Implementation fidelity is the degree of compliance with which the core elements of program or intervention practices are used as intended. The scientific literature reveals gaps in defining and assessing implementation fidelity in early intervention: lack of common definitions and conceptual framework as well as their lack of application. Through…

The interdisciplinary topic of creativity is both fascinating and controversial. In this review, we begin by highlighting the many ways that researchers conceptualize and define creativity, focusing in particular on the difference between everyday creativity and creativity associated with exceptional breakthroughs in thinking. In addition, we…

Currently, there is no agreement among scientists and science educators on whether heat should be defined as a "process of energy transfer" or "form of energy." For example, students may conceive of heat as "molecular kinetic energy," but the interpretation of this alternative conception is dependent on educational…

The quantity and quality of research and scholarship is a key indicator of the status of knowledge in a given discipline. Through academic publications, researchers disseminate the discipline's findings and accomplishments. For both new and old members in a discipline, being aware of what is being published in the major journals helps them…

The distinction between inductive and deductive forms of argument, as proposed by G. W. Ziegelmueller and C. A. Dause, is the focus of this paper. The first part of the paper reviews several grounds for distinguishing induction from deduction and explains that neither the traditional distinctions--those based on particular or universal premises,…

The cognition theories of Piaget as they apply to adults are examined in the light of new theories about the characteristics of formal reasoning abilities and their acquisition over a long life span. (JD)

A literature review both affirms and denies a relationship between creativity and public school achievement. A study involving 116 students from grades 6, 8, and 10 found that high levels of creative ability may contribute to a pattern of underachievement by interfering with convergent thinking within the time constraints of a regular classroom…

An attempt was made to determine whether the traits known as cognitive styles should be recognized as intellectual abilities or intellectual controls, or both. It was suggested that the structure of intellect model could serve as a frame of reference for future research in this area. (Author/RL)

The teaching of decision-making, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking skills is necessary to ensure adaptability to our world of accelerated change. Living skills in the technology and information age will include the understanding and application of higher level thinking skills, which will be the educational "basics" of tomorrow.…

The main thrust of American education has been cognitively oriented. Recent research on the human brain suggests that such orientation is a general function of only one hemisphere of the brain, the left. Because of the close relationships among speech, language, thinking, reasoning, and the higher mental functions, the left brain hemisphere…

Many criticize the educational system, arguing that it suppresses individual creativity. This paper proposes an alternative instructional design which is intended to be used by educators in planning for creative learning and assessing it in the classroom. It is based on the notion that everyone has the potential to be creative and that any process…

Intended for teachers across grade levels and disciplines, this monograph reviews research on the development of critical thinking skills and introduces a series of these skills that can be incorporated into classroom teaching. Beginning with a definition of critical thinking, the monograph contains two main sections. The first section reviews…

Whether the aim has been to understand the nature of creativity or to determine its development, researchers have formulated a number of measures of creativity. A glut of results and conclusions actually hinders an educational understanding of the term creativity. The most widely known tests of creativity incorporate divergent-thinking, as opposed…

Current writings on the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain are examined, focusing upon possible implications for improving present educational techniques. It has been generally accepted by researchers that the organizational and verbalizing processes are functions of the left cerebral hemisphere, while creative and intuitive…

Problems of a process approach to English for specific purposes courses for "convergent" academic disciplines are illustrated with an example of science instruction. Course designers must undertake task analysis of the intellectual abilities used in learning activities and relate these to the intellectual abilities of language learners. (Author/CB)