Presents activities on estimation, scaling, area of nonstandard shapes, algebraic thinking, and real-life situations using the United States of America. These activities make it possible to integrate mathematics and social studies. Uses technology by employing geometry software packages such as The Geometer's Sketchpad, Cabri, and Geometric…

Reviews the importance of changing the role of community colleges as the world moves into the information age. Emphasizes the importance of developing basic skills in technology and in fostering a desire for lifelong learning. Contains 37 references. (JDI)

Utilizes the study of quadratic equations to illustrate the use of combinations of software to enhance critical thinking in preservice mathematics teachers. Concludes that the use of multiple software enriches students' learning experiences and improves their critical-thinking skills. (ASK)

Describes several short geometry tasks that go beyond the simple recognition of figures and properties. Presents scoring rubrics and questions that might be useful to middle school teachers developing short open-ended questions that encourage and assess students' thinking. (ASK)

Advocates confronting controversial subjects in classrooms. Describes bringing hatred into the curriculum of a film study class. Articulates purposes and obstacles. Addresses how to handle tough topics and ways to introduce civil rights issues. Describes the final student project. States that students make a transition from consciousness to…

Reports on a study that utilized surveys, interviews, and a modified focus group to examine the perceptions of graduate students regarding the effectiveness of computer-conferencing communication on higher-order learning. Recommendations for effective computer conferencing are included that address organization of content, small-group interaction,…

Examined social influences on the reasoning and rhetorical strategies of fourth graders. Found that the use of argument stratagems snowballed, there were fewer and fewer lines of discussion between successive appearances of a stratagem, and the snowball phenomenon was more pronounced during discussions with open participation than during…

Studied collaborative reasoning in 86 seventh-grade minority students in an urban low-income school. Students who collaborated had higher percentages of fully correct explanations on the posttest than those who worked alone. Collaborative experiences were beneficial for reasoning about unfamiliar, moderately difficult, nonverbal problems. (SLD)

Human behavior is governed by assumptions and beliefs ("theory-in-use"), yet individuals commonly explain their behavior in terms of a (different) "espoused" theory. Suggests reflective practice in counseling can only be achieved by counselors identifying their own theories-in-use through critical thinking. This task also…

Study examined the relationship of student characteristics to divergent movement ability in elementary school students, noting the combined effect of physical education content and specific teaching styles on one component of critical thinking in the psychomotor domain. Students' ability to generate different movement patterns improved when they…

Proposes an integrated perspective on student learning and personal development by viewing the cognitive and affective dimensions of development as related parts of one process. Suggests that this perspective will provide college students with a successful educational experience by increasing cognitive understanding, sense of self, personal…

Compares two experimental programs for teaching mental addition and subtraction in the Dutch second grade (N=275). Discusses realistic program design (RPD) and gradual program design (GPD). Concludes that RPD pupils show a more varied use of solution procedures than GPD pupils. Contains 46 references. (Author/ASK)

Critiques a survey of Canadian citizens' civics knowledge for its "Trivial Pursuit" style of questions and the conclusions drawn from the results by the survey sponsors. Argues that a responsible democratic citizenry must display higher cognitive skills than factual recall and that these skills are not measured by the survey. (DSK)

Examines the extent to which fostering learning communities can improve literacy skills. Shows possibilities for improvements in writing and reading by fostering a community of learners that focuses on scientific inquiries using computer technology, and that learning communities can enhance the reasoning, problem solving, and learning strategies…

Describes the development and use of the Verbal Plan and Evaluation program, an instructional model applicable for free play time and based on Vygotsky's view that teachers' active involvement in children's verbalization of planning and evaluating play activities facilitates the development of their mental processes. Presents teaching strategies…