An action research approach was used to evaluate a nontraditional gifted identification technique for disadvantaged students. Fourth-grade students selected by a whole classroom "tryout" technique participated in the Future Problem Solving component of the talented and gifted curriculum with students selected by traditional means. Analysis showed…

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…

This report describes a plan for utilizing critical thinking in the art education setting to improve students' decision-making and problem-solving abilities. The targeted population consists of sixth-grade students in a growing middle class, rural based community located in northern Illinois. The problem of weak critical thinking skills was…

A teacher-designed study of 46 eighth-grade students in a southeastern middle school showed that a majority of students (male and female of high, average, and low ability) liked integrated curriculum, though males favored it more highly than females. This information lends support for middle-school curriculum reform efforts focusing on life skills…

This report describes an intervention designed to assist students in creating and accepting divergent solutions to problems in mathematics. The targeted population consisted of fifth-grade students from a multicultural setting with varied economic backgrounds, and the sample included 171 fifth graders in two school districts. Underdeveloped…

This report describes a program that used both critical and creative thinking skills to enhance the educational process in language arts. The targeted population consisted of fourth- and seventh-grade students in two growing, middle-class communities located in northern Illinois. The lack of higher-order thinking skills was documented through…

The purpose of this monograph is to heighten awareness about action research for both teachers and administrators involved in California middle level reform efforts. This approach to educational research is a means of developing knowledge through collaboration in a process that improves both student learning and professional autonomy. The…

Problem-based learning (PBL) offers students the opportunity to apply the appropriate knowledge to a well-defined problem, allowing students to apply academic problem-solving skills to their own real-life problems. This paper describes outcomes of a PBL program that was used as a tool for school improvement in three South Carolina schools--one…

A program was implemented for increasing writing and problem solving skills to increase educational achievement. The targeted populations consisted of sixth and seventh grade students from two growing middle class suburban communities located in the Midwest. The problems of inadequate writing and problem solving skills were documented through data…