Provides a ready-to-use outline for an instructional unit on using analogies as a reading skill. (JT)

This description of the teaching approach of Henry Schaefer-Simmern emphasizes his use of questioning to evoke student self-evaluation and to develop clarity of vision and interfunctional unity in students' art products and their mental, artistic conceiving. Two case reports of his work with elementary students are included. (Author/SJL)

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)

If a school's goal is to improve the quality of the educational environment that it provides for its students--one that encourages creative thinking and problem solving, cooperative learning, and higher levels of thinking--then a principal must create the same type of atmosphere for those individuals most directly responsible for the success of…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) was reauthorized by the U.S. Congress in 2004, yet ongoing regulatory efforts are required to determine its operationalization and implementation. Of particular concern to school psychologists and others involved in the educational process are the guidelines for identification of…

This multimethod study generated and tested a "best evidence" model of school improvement processes (SIP) capable of improving student achievement. Initially developed through the review of a comprehensive body of previous empirical research, the model was further refined through a 2, 5-year longitudinal study in 10 schools. A quantitative test of…

Effective residential care of disturbed adolescents depends on integration of treatment programs. For a unit to be successful, an important function of its director is monitoring the therapeutic input so the recurring conflicts of aims do not render staff ineffective. Director qualities required include a capacity to be at ease with divergent…

Describes types of questions that marketing teachers use to evaluate student knowledge and understanding. Discusses narrow question types which are (1) cognitive-memory or (2) convergent, and broad question types which are (1) divergent or (2) evaluative. (CH)

For 235 ninth-grade students, intercorrelations of Guilford's structure-of-intellect (SOI) tests and of three measures of critical thinking were factor analyzed. The study reveals the viability of using SOI constructs involving cognition and evaluation of semantic content as likely explanatory components of critical thinking. (Author/AL)

The article describes Academic Game Bowls, a program of academic competition for gifted and talented elementary and secondary students in the Allegheny Intermediate Unit of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Aspects discussed include preparation, follow-through, follow-up, game models, and facilities. (DLS)

The domain specificity and generality of an important critical thinking skill was examined by administering nine reasoning and decision-making tasks to 125 adults. Performance across tasks displayed considerable domain specificity, but five tasks displayed moderate convergence. Performance on tasks that displayed domain generality was more…

Representations and changes between them play a major role in education (e.g., Hewson, Beeth, & Thorley, 1998), problem solving (e.g., Bauer & Reiser, 1990), cognitive development (e.g., Vosniadou & Brewer, 1992), and the history of science (e.g., Kuhn, 1970). By definition, change of representations is also indispensable for collaborative work…

In a study of tests on diagnosis it was found that confidence measures of knowledge adjusted for reasoning were more reliable than conventional measures of knowledge, supporting the idea that knowledge enhances the ability to recognize the diagnostic entities, and realism is associated with fewer premature closures. (MSE)

Studies the personality traits of carefully defined groups of students in further education colleges and correlates these traits with academic success on unaggregated measures of attainment and with aspects of convergent and divergent thinking. (CT)

The article provides practical information and techniques for effectively using creative problem-solving. Six stages of problem solving, with both convergent and divergent thinking phases, are discussed. Also discussed are equipment, time frames, and environmental requirements for creative problem-solving sessions. Sample exercises are offered.…