The purpose of this report is to explore an analysis of discussions, among groups of elementary school children, of a social problem. The intent of the research is to contribute to the advancement of methods for program and student assessment, particularly toward goals not usually evaluated by traditional testing programs. The analysis method used…

This practicum describes a computer assisted instructional (CAI) program written in the computer language BASIC. This computer program was designed to help 11th and 12th grade algebra students (n=15) better understand the concept of linear equations. The program has three sections: the first is a tutorial, the second section gives the student the…

Mathematical word problems are notoriously difficult to solve for students at all grade levels. Performance deficiencies have been attributed to students lacking abstract logico-mathematical knowledge or to insufficiently developed language comprehension skills. At least four general sources of difficulty can be distinguished in mathematical word…

Designed to help classroom teachers implement the "Alabama Course of Study: Language Arts," this curriculum guide for grades 4-6 is in three major sections. The first section is a table of contents that lists desired student outcomes under each of the major strands mandated by the course of study (listening, speaking, reading, and…

These two manuals, one designed for students and the other for instructors, offer information on the development of reading, listening, and study strategies. The student manual begins with information on the instructional approach that will be used and the characteristics of active readers, writers, planners, listeners, and students. The…

A practicum project emphasizing critical thinking skills was undertaken in an eighth grade history class to make students aware of the nature and seriousness of plagiarism. The 10-week unit was preceded by a reading comprehension test and an essay assignment on a major Civil War battle. Plagiarized portions of the essays were highlighted and the…

This document reports on a practicum experience on the improvement of thinking skills of middle school students. There has been much discussion in educational circles that mastery of higher- order thinking skills should be given greater attention in the public schools. A program of teaching thinking skills directly to grade seven geography classes…

Correlations between the California Critical Thinking Skills Test--College Level (CCTST) and student-related factors regarded as indicators of academic ability and success were studied in a series of four experiments investigating whether the CCTST measures improvement in critical thinking (CT) skills. During 1989-90, data were collected on 1,196…

A practicum was conducted to develop critical thinking and improve expression through creative written language utilizing precision teaching as an evaluation of student performance. Six students (grades second through sixth) with low idea generation and few organization skills were trained by three teachers and a teacher advisor using…

This book shows the reader how to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) effectively to enhance the teaching of mathematics in the secondary school. It explains which forms of technology can be used to improve mathematics teaching and learning, how to get started and where to go for further information. The book includes practical…

Using national and state standards to guide a math program is just a start. It still must be decided how to apply the standards in the curriculum, determine when students should learn different content, and decide which programs and textbooks will help make math come alive in the classroom. That's where this new ASCD resource comes in. This book…

Students with or without disabilities often experience difficulties with abstract math concepts. This paper is intended to help solve the mystery of math concepts through origami construction, a hands-on activity. Students are involved in constructing and deconstructing concepts by folding and unfolding a piece of paper which eventually leads to a…

The purpose of this study was to use realistically simulated data to evaluate various CAT designs for use with the verbal reasoning measure of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Factors such as item pool depth, content constraints, and item formats often cause repeated adaptive administrations of an item at ability levels that are not…

This study examined nine cohort teacher candidates from each of two physical education teacher education (PETE) programs developed teaching portfolios in three consecutive semesters of comparable courses: (1) elementary methods; (2) secondary methods; and (3) the student teaching internship. Studied were changes over time in teacher candidate…

The 40 activities contained in this book were designed to persuade students to think both critically and creatively. The activities call for the use of all 18 of E. Paul Torrance's creative thinking abilities. The theoretical underpinnings for this collection are based upon philosophical and pedagogical beliefs that experiences be positive: if…