Offers two assignments to develop students' problem solving skills: the first focuses on drawing issues, distinguishing key from subsidiary issues, and determining the relative importance of supportive details; the second helps students develop coping skills, relating the known to the unknown in a simulation of the work environment. (RL)

A 1985 "Weekly Reader" survey found that school children predict worsening United States and global conditions that bear no relationship to the rosy futures envisioned for themselves. To help children grasp consequences of large-scale events affecting their lives, some educators advocate using a futures wheel for charting trends and…

Discusses the value of critical thinking in higher education and the role of the librarian in teaching these skills. Nine questions that students can use to evaluate their readings are listed, and class discussion of library research methods and review of the evaluation questions are recommended. (11 references) (MES)

The potential for use of simulation and game theory in social work education to make problem solving more real and to supplement experience in analysis is examined. Simulation models, materials, methods, and topics are discussed. (MSE)

The purpose of a "case analysis" course offered at John Marshall Law School was to train students in the dissection and use of judicial decisions as they are used by lawyers themselves. This case analysis method is explained in detail, and its application to a sample case is illustrated. (JMD)

Reviews the background leading to the development and evaluation of problems to examine student ability to do qualitative reasoning, applying concepts rather than algorithms. Describes creation of quantitative and qualitative problem papers, summarizes results, and proposes distinctions based on cognitive difficulty. (JM)

A review of the critical thinking literature reveals that there is growing interest in developing instructional strategies to develop students' critical thinking skills and dispositions. This paper reviews the research literature regarding the nature of critical thinking in the following areas: (1) differences in the conceptualization of critical…

Since media consumers must make a great many judgments about media messages and the effectiveness of any given message in meeting one's needs, media teachers should develop materials and activities to facilitate the learning of effective media usage skills. Teachers can help students to become more effective media consumers by providing an…

Debate paradigms, which at one time established standards to help judges evaluate arguments and rules to guide debaters' argument choice and strategy selection, no longer offer consistent guidance for either judges or debaters. An increased emphasis on creativity and flexibility has led to a general unwillingness to use a rigid debate format. The…

Challenges certain theoretical assumptions underlying educational administration. Demands critical thinking about ethical aspects, particularly the relationship between "quality of judgement" and "deciding rightness." Proposes an ethics program for school administrators incorporating values reflected in schools as a social…

Describes "Bulletin Board" software program, which permits individuals or student groups to write, read, and/or evaluate student and instructor-generated multiple-choice and essay questions and to write and read news items. The program thus engages students more deeply in active learning, assessing course material, and providing peer…

Reports on a study of 614 experienced music teachers, non-music teachers, college-level music students, and non-music students on the effect of sequential patterns and different modes of presentation of music teaching. Finds that experienced teachers' evaluations were significantly higher than those of university students. (CFR)

A study explored the responses of medical students, resident physicians, and experienced physicians to 12 vignettes describing hypothetical patients to determine the relationship between clinical experience and susceptibility to bias in treatment decisions resulting from presentation of possible outcomes. Framing bias was most evident in the…

A course to introduce medical students to formal models of medical diagnostic reasoning at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is described. The students are encouraged to integrate facts and concepts from the basic sciences into strategies of diagnostic reasoning. (MLW)

Provides advice for constructing an activity log directing students in writing a sociology term paper. Includes topic selection, outline, critical thinking, information gathering, analysis of findings, and completing a semifinal draft. Recommends that each step have a firm due date to reduce procrastination. Suggests that sequencing activities…