Contributing to research delineating the cognitive processes of writers who are revising their own texts after feedback from members of their intended audience, a study (1) determined whether more able writers would be more responsive to their readers' feedback than would less able writers; and (2) verified results of a previous study indicating a…

This study examined the science process skill of prediction problem solving using naturalistic research methodology and information-processing theory. The think-aloud interview led to the identification of several specific program exploration and prediction behaviors. A total of 14 high school biology students made predictions concerning the…

This discussion of a major problem area in education--the curricular and implementation aspects of the application of the computer or new information technologies--focuses first on the use and integration of computers in existing courses or subjects in the curriculum, and defines some key terms. The next section considers issues in the…

Drawn from several comprehensive bibliographies and computer searches of volumes by speakers at the Conference on Thinking, this brief bibliography presents resources for researchers and practitioners interested in the areas of cognitive and critical thinking skills. The materials are divided into the following topic areas: (1) general, (2)…

The six "thought pieces" presented in this document summarize the personal perspectives of conference participants on issues raised in formal or information discussions, but not part of the central themes of the conference or conference papers. They include: (1) "Assuming That..." (Anne Nicol, Apple Computer, Inc.); (2) "A…

This paper reviews self-efficacy research with special emphasis on students in school. Bandura's emphasis on domain-specific assessment is useful for understanding student learning and fits well with current research on instructional processes. A self-efficacy model of student learning is presented, comprising entry characteristics, self-efficacy…

This paper outlines seven assumptions about teaching conditions that best facilitate critical thinking in the undergraduate psychology curriculum; the main ideas proposed in a model of critical thinking developed by a network of psychologists across the nation; and the application of this critical thinking model to the undergraduate curriculum.…

At the heart of all human learning is the person seeking to grow, develop, and realize something of value in and through another person. Learning is essentially dependent on the relationships between student and teacher, and between the students themselves. In that all knowledge is value-based and developed to achieve something of personal…

An alternative to the standard "rule based" account of a child's acquisition of the past tense in English is presented in this paper. While the rule based assumption suggests that children typically pass through a three-phase acquisition process in which they first learn past tense by rote, then learn the past tense rule and overregularize, and…

In an effort to understand why pictures are used to supplement learning material, a study explored (1) the role of humor in recall, and (2) whether the effects of humor are independent of the individual's ability level. Subjects--students from either the high SAT (approximate average of 1200 points) population (HS), or the low SAT (approximate…

A series of studies was conducted over a three-year period to determine whether the teaching technique developed in the 1960s called "inquiry training" is effective for teaching problem-solving, thinking, and/or decision-making skills. (Inquiry training is a process in which students are provided with a puzzling situation, are given the…

The effectiveness of three strategy training methods was compared with 15 learning disabled (LD) children of two age groups (9 to 10 and 11 to 12 years old) and 15 nonLD children in the same age group. The methods (practice, in which the Ss were to find the best way to remember; specific strategy method, in which the Ss used a specific cumulative…

A study using a biasing paradigm examined four hypotheses regarding specific mechanisms thought to underlie the Assimilation-plus-Correction (A-C) theory of schema-text interactions. According to this theory, the ideas implied by a schema (type-1 ideas) are thought to be assimilated and obscured, while those ideas representing novel information…

A study was conducted to investigate the compensatory effects of graphic organizers on text organization. Subjects were 114 tenth grade students who read two versions of an expository passage containing identical information but differing in top level structure. The version organized to show opposing views (comparison/contrast) was considered…

In this course text on second language acquisition, the latest research of Halle and Chomsky, Lenneberg, Hatch, Larsen-Freeman, Dulay and Burt, and Krashen is presented. The text covers such topics as the effects of environment, age, and personality on second language acquisition; the role of the first language; and error analysis. Enough has been…