in intelligent tutoring systems, and introduces a computer-based system to help learners develop metacognition in studying from texts. Presents results of a study that analyzed the learning methods of students and makes suggestions for…

Examined children's use of the representativeness heuristic with two types of decision problems adapted from research with adults--standard representativeness problems and conjunction fallacy problems. Findings on both problems indicate the use of decision heuristics in the early grade-school years, and suggests these should be the years for…

Presents a series of reflections in which a second-grade teacher recognizes the value of encouraging children to develop various computational processes as well as a range of different solution approaches. Uses the context of mentally calculating costs of menu items. (MKR)

Three experiments with 276 college, secondary, and middle-school students extend the research of G. T. Fong and others in teaching students abstract rules. Results support a revival of formalist views of transfer: that teaching formal rules about inference making can improve reasoning and support transfer. (SLD)

Researchers in the Netherlands used a repertory grid to examine first- and third-year prospective elementary teachers' thinking regarding good teaching. They discovered four dimensions of cognitions with few between-group differences. Results suggest the grid is suitable for retrieving subjects' cognitions in their own terminology but less…

A cognitive approach to teaching property law is illustrated with a case in which an individual's blood sample was used to develop a valuable serum. Applicability of property rights was at issue. It is suggested that cognitive thinking can inform and improve analysis and instruction in evolving areas of law. (MSE)

Examines the effectiveness of SIMNET (Simulation Networking), a virtual reality training simulation system, combined with a program of role-playing activities for helping Army classes to master the conditional knowledge needed for successful field performance. The value of active forms of learning for promoting higher order cognitive thinking is…

This paper discusses a cross-sectional study that assessed the moral development profiles of undergraduate pharmacy students (n=71) using Rest's Defining Issues Test. Analysis showed no significant difference in mean level of principled moral reasoning between first and fourth professional year undergraduate students. (GLR)

Pretests measuring critical thinking ability and mental alertness were administered to 72 first-year college students at the beginning of an introductory computer programing course. Posttests administered at the end of the semester showed significant improvement in both areas, indicating that instruction in programing improves students' critical…

The Process Skills Rating Scales were designed to rate how well a student uses those process skills that develop an ability to think, reason, and search for knowledge independently and to communicate and interact effectively with all members of society. Forms are available for students (elementary and secondary), teachers, and parents. (JDD)

A workshop on interactive video was designed for fourth and fifth grade students, with the goals of familiarizing students with laser disc technology, developing a cadre of trained students to train other students and staff, and challenging able learners to utilize higher level thinking skills while conducting a research project. (JDD)

Describes "Bop," a game that considers solely the sequence of letters. Words are determined to be equivalent if different letters of one word become different letters in the other word in exactly the same order. Examples of four-, five-, and six-letter words and BOProblems are provided. (MDH)