"Active Citizenship Today" (ACT) is a service learning program for the social studies. There are two things that make ACT different from other service learning programs: (1) the "learning" in service -- learning refers to traditional social studies content and skills (it is a civics model); and (2) ACT is built around a problem-solving framework.…

This study examined the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in a foundational teacher education course at Alabama's Samford University. It measured students' attitudes within the university and in the teacher education course. All undergraduate students were asked to complete a "Student Attitude and Activities Assessment…

This manual presents an 18-step program designed both to teach parents the skills they need to manage difficult adolescent behavior and to improve family relationships overall. Steps 1 through 9 modify the approach presented in Russell Barkley's earlier edition, "Defiant Children," to focus on developmental concerns of adolescence. Clear…

This paper describes the transfer of skills and knowledge from the classroom to outside the classroom. The action research focused on transfer, how to facilitate transfer, and why to concentrate on transfer, and it included a definition for the different levels and rates of transfer. Seventh and eighth grade students were not using existing…

A model of in-service teacher training was designed to facilitate staff receptivity, and to help redirect teachers away from a problem view of students' behaviors and towards a solution-focused perspective. The model helps orient teachers to an ecological view of students' problem behaviors. The solution-focused perspective means teachers approach…

This study examines the changes in students' conceptual thinking and problem solving abilities. Conceptual thinking skills and problem solving abilities are important factors for medical school applicants as diagnosis and treatment procedures strongly depend on these skills. Underrepresented minorities in medicine is a concern in United States,…

Theories of development in childhood maintain that equality plays an important role in peer interactions during middle childhood. One particular situation that can provoke problems is the request for help. Helping is not an easy situation because an individual's need for something creates an imbalance which children try to avoid. This study…

This paper discusses caring relationships and their importance in supporting student learning, examining a study conducted at a public elementary school. The first section describes a theoretical context for care in the school community and argues for its presence in capturing the essence of school reform. It explores one component of care,…

Paper presented at the Fifteenth Duke University Conference on Teaching the Social Studies.

Reprinted from "Manpower and Applied Psychology , Volume II, Number 1, 1968.

A seminar was developed to increase students' learning opportunities in respiratory disease and to identify common problem areas in hospital medical care. It provided practice in clinical diagnosis and patient management by promoting dialog, faculty feedback, and self-evaluation. Specific case studies are used for discussion. (MSE)

Characterizes typical training programs on "learning to think," outlines past research, and lists criteria for an aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) study of the relationship between tasks, training methods, and student attributes. Details are given of two computerized experiments examining the different effects of algorithmic and…

The development and validation of a system teaching problem-solving in pharmacotherapeutics is described. The module was developed for both small group and self-instruction using clinical cases in hypertension. Results show the method to be an effective means of teaching therapeutic information focusing on patient situations. (MSE)

A problem-solving lesson is described, with a worksheet involving the gauges on a car's instrument panel. (MNS)