Considers the ubiquitous use of textbooks in social studies classrooms and recommends constructing critical-thinking exercises revealing textual bias. Suggested exercises concern issues of emotional or ambiguous language, geographic and cultural inclusion/exclusion, and accuracy of data. Includes several examples of critical-thinking activities.…

Case-based reasoning (CBR) focuses on analogy in the context of solving real-world problems. Its research methodology of computational modeling is aimed at deriving hypotheses about cognition. As a plausible educational model, CBR can help refine education philosophy and practice and contribute to the design of educational software. (SLD)

Examined relations between ratings of mother-child interactions in a problem-solving situation at school entry and academic achievement in grades 2, 3, and 4. Data on the child's cognitive and fine-motor ability and mother's education were also collected at school entry. Academic achievement was assessed with the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.…

Discusses the Accelerated Reader software program and describes a project conducted with fourth grade students that investigated strategies for teaching reading and writing comprehension. Topics include generative learning theory; higher order thinking skills; generating original reading comprehension questions; and thinking maps and question…

Evaluates a program that promoted adaptation of students in their first year of secondary school. The program focused on developing healthy self-perceptions, and cognitive, affective and behavioral skills. Analyses revealed the predicted positive effects of the program on psychological and social outcomes. Findings underline the need to address…

Examines a lesson in which students are engaged in inquiry in evolutionary biology to develop better understanding of concepts and reasoning skills necessary to support knowledge claims about changes in the genetic structure of populations known as microevolution. Explains how a software simulation, EVOLVE, can be used to foster discussions about…

Describes three episodes in Sendai, Japan: (1) reasoning with number patterns (grade one); (2) engaging in logical analysis (grade five); and (3) a reason to reason (grade five). Observation of these episodes reinforces importance of the teacher's patience in guiding the lesson and encouraging several alternative solutions from students. Lessons…

Business leaders are taking on a new role in school improvement. Advocates of arts education must understand the concerns business leaders have about schools, and develop effective solutions. Concerns include developing creativity and productivity for the competitive global economy, setting educational standards, and developing meaningful new…

Junior high students who were at risk of dropping out of school (n=45) were taught using the Cognitive-Based Instructional System (CBIS). Positive cognitive skills change occurred in 38%; there were discrepancies between dropout prediction test results and teacher perceptions of students at risk; CBIS implementation would require a significant…

Describes a paraphrasing technique from a methodology called Teaching for Thinking as a means to promote more effective discussion in small group sessions. A paraphrase that highlights assumptions or that provides an interpretation of a student's statement encourages students to think beyond what they have said. Critiques sample teacher responses…

Describes a 7-year-old whose mathematical performance in class embodies much of what is important according to "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics". She speaks little English and therefore scores low on standardized, norm-referenced tests. Concludes that changes in curriculum and classroom instruction require changes in…

Describes grade-appropriate weekly activities designed to appeal directly to students by giving them open-ended questions. Activities may be worked on individually, in pairs, or in small groups. This particular set of activities focuses on stories from literature involving measurement, earning money, marketing a product, and setting up a…

Describes an activity that teaches a number of scientific concepts including indirect measurement, Newton's third law of motion, manipulating and controlling variables, and the scientific method of inquiry. Uses process skills such as observation, inference, prediction, mensuration, and communication as well as problem solving and higher-order…

Discusses the results of research designed to determine if student science projects in Ohio meet the goals for science education as recommended by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the Ohio Department of Education. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

Examines the scientific concept of evaporation. Attempts to show how students develop their understanding through the levels of the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Shows how designing learning experiences to suit the learners' developmental stages in understanding a concept is paramount to the overall growth of the…