Presents a categorization system that allows potential microcomputer users to make more reasoned, conscious choices to ensure that a range of software types and activities are available for their instructional programs. (SRT)

A group of language class activities use photographs to encourage students to identify, describe, imagine, recount, and persuade in a variety of ways. (MSE)

Describes an assignment sequence using photographs to introduce developmental students to conventions of academic inquiry, and to give them practice analyzing and synthesizing. Reports that students link details observed in the photos to inferences drawn about them. Concentrates on the assignment linking a photo of E. B. White with an essay by him…

Investigated the relationship between the development of formal operations and the formation of ego identity in adolescence. Obtained significant positive correlations between combinatorial ability and degree of identity, suggesting that high identity may facilitate the application of combinatorial operations. Found some gender differences in task…

Examines the problem-solving strategies of experts and novices. Summarizes the overall performance of four experts and eight novices. Examines several protocols in depth in order to show how subjects introduced new terms and relationships during problem solving sessions. Compares the strategies of expert and novice problem solvers. (CW)

Examines various types of problems that researchers have used to demonstrate problem solving. Focuses on genetics problems. Discusses classes of learning outcomes, conceptual knowledge gains, content-independent heuristics, content-specific procedures, understanding the nature of science and a typology of genetics problems. (CW)

Examines the hypothesis that there are preliminary stages in problem solving that are often neglected in teaching chemistry. Discusses correlations calculated between the student's ability to handle disembedding and cognitive restructuring tasks in the spatial domain and ability to solve chemistry problems. (TW)

Explains the difference between everyday thinking and academic thinking. Maintains that children who experience academic learning problems may rely too much on everyday thinking skills. Relates examples of this problem in reading, mathematics, and science. (JDH)

William Labov says that the linguistics deficit theory is incorrect. He interviewed Larry, who speaks nonstandard Negro English (NNE), and Charles, a speaker of standard English, and concluded that NNE is clear, concise, and logical and that standard English is mainly characterized by its verbosity. This article critiques that interview. (RM)

Examines thought processes closely linked with intellectual development and transcending boundaries of many disciplines. Among the topics discussed are: nonuniform change without calculus; discrimination between observation and inference; asking one's own questions; hypothetico-deductive reasoning; and types of knowledge. (JM)

Research has revealed distinct differences in the problem-solving approaches of high- and low-aptitude students. As a consequence, content area teachers can focus on thinking skills by having students describe their mental processes and giving them feedback on erroneous or incomplete reasoning. (TE)

Background: Although there are many high-quality models for program and evaluation planning, these models are often too intensive to be used in situations when time and resources are scarce. Additionally, there is little added value in using an elaborate and expensive program and evaluation planning procedure when programs are small or are planned…

This document provides an introduction to the relationship between the current knowledge of focused and creative thinking and artificial intelligence. A model for stages of focused and creative thinking gives: problem encounter/setting, preparation, concentration/incubation, clarification/generation and evaluation/judgment. While a computer can…

Investigated influence of sex-related contextual nature of tasks (male-related, female-related, and content-free tasks) and perceived difficulty of these tasks on logical reasoning of Nigerian high school students (N=70). Results indicated that males scored higher than females on male-related tasks and females scored higher on female-related…

Eleven specific thinking skills are discussed, along with activities to help teachers develop each skill in their students. The skills are: (1) observing; (2) comparing; (3) classifying; (4) imagining; (5) hypothesizing; (6) looking for assumptions; (7) collecting and organizing data; (8) summarizing; (9) interpreting; (10) problem solving; and…