REPORTED IS A STUDY WHICH (1) ANALYZED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TEACHING METHOD DEVELOPED TO IMPROVE THE STUDENT'S SCIENCE PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY, AND (2) INVESTIGATED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS MEASURED AND THE STUDENT'S SCIENCE BACKGROUND, CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY, AND GRADE POINT AVERAGE. CONCLUDED WAS (1) THAT THE PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY OF PROSPECTIVE SCIENCE TEACHERS WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER SEVEN PERIODS OF PROBLEM-SOLVING INSTRUCTION, (2) THAT AN IMPROVEMENT IN ATTITUDE TOWARD PROBLEM-SOLVING WAS INDICATED AFTER THE INSTRUCTION, (3) THAT READING ABILITY AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY WERE IMPORTANT FACTORS DETERMINING SUCCESS ON THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS PRESENTED, AND (4) THAT THE STUDENT'S ACHIEVEMENT, AS INDICATED BY HIS GRADE POINT AVERAGE, WAS NOT AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS ORDER NUMBER 67-3997 FOR $3.00 ON MICROFILM, $7.20 XEROGRAPHY, FROM UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS, 300 NORTH ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48106. (DS)