The purpose of this study was to investigate the problem-solving strategies of students as they attempted to find a solution to a technological problem. Ten Grade 7 students, who had received no prior technology education instruction, were formed into single-sex dyads and provided with a design brief from which they designed and made a technological solution. The natural talk between the subjects was transcribed. A description of their designing-in-action was added to the transcript. Actions were coded using an empirically derived scheme grounded in both a general problem-solving model and theoretical models of the design process. Segments coded as designing were analyzed using descriptive statistics. This analysis provided the data for mapping, that is, visually representing the design process used by subjects. / Results showed that novice designers do not design in the way described in textbooks. Their strategy is not linear but highly iterative. Subjects developed their ideas using three-dimensional materials rather than two-dimensional sketches. They were unlikely to generate several possible solutions prior to modelling, but developed solutions serially. The act of modelling stimulated the generation of additional ideas. Evaluation occurred repeatedly throughout their designing.

The purpose was to examine the domain specificity of the self-regulatory skills of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) compared to their peers without DCD. Participants included 10 children with DCD and 10 without. A sport specific problem-solving task (shooting at a hockey net) and an educational problem-solving task (peg solitaire) were compared. Zimmerman's (2000) social cognitive model of self-regulation was used; it has three phases (a) forethought, (b) performance or volitional control, and (c) self-reflection. Participants were taught to think aloud during both tasks to access cognitive processes (Ericsson & Simon, 1984/1993). Codes were developed under five major categories, (a) goals, (b) knowledge, (c) emotion, (d) monitoring, and (e) evaluation. Verbalizations were transcribed and coded using the NUD*IST Vivo software. Results indicated that children with DCD have decreased knowledge in the motor domain, may have general difficulties with planning and set less challenging goals. The findings also support previous research regarding their negative emotions attached to motor tasks.

There has been a growing trend towards integrating persons with disabilities into community life. Mathematics is important to the success of such an initiative, but very little attention has been given to this area. This paper presents the results of a four-year study examining the strategies used by intellectually disabled children when adding numbers. / At the beginning of the study, all subjects could count to 10 and recognize numbers to 10, but most could not add. Subjects were evaluated each year on their ability to solve addition problems with sums no greater than nine. Subjects were divided into three groups based on first year results. Those in group 1 demonstrated no knowledge of addition, group 2 used the erroneous strategy of adding one to an addend, and group 3 included children with Down Syndrome who used a variety of strategies. / Over the next three years, subjects, in general, progressed in a manner similar to nondisabled children with regard to strategies, the order in which they were developed, error patterns, and the order in which number pairs were memorized.

This study examines the effects of maternal teaching style on the developing problem-solving abilities of children with Down Syndrome. Mothers were divided into two groups of three each, mothers with positive expectations versus mothers with negative expectations. Mothers and children were videotaped while the mother taught the child to construct a small pyramid from 21 interlocking blocks and again when the child attempted the task independently. The tapes were coded and analyzed to examine maternal instructional style and subsequent independent child performance. Mothers who were considered to have positive expectations towards their children used appropriate scaffolding behaviors significantly more often than the mothers who were considered to have negative expectations towards their children. The children of mothers who were effective scaffolders were significantly more adept and independent problem-solvers than the children whose mothers were not effective scaffolders. The more contingent the mother's instructions were, the more independent and successful the child appeared. Scaffolding is discussed in terms of its benefits for instructing children with Down Syndrome.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 286-297). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-121).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-154).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 238-268). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-154). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 20, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Cynthia W. Langrall (chair), Carol A. Thornton, Graham A. Jones, Kenneth N. Berk. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-171) and abstract. Also available in print.