A fact-finding exercise used in a study of principals' problem-solving behaviors is analyzed in this paper. Forty-two subjects with varying degrees of administrative experience participated in fact-finding and thinking-aloud exercises prior to responding to a case study. Problem definition, a key component of the problem-solving process, was a…

Recently, an emphasis has been placed on the new paradigm of teacher reflection as an expression of what should be developed in teacher education programs. A discussion is presented on this term as it relates to the "teacher as a reflective decision-maker" model for clinical instruction and teacher evaluation occuring within such…

The nature and role of criteria in evaluation of adult education programs are presented in this study. The first half of the paper discusses several premises: The goal of evaluation is to use program judgments in the program decision making process. Criteria are essential to judgment and determining the type of criteria that is relevant is an…

Examines the extent to which the inability to translate decisionally relevant information into matrix form and knowledge about decision rule use act as impediments to consistent choice-making. Indicates that instruction, in decision matrix construction and decision rule application, increases students' decision making consistency. (JK)

Based on written case folder information, 161 preservice teachers made special education classification and placement decisions and indicated what factors they felt had influenced their decisions. Although they believed that test results had exercised the strongest influence, the stated reason for referral actually had the most significant…

Describes four experiments conducted among adults and 3- to 7-year-olds to validate a task analysis that indicates that the equality, group enhancement, and superiority social decisions require a greater information processing load than the altruism, rivalry, and individualism social decisions. (HOD)

Ethnographic interviews with 23 college-aged women revealed most considered few career alternatives, relied on easily accessible information sources, made choices early in life, stayed with the choice, and decided to either "earn money" or "stay at home." The others considered several alternatives, pursued them, and linked them to relationships…

The major purpose of this book is to introduce teachers (and by that the author means all types of teachers-classroom teachers, administrators, teacher aids, parents and coaches) to various individual and group thinking strategies related to specific questions and activities. This guide is a personal interpretation and critique of those strategies…

Ways in which to identify the correct problems to solve thereby avoiding the misappropriation of time, talent, and resources are presented. The text is divided into 3 parts: "The Foundation for Smart Thinking,""How to Solve the Right Problems," and "Systems Thinking for the Systems Age." The chapters under these headings are: Chapter 1, "The…

Investigated participants' assessments of the anticipated effectiveness of their judgmental decisions in several studies. Found that their estimates were poorly and inconsistently related to objective measures of effectiveness. This result raises a need for improved approaches to assessing judgmental decisions and identifying participants who make…

Discussing the Jonestown mass suicide, Charles Manson, etc., this article maintains children must be alerted to the fact that there are people and advocacies capable of exerting the kind of influence that causes followers to act with total irrationality; educators must emphasize the development of strong, questioning minds. (Author/JC)

The role of decision making, and its import for generating social change are examined. Decision making is considered from psychological, semantic, and scientific viewpoints, and suggestions for constructive change in social studies curricula are offered. (RJG)

Examined elementary students' evaluations of decision-making procedures in different social contexts. Found that consensus was preferred in peer and family contexts and authority-based procedures were preferred for school curricular decisions. Older children were more likely than younger to consider how children's limited knowledge and competence…

Despite the critical importance of maintaining a valid and transparent selection process that serves the values held by all stakeholders involved in medical education (i.e., students, faculty, society), there continue to be problems with the current state of available admissions protocols. Some problems derive from inertia induced by inaccurate…

Whether judgments made by complete strangers as to the intelligence of subjects are accurate or merely illusory was studied in Germany. Target subjects were 50 female and 50 male adults recruited through a newspaper article. Eighteen judges, who did not know the subjects, were recruited from a university community. Videorecordings of the subjects,…