"The Step Method: Learning and Practicing Thinking Skills" was developed for deaf students as a career education curriculum. (BD)

Two types of instruction were emphasized in the solution of insight problems. One study directed subjects to reformulate their initial view of the problem to avoid unnecessary assumptions about it; another required visualization of problem components. Results indicated that reformulation instructions contributed to performance, but visualization…

Describes one technical writing teacher's use of group writing projects in which students write and present a marketing report of a product they have invented. Points out that such projects teach students valuable skills in group dynamics, as well as technical writing skills. (ARH)

Differences in cognitive and interpersonal characteristics between good problem solvers and good problem posers (inventors) were examined with 35 ninth graders. Good problem posers were more field independent and had a more positive self image than problem solvers. (DB)

Presents a summary of recent ideas in the area of industrial innovation. Analyzes varying viewpoints on models of the processes of innovation and poses questions for future study, research, and policy formation. (ML)

Relates how Charles Martin Hall discovered the method of making pure aluminum metal in 1886. Retraces the events and steps that led to the process of aluminum purification. Includes diagrams of the apparatus used in the investigations. (ML)

Today, because of the problem-solving skills necessary for successful 21st century living, students must be taught higher-order thinking skills. Principles intended to stimulate discussion about the appropriate means for teaching higher-order thinking are examined. (RM)

On-the-job experience is commonly regarded as the prime prerequisite for proficiency. This paper presents findings of a study that compared the ways in which a group of practicing elementary principals (n=31) and aspiring principals (n=25) thought their way through a case study. The study was conducted as part of the Cognitive Approaches to School…

Recommends a freshman year curriculum of one course each in quantitative and qualitative reasoning. The decision-making skills acquired would enable each student to assess his abilities and chart the course of his education. (WM)

Effective decision-making depends upon true communication among decision-makers. Futurists should develop fundamental thinking skills such as the ability to formulate good questions, consider alternative points of view, and set short- and long-range goals. By example and through education, the "tools of futuristics" can be employed usefully in…

Describes a study undertaken to determine why citizens who endorse democratic procedural norms in the abstract are unable to apply these norms to unpopular groups or actions. Findings indicated that principled thinkers surpass nonprincipled thinkers in applying democratic principles and that educators should work to facilitate development of civic…

Presents an overview of the four component parts of the activity of problem solving. These are the types of problems to be solved, the necessary prerequisites, the strategies, and the elements used in applying the strategies. (HM)

In studying the effects of different teaching methods on preschoolers' language abilities it was found that the productive training condition produced more generalized responding on other kinds of tasks. (Editor)