This study explores the integration of Design Thinking into the Key Stage 3 Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum at a school in North-West England, focusing on fostering 21st-Century Skills alongside subject-specific knowledge. The research draws on a multiple case study approach derived from the 'Solving Genuine Problems for Authentic Users…

In many Western countries, there has been an emphasis on ways in which to support teachers to shift practice from traditional mathematics instruction to inquiry-based classrooms. As a form of professional learning and development, lesson study offers the potential for teachers to develop their ability to respond to students' thinking through…

This study is focused on identifying and describing the reasoning patterns of middle grade students when examining potentially similar figures. Described here is a framework that includes 11 strategies that students used during clinical interview to differentiate similar and non-similar figures. Two factors were found to influence the strategies…

The relationship between mathematical creativity (MC) and mathematical problem-solving performance (MP) has often been studied but the causal relation between these two constructs has yet to be clearly reported. The main purpose of this study was to define the causal relationship between MC and MP. Data from a representative sample of 480…

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures…

Describes a teaching experiment conducted with fourth grade students in field of experience of gears. Identifies characteristics which, given suitable sequence of tasks and proper teacher guidance, have enabled pupils to approach theoretical thinking. Presents early findings of the teaching experiments at the external level of interpersonal…

Studied the introduction of talk and writing to stimulate and sustain conceptual change in science in a class of 12 Italian fourth graders. Data show that reasoning and arguing collaboratively and writing to express and reflect on conceptualizations are useful tools in the knowledge revision process. (SLD)

Cover story, in the sense of context, is a potentially relevant factor in the assessment of reasoning and problem solving in science, given repeated demonstration of its effects on laboratory tasks. This study follows up on a preliminary interview study that showed cover story influenced the way students were assessed at the end of an…

Four students participated in a two year study (fifth- and sixth-grade) focused on the development of their understanding of multiplication of fractions. During the first year, all students received individualized instruction designed to encourage them to build on their informal knowledge of partitioning to solve problems involving multiplication…

Comparison of cognitive performance of 51 students with hearing loss and 64 hearing students indicated that, at age 10, students with hearing loss performed better on nonverbal tasks and worse on verbal tasks. At age 13, students with hearing loss performed poorly in both verbal and nonverbal tasks. (Author/SW)

Argues that skepticism is the force that keeps inquiry in motion. Describes how two fourth-grade classes' ongoing investigations of birds fostered a skeptical stance. Relates stories from these classrooms to illustrate three strategies that support learning to be skeptics: examining knowledge in context; challenging the assumptions of models; and…

Analyzes the structure of argumentative discourse produced when small groups of children discuss issues raised by stories they have read, examining the discourse from story discussions in two fourth-grade classrooms. Compares and contrasts two approaches of representing the structure of classroom arguments (the argument network and the causal…

The use of a visual representation in learning about proportional relations was studied, examining students' understandings of the invariance of a multiplicative relation on both sides of a proportion equation and the invariance of the structural relations that exist in different semantic types of proportion problems. Subjects were 49 high-ability…

Changes in children's understanding of experimentation are examined. Sixteen fifth and sixth graders worked on two experimentation problems consistent with an engineering and science model, respectively. The science model was associated with broader exploration, more selectiveness about evidence interpreted, and greater attention to establishing…

Demonstrated an experiment on the properties of air to 2 groups of Swedish fourth graders (total n=45), using familiar materials in one case and unfamiliar, "scientific," materials in the other. Written explanations by students show that the unfamiliar materials were a barrier to understanding and may have actually obstructed students'…