Noting that the collective stories of special education have grown out of a tradition that, by its nature tends to perpetuate problems, this book examines such narratives and how they influence thinking and belief about intelligence and learning. It begins by examining how the current story of intelligence developed and illustrates some of the…

The intent of this publication is to consolidate and critique research findings related to teaching and learning in the sciences as they were reported in 1990. The purposes of this and previous summaries include: (1) providing an overview of recent research activity for scholars in the field; (2) providing research information in succinct form for…

Noting that college-level critical thinking instruction is now an interdisciplinary movement coordinating such fields as English, rhetoric, philosophy, and developmental psychology, this digest surveys the history of critical thinking studies in these converging disciplines and argues that literature study preeminently encompasses the mental…

This study investigated the types of tactics and strategies students used in working with computer simulations and examined if the skills acquired when using the computer simulation could be applied in other settings. Sixth grade students (N=50) from three different schools participated in the study and were observed over a period of six weeks.…

Research findings on college instruction and basic skills deficiencies are discussed in 12 papers from the first Regional Conference on University Teaching. Titles and authors are as follows: "Basic Skills: Dealing with Deficiencies" (Susanne D. Roueche, with responses by Gary B. Donart, Betty Harris, and James Nordyke); "Is Higher Education an…

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a middle school inservice course emphasizing science process skills on the development of integrated process skills and on logical thinking. Twenty-two middle-school science teachers from the Detroit Public Schools participated in this project. A "Resourcebook of Science Process…

These conference proceedings include two invited lectures, four working group reports, seven reports from topic groups, one ad hoc presentation paper, a list of participants and a list of previous proceedings. The invited lectures were: "Mathematics Education and Technology" (Christine Keital); and "All One System" (Lynn A.…

Piaget's model of children's conceptual learning and development was compared with Klausmeier's Conceptual Learning and Development (CLD) model in a longitudinal study. The CLD model suggests four successive levels of concept learning: (1) concrete--recognizing an object which has been encountered previously; (2) identity--recognizing a known…

The Conceptual Learning and Development (CLD) Model specifies four levels of concept attainment (concrete, identity, classificatory, and formal) and three uses of concepts (problem solving, subordinate-supraordinate, and principles). Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of concept attainment may be conducted. The results of this study of 300…

Two sections in this survey of research on conceptualization are devoted to "Recent Conceptual Studies in the Behaviourist Mould" and "Main Stream of Ontogenetic Studies of Conceptualization." Under Section I, topics investigated are behaviourist approaches to the conceptual process, conceptual problems, and developmental…

The disciplines, the means by which knowledge is generated and organized, provide a logical framework for the selection and organization of curriculum content. Curriculum development based on the disciplines facilitates content selection and cooperation with scientists and is compatible with the training of teachers and public expectancies. A…

Assesses critical thinking teaching models, including skill development, problem-solving, logical thinking, multiaspect, and information processing approaches. Stresses creating open classroom environments where critical thinking that fosters effective, thoughtful decision making can flourish. Argues that teaching can and should be less…

In answering the question posed in the title, the author begins with a story that businessman Jamie Vollmer told to educators a few years ago. In examining business involvement in U.S. school reform, the author looks at the 1890s through 1920s and the 1970s to the present--two points in history when business leaders and educational entrepreneurs,…

This study investigated whether there was a significant difference between multiple intelligence instruction (MII) and traditionally designed science instruction (TDSI) on fourth grade students' understanding of concepts associated with the "Diversity of Living Things" unit. Students' intelligence types were also examined. There were two…

This paper presents a rationale for teaching higher level thinking skills to students with special needs, including those with mild mental handicaps and learning disabilities. It briefly reviews the literature on teaching such skills, stressing that thinking skills can be taught through specific teaching methods such as a four-step method…