This report presents an overview of research related to the development of the "Wisconsin Tests of Testimony and Reasoning Assessment," a battery of seven tests for assessing student development in the mastery of relevant concepts and skills of verbal argument for grades 10-12. Provided are (1) a discussion of the rationale for and…

Curriculum guides for four social studies instruction modules at the secondary level are included in this document. The general format for each twelve week course includes a diagram of concept relationships, prefatory remarks, and an outline of concepts coordinated with activities and instructional resources. The first module, Geographic Patterns,…

A realistic and challenging teaching of civics is needed in an age of increased concern of man for his fellow men. Textbooks are inadequate because of their emphasis on conclusions and judgments. Controversial issues must be submitted to critical research and critical thinking in the classroom. To promote understanding the uniqueness of American…

Having a twofold purpose, this booklet serves as an instructional guide for teachers and as a text for junior high students. Emphasis is upon students learning to think reflectively about major issues facing a Democratic society and to analyze various claims that they read and hear everyday in the world around them. An objective of the study is to…

The four dimensions of this unit on politics for grade 9 are: political behavior, politics and the law, political action, and political theory. The course involves grouping students according to need, and attempts to get the prepared student into the community. Study skills, critical thinking, valuing and inquiry are integral parts of the course.…

Thirty-three supplementary teaching activities are provided to complement existing curricula related to food. Content covers food production and distribution, nutrition, food shortages, food habits, meal planning, and other topics appropriate for secondary and adult programs. Although the objectives are varied for each lesson, taken as a whole…

Ten reference works for assistance in improving instruction cover such topics as note-taking, student learning styles, learning theories, examinations, lecturing, student cognitive processes, improving student attention, teaching for critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. (MSE)

Reports on a study which investigated the possibility of improving five-year-olds' critical thinking skills in reading and mathematics by using computers. Results indicate improvement in the reading area but not in the mathematics area. (RKM)

Suggests that children need instruction in reading to produce readers who are capable of seeing deeper layers of meaning in a text and "shifting gears" to see stories in a new way in order to appreciate their complexity. (JC)

Discusses a study exploring the effect of the social context of two contrasting types of discussion--question and answer, and response centered--on students' interpretation of a literary work. Concludes that certain characteristics of the question and answer discussion may have inhibited students' interpretive responses. (JC)

Offers 10 basic principles that express the beliefs of the deans of 12 Pennsylvania colleges about the nature of literature, how it is best studied, how it is best taught, and the relationship between writing and literature. (SRT)

Peace education requires that teacher and student be seen as co-learners. The student must be seen as an active learner, not a passive recipient of teacher lectures or narratives. Students' thinking on peace/war issues should be the starting point and the continual reference point in the curriculum. (RM)

Describes program operation, applications, and teacher and student opinions of DELPHI, a computer program used in a wide variety of subjects which allows students and instructors to enter questions anonymously for others to answer. These question-answer pairs are then presented to other students or the instructor for comment or evaluation. (MBR)

Teachers and students can view the world of animals together through an exploration of how-and-why questions about animals in this curriculum unit. The problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students are improved through interactive activities involving oral and written communication, mathematics, creative arts, music, dance, and creative…

Teaching tolerance and appreciation for diversity becomes more important as changing demographics require schools to prepare students for increasing diversity. Teachers can help students develop more positive racial attitudes through instructional interventions. However, it is important to implement experiences designed to influence educators'…