Potential interactions between four factors of educational interest within small group research were studied: (1) type of problem; (2) group composition; (3) group norm; and (4) group productivity. Reliable interactions were obtained for: (1) sex x group norm; (2) sex x group norm x productivity; and (3) type of problem x productivity. (Author/LMO)

Changes in education and technology have substantially altered the kinds of skills required of university administrators, emphasizing the need for managerial and problem-solving abilities. Many of these skills can be acquired with appropriate training, but it will be increasingly necessary for institutions to assure that their managers have them.…

Explains the context in which courses aimed at improving problem-solving skills are implemented. Describes the structure and content of courses and evaluates activities designed to develop problem-solving skills, including a discussion of factors affecting students in their ability to perform. (JM)

This study elucidates specific contextual factors important to decentration. Verbal utterances of 24 dyads of children (aged 6) and adults while communicating in a standardized problem-solving situation were analyzed according to egocentric versus decentric language categories and compared to child-child dyads. (Author/BS)

A survey regarding class-related problems and their resolution found that the most common problems concerned faculty-student interactions. The most important technique of discovering them was individual discussion; techniques for resolution included administrator-student bag lunches and administration representatives on faculty committees. (MSE)

The problem-solving strategy "look for a pattern" is explored. The staircase problem and the region problem are discussed in detail, with varying solution procedures, and three other problem activities are outlined. (MNS)

Discusses a survey of business educators and employers that determined whether business education curricula are addressing certain nontechnical competencies such as (1) problem solving, (2) stress management, (3) professional characteristics, (4) communication skills, and (5) human relations principles. Results indicate that students are not well…

Many undergraduate medical curricula have been criticized for not adequately preparing graduates to be independent problem-solvers able to analyze clinical and published evidence. A program in the critical appraisal of medical literature at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine is described. (MLW)

Describes adventure games, a genre of computer simulation games that require the use of creative and intuitive approaches similar to those used in online database searching, and suggests that they can be used in training online searchers to develop creative problem solving skills. Reviews of several available adventure games are included. (EJS)

The Children's Creative Response to Conflict Program conducts workshops that help participants deal with conflict situations. During the workshop sessions participants are introduced to the three themes of cooperation, communication, and affirmation. These are the foundations on which successful conflict resolution is built. (RM)

The journal club is seen as one of the most frequently used instructional methods in postgraduate medical education. The purpose is to evoke interest in scientific research and promote critical reading skills while updating knowledge in specific content areas.(MLW)

Describes the construction of a chemistry laboratory. Also discusses the place of science in school technology teaching, a study of students' understanding of simple quantitative relationships in chemistry, and the objectives of school physics. (JN)

This study of individual differences in performance of a geometric analogies task included four-alternative test items and studied eye movements and confidence judgments as well as latency and error. Results were interpreted using two hypothesized performance strategies: constructive matching and response elimination. (Author/BW)

A study found that there is a significant difference in student achievement when teaching farm management and agricultural marketing concepts and problem solving with microcomputer-assisted instruction as compared to the lecture-discussion teaching method; and that there is little difference in achievement when comparing teachers' knowledge and…

A successful college merger is often conditioned by geography, previous cooperation, complementary instructional programs, academic excellence, and common political interest. Suggestions when considering a merger are offered. A case study of a failed merger between Detroit Institute of Technology and Wayne State University is presented. (MLW)