Argues for an approach to undergraduate instruction that incorporates recent research concerning schema theory (the continual cognitive restructuring and processing of information). Recommends beginning with fundamental skills and building on these to include more complex concepts and processes. Includes an illustrative example beginning with…

Describes the research rationale for the developmental course offered to entering students at Upsala College (NJ) called "Precise Thinking." This skills-development program integrates reading, writing, and mathematical skills with underlying metacognitive processes to teach students perseverance and strategies for problem-solving and self-directed…

A taxonomy for assessing development of speech-language clinicians based upon cognitive learning theory was applied in the analysis of videotaped clinical sessions involving three student clinicians. Developmental profiles in three areas of clinical problem solving (perspective taking, variables considered, and solutions generated) were derived.…

Examines the extent to which Japanese learners of English as a Second Language acquired a rule regulating the argument structure frames of novel English verbs after exposure to grammatical examples of sentences containing the verbs. Results showed significant differences in the extent of learning, with the focus-on-form conditions outperforming…

Describes the importance of learning to connect separate universes of knowledge into a coherent whole. It is a mistake to emphasize connecting schools to the Internet without considering the kinds of thinking processes students need in order to learn from the information they access. (LMI)

Asserts that technology and telecommunications have become integral parts of daily life. Discusses three roles that technology plays in improving the problem-solving process. Contends that students must learn to select from a variety of information sources. (CFR)

Describes the application of the problem method, or case study approach, to teach undergraduate research methods. Maintains that the approach is particularly applicable because research design is a classic ill-defined task. Reports that students find the method challenging and interesting. (CFR)

Provides concluding remarks for the theme issue on critical thinking skill development in college psychology courses. Maintains that conclusive evidence exists that critical thinking skills can be learned and are transferable. Encourages educators to make critical thinking a primary educational goal in all instruction. (CFR)

Review of models traditionally used by different disciplines to describe thinking processes led to development of a general model and testing in six pure and applied matched disciplines (physics, engineering, psychology, education, English literature, composition). Professors applied the models to their courses in different ways and used various…

Describes a study that identified various individual information seeking behavior patterns and determined how users' motivation, prior knowledge, gender, and cognitive processing influenced learning and retention within a hypermedia environment for undergraduate students. Use of the Group Embedded Figures Test is described and further research is…

Contends that a challenge of teaching humanistic geography is to encourage students' responses to landscapes in ways that may be different from their previous experience. Argues that conventional practices may not be appropriate instructional procedure in humanistic geography and describes an alternative approach. (CFR)

The growing body of research investigating how people search for or locate information in a variety of materials is reviewed and extended. Although the nature of materials and the complexity of locating tasks varies in the seven articles, each aims to elucidate the conditions that affect search processes. (SLD)

Asserts that teacher knowledge has become the focus of educational reform. Reviews research and professional literature on teacher knowledge. Concludes that the knowledge base of outstanding teachers is derived from divergent and complex sources and is buttressed by informed criticism on the part of the teachers. (CFR)

Through interviews and questionnaires explores five mature students' approaches to learning statistics from the theoretical perspective of activity theory. Analyses socio-historical factors relating to students' self-regulation of their cognitive activities and interpretation of the contexts affecting their approaches. Appendices include…

System-initiated adaptive advice and learner-requested nonadaptive background information were investigated in computer simulation game experiments with 64 seventh graders, 38 college students, and 80 seventh and eighth graders in Germany. Results are discussed in terms of theories of problem solving, intelligence, memory, and information…