Examined the accuracy with which children in grades two and four judge their own and their peers' ability. Children showed only modest levels of accuracy in predicting probable performance and judging success at a task for themselves and others. They also showed limited ability to differentiate among attributes. (SKC)

First-, third-, and fifth-grade students saw matters involving intellectual conventions and personal preference as more variable across time and space than matters involving logic and physical laws. Furthermore, intellectual conventions were seen as legitimately changeable by social consensus and school authorities, but not on the basis of…

Argues that students must be taught historical methods in order to evaluate historical evidence, determine its relevance to a topic, and produce intelligent papers. Presents an exercise which requires students to write a historical essay based solely upon provided documents, illustrating that interpretations will vary despite common facts. (GEA)

Reports the results of two experiments that examined the relative effects of questions requiring decisions, statements providing the decision information to the students, questions not requiring decisions, and control procedures on student's memory for chemistry text reading materials. Discusses results in terms of an elaboration perspective on…

Examines elementary school children's concept of authority with regard to the age and social position of command-giver and the type of command given. Shows that children's evaluation of adult and peer authority were based on a combination of age and position in the social context. (HOD)

Investigates the relationship between class inclusion and reasoning in 56 Dutch Children between 6 and 14 years of age. Concludes that when the children failed to respond correctly to questions about the validity of syllogisms, they did so because they lacked sufficient understanding of the premises. (HOD)

Reports a study of the written English of native Arab learners which investigated: (1) the extent to which judgments of intelligibility and naturalness differed; (2) the extent to which error type and linguistic context affected the intelligibility, naturalness and interpretability of devian utterances; and (3) the basis for native speakers;…

A first computer lesson in algebra is described, with illustrations of programing by students. Standard algebraic notation with BASIC are discussed, and further activities described. The purpose is to use the computer so that it develops a rational understanding of the mathematical concepts involved. (MNS)

Utilizing social judgment theory, a method for eliciting opinions about the relative importance of multiple objectives, a model was developed to evaluate the performance of public agencies and programs. The model was then applied to the problem of establishing relative weights for six performance dimensions for a public agency. (Author/EGS)

Article reported the results of a survey of principals of 670 schools in all cities of the United States with a population of over 300,000 on their attitudes about the educational worth of a wide variety of educational innovations. (Author/RK)

According to the authors, the real conditions of poverty and homelessness in America remain obscure. The homeless, contrary to popular belief, are not homeless by choice. 25% of the homeless are employed full-time in low-wage jobs, 25% are war veterans of one kind or another, and 25% are emotionally disturbed. According to the Rand Corporation,…

Report offers several working definitions of the process of critical thinking, then describes several ERIC documents dealing with ways of teaching critical thinking in general on the secondary level, and finally points to some aspects of learning about literature and language that involve critical thinking skills. (Author)

Stresses teaching students to read critically and discusses the topical, semantic, and structural factors which affect the reader's ability to distinguish fact from opinion. Bibliography. (RW)

Asks practicing reading professionals for their conceptions of critical reading to determine the amount of agreement between their definitions and the research evidence of the definition of critical reading. References. (VJ)