Thirty-eight sixth graders were trained in fraction calculation through progressive transformation dialectics (PT) whereas a control group of 38 was taught through a traditional mathematics education framework. The PT group, encouraged to form network-type knowledge representations, performed better on problems that required more than mere…

Describes establishing and running a credit union in a sixth-grade classroom. By establishing a classroom credit union, students can develop independence in solving real problems and model situations that occur in the real world to solve similar problems. (ASK)

A study involving 174 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two public elementary schools was conducted to determine the effects of Logo programing experience on students' problem solving and spatial relations abilities. Results indicate that LOGO programing contributes to student abilities in the two areas under observation. (TJH)

Outlines a social studies lesson plan that follows the Problem Based Learning model. Provides the lesson goal, questions for students, instructions for teachers and students, instructional materials, Internet resources for student research, preparation hints for teachers, and reflective learning questions for students at the end of the project.…

Provides examples of student work on a problem which shows that students solve problems in several different ways. Discusses challenges to the teacher that might result from problems such as these. (ASK)

Comparison of the effectiveness of two computerized environments, Schemes for Problem Analysis (SPA) and Algebraic Proposer (AP), with two sixth-grade classes found that in solving easy word problems, both software systems were equally helpful, but in harder word problems, those students who learned with SPA experienced more success than those who…

Investigated problem-solving methods used by 3 sixth-graders working on a variety of mathematics problems over the school year. Found that the students used different strategies: one used visual strategies, one a more verbal approach, and the third a combination of the two. Over time, all three moved toward more nonvisual, verbal/analytic forms of…

This study investigated the score exchangeability of concept maps with problem-solving essays. Of interest was whether sixth-grade students' concept maps predicted their scores on essay responses that used concept map content. Concept maps were hypothesized to be alternatives to performance assessments for content-area domain knowledge in science.…

This paper examines 6th grade children's local conceptual development and mathematization processes as they worked a comprehensive mathematical modeling problem (creating a consumer guide for deciding the best snack chip) over several class periods. The children and their teachers were participating in a 3-year longitudinal teaching experiment in…

Theories of learning in social settings, no matter their philosophical orientation, must address issues of intersubjectivity (IS). This paper starts with the premise that IS is a fundamental and unavoidable aspect of social interaction, and that understanding its nature is necessary for developing reliable theories of socially mediated learning…

This paper describes research that explored the question of whether or not it is possible to characterise and teach a single type of educationally productive talk. We analysed and compared the quality of children's interactional strategies when jointly working on a reasoning task and a psycholinguistic task. The latter involved writing an…

The authors describe a journey of self-study during which one author shifted from traditional, teacher-driven approaches to a more problem-based inquiry approach to teaching mathematics. He videotaped a series of lessons taught to sixth-grade students over a semester and analyzed his teaching during discussions with his mentor at the university.…

An earlier version of this article appeared in Williams, F.E. (Ed.), "First Seminar on Productive Thinking in Education. St. Paul, Minnesota: Macalester College, 1966.

SOME CASES OF EMOTIONAL MALADJUSTMENT AND UNDERACHIEVEMENT HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF POOR STUDENT PLACEMENT WITH CERTAIN TYPES OF TEACHERS. IF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS COULD BE TESTED THROUGH THE USE OF A FLEXIBILITY-RIGIDITY SCORE, THEIR BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS COULD BE MATCHED AND THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT IMPROVED. FLEXIBILITY, IN A CLASSROOM…

Presents a study which examined elementary science textbooks (grades four and six), noting (1) text organization and structure; and (2) the degree of problem solving required in chapter activities (according to Bloom's taxonomy). Reports a need for a more varied use of text structures and the inclusion of activities that utilize higher-level…