Two studies compared strengths and deficiencies in the problem solving abilities of about 80 learning disabled and 110 nondisabled fifth and sixth graders using a microcomputer as an assessment tool. No significant differences in performance on problem solving tasks were found. The microcomputer is postulated as possibly responsible for this…

The effects of two instructional methods on the questioning strategies of 40 10- to 12-year-old learning disabled children were investigated. Results indicated that both the question formulation instruction and the cognitive modeling/self-verbalization instruction were effective in improving their questioning concerning novel problems. (Author/DB)

The thinking-out-loud procedure provides teachers with an excellent mechanism for collecting information about students' thought processes and affective states during problem solving. Mathematics teachers can implement this process by modeling it during whole-class problem-solving sessions, proceeding slowly and encouragingly, working with small…

Exploration of collaboration preferences of six mathematically gifted children (ages 11-12) in solving complex, novel problems found collaboration was preferred only when the task was sufficiently challenging. When collaboration was encouraged there was the development of mutual scaffolding, shared cognition, critical thinking, and discernment and…

Conventional experimental research in mental imagery and visualization presents conflicting findings. Naturalistic inquiry offers an alternative approach for the study of mental imagery and problem solving. Paulo Freire, for example, used a naturalistic approach that emphasized active involvement in learning. Imagery can play an important role in…

Summarizes several creative strategies to increase students' awareness of, and commitment to, constructive values in a classroom setting. These simple exercises include brainstorming and reverse brainstorming, imagining consequences, analogical thinking, empathy, questioning and discussion, and problem-solving approaches. (MLH)

Describes a mathematics education research project conducted among seventh graders with the goal of identifying important processes, skills, and understandings needed by students to use mathematical ideas in everyday situations. Discusses information utilization skills required for solving a written problem containing extensive verbal and…

A survey of participatory management practices at eight representative middle schools disclosed three key differences between more and less effective principals. Effective principals felt responsible for all aspects of their schools, accurately perceived how teachers viewed their relationships and involvement levels, and identified key teacher…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT (Except for the Evaluation Summary Table): PRODUCER: MECC Publications, 2520 Broadway Drive, St. Paul, MN 55113. LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS: Contact producer for list. EVALUATION COMPLETED: Fall 1981, revised February 1, 1982. VERSION: 4.3. COST: Varied; sold in package of several programs on a disk at $30…

Results of this study of 30 middle school students with learning disabilities indicated that, despite a positive attitude toward mathematics, subjects differed from average-achieving and gifted students in general mathematical achievement and problem-solving ability. Mathematical problem solving was related to ability to represent problems and…

The essential idea of alternative assessment modes is for students to create some product and reflect on it. The authenticity of tasks means using regular classroom instruction as an opportunity for student assessment. Reflective self-evaluation should be an integral part of every classroom assignment, not an obligatory afterthought. Developing…

This study examined the use of Conflict Managers, a program teaching students communication skills and the ways to apply these skills to resolve their own conflicts. Participating were 33 fourth and fifth graders from middle class families and with varying academic abilities. Of the participants, 23 were Caucasian, 4 Asian-American, 1…

In a project on the development of performance assessments in science, researchers have developed four types of assessment: comparative, component identification, classification, and observation. They have noted that assessments belonging to the same type of task can be scored for the same performance properties. This paper reports on the…

The intellectual disciplines comprising the traditional curriculum are actually territorial spaces carved out by academic scholars for their own purpose. Although middle-level educators have been engaged in reform efforts for two decades, the interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum is still rare and a working definition of a middle school…

The performance-based assessment was developed to assess students' higher order thinking skills in real-life problem-solving situations in Alberta, Canada. These tasks assess aspects of science that cannot be measured easily by regular paper and pencil tests. The purpose of this document is to provide teachers, administrators, students, and…