An observational study investigated which teaching opportunities within a role play activity could be considered valuable for the improvement of mathematical thinking. Observations indicated many such opportunities, suggesting that if teachers manage to make use of such teaching opportunities, children can explicitly reflect on the relationship…

Describes three episodes in Sendai, Japan: (1) reasoning with number patterns (grade one); (2) engaging in logical analysis (grade five); and (3) a reason to reason (grade five). Observation of these episodes reinforces importance of the teacher's patience in guiding the lesson and encouraging several alternative solutions from students. Lessons…

Explores ways in which conventional assignments can be modified and expanded to include critical thinking and writing vis-a-vis the main concepts of the course. Argues for engaging students' pre-existing ideas in order to incorporate new ideas into class content. Presents course exercises and grading rubrics that can serve as formative assessments…

Described are activities involving higher order thinking skills developed for gifted students that can be used for all students. Discussed is a framework for designing activities using Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain and William's Student Behaviors. Sample activities are included. (KR)

Addresses the problem of graduate students' lack of analytical skills and inability to handle theory. Maintains that the problem is the atheoretical content of undergraduate textbooks. Surveys seven introductory political science textbooks, and finds no discussion on the current dominant modes of theoretical discourse in the field. (RW)

Discusses programs to provide a knowledge base and use the knowledge in a mode of artificial intelligence. Indicates that two methods of database storage are possible and opts to use a method using many data files while using a small RAM capacity. Lists several programs. (MVL)

A study of gender bias in the Dental Admission Test's mathematics test and its validity in predicting dental school success found no significant difference between male and female performance and no significant difference in the predictive validity of items favoring males or females. (Author/MSE)

Presents a strategy for science learning through a game activity which uses human and/or animal footprints. Provides numerous ideas for creativity in constructing a story and adapting tracks for experiential experiences. (RT)

The use of cellular automata to analyze several pre-Socratic hypotheses about the evolution of the physical world is discussed. These hypotheses combine characteristics of both rigorous and metaphoric language. Since the computer demands explicit instructions for each step in the evolution of the automaton, such models can reveal conceptual…

Reports on a study of the effects of computer-simulated experiments (CSE), problem solving, and conventional approaches on high school students' chemistry achievement, science process skills, and attitudes toward chemistry. Testing indicated CSE and problem solving produced greater achievement in chemistry and science process skills. CSE produced…

Gifted elementary students at the Center for Gifted Education in Columbia, Missouri, participated in a seminar designed to teach them the fundamentals of chess and other strategy board games. Students learned that beginning chess is accessible to everyone, learned problem solving and concentration, and created their own strategy board games. (JDD)

Describes decision-aiding software, Policy/Goal Percentaging (P/G%), that can process a set of controversial alternatives when used with microcomputer-aided instruction. The benefits and objectives of microcomputer use are discussed, and applications of the software to problems in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities…

Describes use of the little-known Shuttle Puzzle in computer programming to elucidate the process of analyzing a problem and synthesizing observations into an algorithm that can be used to generate a programming solution. The process used to solve the problem reflects one that an expert uses. The method could be adapted for small-group cooperative…

Studies different methods of teaching argumentation to middle school students. Concludes that explicit instruction in argumentative form and argument structure sharpens students' judgment regarding the content and organization needed to generate logically connected arguments and improves students' writing of arguments. Finds that such an approach…

In the context of higher education, the role of mentoring new staff is variously established, though often informal. It is sometimes associated with research supervision, but more recently the increasing sophistication of the roles of staff has seen the introduction of "mentoring" to manage induction. In South Africa, a strong motivation…