The influence of topic knowledge,external strategy use,and college experience on students' comprehension of controversial texts

This study examined the influence of three personal factors, namely, prior knowledge about the text topic, external strategy use during reading, and experience in college, on students' comprehension of the relations among controversial texts. Eighty-six 1-year and 80 3-year undergraduate students answered a questionnaire assessing topic knowledge. One week later, they read two controversial texts and then completed two tasks assessing their comprehension of intertextual relations and recall of intratextual arguments respectively. The results indicated that topic knowledge influenced the comprehension of intertextual relations through enhancing the processing of intratextual arguments. The production of summary notes during reading had indirect and direct positive effects. Longer experience in college led to a better understanding of intertextual relations.     

产出性和接受性词汇知识对阅读理解影响的相关研究

词汇是语言的基本组成要素之一,对语言学习十分重要。鉴于词汇知识对语言学习的重要性,国内外存在较多关于词汇知识和听说读写等语言技能学习之间关系的研究,但研究结果呈现多样化。本研究针对低能力水平英语学习者,从接受性和产出性的词汇知识角度,探讨词汇知识与阅读理解之间的关系。     

Content,domain, and word knowledge: Relationship to comprehension of narrative and expository text

The influence of background knowledge on reader's comprehension of text has become a fundamental assumption associated with text processing. Background knowledge has been represented in a variety of constructs including specific text knowledge, general world knowledge, discourse knowledge, and domain knowledge. Our interest in the present study was to examine background knowledge and strategy knowledge from a broad view to better understand how they contribute to elementary-age students' reading comprehension of both narrative and expository texts. Constructs of domain, content, and word knowledge were developed based on the extant literature. These knowledge constructs were measured with researcher-developed tests consisting of both narrative and expository passages ranging from 1000 to 2000 words (2–4 pages) in length. Comprehension of each passage was measured with a 25-item subtest. All students in Grades 3 through 6 were administered the knowledge and comprehension tests. A two-stage analysis procedure was used. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine empirically the internal structures of the comprehension questions. Factor scores were constructed and then treated as a multivariate set, with a second set comprised of the background and strategy factors. A canonical analysis was then performed to relate the two sets and canonical functions and structure coefficients were interpreted substantively. Our findings indicated that background knowledge specific to the content of the text being read begins to diminish in importance at about Grade 4. Strategy knowledge and use in comprehension of text begin to play a more important role at Grade 4 and above. Grade 6 analyses support a conclusion that the reading development process in elementary grades has been completed, and that reading comprehension at this grade is primarily an indicator of students' proficiency in selecting efficient ways to gain meaning from text.     

Effects of multitasking on retention and topic interest

A recent and pervasive “urban legend” in education describes contemporary students as digital natives and effective multitaskers. The current study investigated the effects of sequential and concurrent multitasking scenarios on content retention and topic interest in a multimedia learning environment. Five hundred and seventy two undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of the seven conditions in which either sequential or concurrent multitasking scenarios were simulated through a web-based system. While the sequential conditions either required switching between instructional and distractive videos or between two instructional videos, the concurrent multitasking scenarios involved online chatting while watching the videos. The relationships between digital device experience, daily media exposure, current multitasking habits, working memory components, and content retention were also investigated. Findings revealed that sequential multitasking did not interfere with retention whereas concurrent multitasking interfered with both retention and topic interest. Digital device experience and daily multitasking habits were not related with retention. Furthermore, daily media exposure was negatively associated with the retention, particularly in the longer sequential multitasking scenarios. Finally, different types of multitasking were related with different working memory constructs.     

Unraveling the influence of domain knowledge during simulation-based inquiry learning

This study investigated whether the mere knowledge of the meaning of variables can facilitate inquiry learning processes and outcomes. Fifty-seven college freshmen were randomly allocated to one of three inquiry tasks. The concrete task had familiar variables from which hypotheses about their underlying relations could be inferred. The intermediate task used familiar variables that did not invoke underlying relations, whereas the abstract task contained unfamiliar variables that did not allow for inference of hypotheses about relations. Results showed that concrete participants performed more successfully and efficiently than intermediate participants, who in turn were equally successful and efficient as abstract participants. From these findings it was concluded that students learning by inquiry benefit little from knowledge of the meaning of variables per se. Some additional understanding of the way these variables are interrelated seems required to enhance inquiry learning processes and outcomes.     

生物学课外趣味实验的设计

在生物学教学中，依托教材内容，在以学科为中心的课程中加入一些解决问题的课外趣味实验，引领学生或观察、或探究、或实践。则对于体现生物学科本来的科学面貌（实验性）具有重要意义。本文拟从以下三个方面为中学生物学课外实验、实践活动的开展提供一些简约资料。     

语篇知识的利用与英语阅读能力的提高研究

语言存在于语篇之中,而不是句子之中。语言问题的研究离不开语篇分析。语篇分析对语言学研究具有重大的理论价值,语篇知识的掌握具有实际应用价值。在英语教学中,阅读、写作和翻译能力的提高及语法知识的掌握等都需要运用语篇知识。本文集中讨论语篇知识对学生英语阅读能力的影响,以及如何教授语篇知识的相关问题。     

Exploring the nature of the relation between interest and comprehension

This paper examines the complex relation between interest and comprehension recorded by postgraduate students in a language teacher education programme at various stages of two-hour lectures. The quantitative analysis suggests that its relationship with comprehension changes as the lecture continues. The analysis is also triangulated with the qualitative responses reported by students at different stages of the lecture. The type of comprehension that co-occurs with increasing interest differs from the type of comprehension that co-occurs with maintaining interest. Although the effect of comprehension on interest is low at the beginning of the lecture, its effect is more frequently noted as important at the later stages of the lecture. Postdictability (i.e., the ability to determine after the fact that unpredictability and difficulty that have been raised in the earlier parts of the lecture hang together and make sense) seems important in increasing interest, especially at the later stages of the lecture.     

Mapping students' interest in a new domain: Connecting prior knowledge,interest, and self-efficacy with interesting tasks and a lasting desire to reengage

How students experience educational environments and the interconnections between their readiness, task experiences and their long-term desire to reengage with course content are critical questions for educators. Research postgraduate students (n = 310) at a research-intensive university in Hong Kong, engaging in a 24-h introductory teaching course, participated in this study. Learner readiness for the course was assessed as prior Domain interest, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Subsequently, students completed four formative assessments, reported their on-task interest in seven strategically chosen tasks and end-of-course Course and Domain interest. Longitudinal-SEM tested interconnections between readiness components, Task, Course and Domain interest. Initial self-efficacy beliefs for teaching predicted early Task interest, while Domain interest was a predictor of Task interest in explicitly practical task experiences. Strong interconnections between Task interest across the study were evident. Individual written and social discussion tasks presented strong contributions to future Course/Domain interest. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

How word decoding, vocabulary and prior topic knowledge predict reading comprehension. A study of language-minority students in Norwegian fifth grade classrooms

This study examined the contribution of word decoding, first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) vocabulary and prior topic knowledge to L2 reading comprehension. For measuring reading comprehension we employed two different reading tasks: Woodcock Passage Comprehension and a researcher-developed content-area reading assignment (the Global Warming Test) consisting of multiple lengthy texts. The sample included 67 language-minority students (native Urdu or native Turkish speakers) from 21 different fifth grade classrooms in Norway. Multiple regression analyses revealed that word decoding and different facets of L2 vocabulary explained most of the variance in Woodcock Passage Comprehension, but a smaller proportion of variance in the Global Warming Test. For the Global Warming Test, prior topic knowledge was the most influential predictor. Furthermore, L2 vocabulary depth appeared to moderate the contribution of prior topic knowledge to the Global Warming Test in this sample of language minority students.     

Place,food practices,and scientific knowledge

Cultural Studies of Science Education - This commentary seeks to extend the discussion on place, food practices, and ancestral scientific knowledge presented in Silvia Lizette Ramos de...     

The non-formal communication of scientific knowledge

Ph.D. (University of Montreal). Professor in the Department of Communications at the Université du Québec at Montreal. Former founding director of the Centre de recherche en évaluation sociale des technologies. For some years he has been interested in the popularization of science and in the presentation of science museums. His advice is often sought by different organizations and governmental bodies on scientific culture. Recent publications includeThe rise of environmentalism in museums (1993),Quand la science devient culture [When science becomes culture] (1994) andScience museums for the next century (1995).     

Confidence in prior knowledge,self-efficacy,interest and prior knowledge: Influences on conceptual change

This study explored how confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, and prior knowledge interact in conceptual change learning. One hundred and sixteen college students completed an assessment of confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions before reading a refutation text on seasonal change. Students’ misconceptions and scientific understanding of seasonal change was then assessed before and after reading a refutation text, and again at a two week delayed posttest. Three profiles of students emerged based on their confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions. The profiles included: (1) Low (low confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), (2) mixed (high confidence, self-efficacy, and interest, but low prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), and (3) high (high confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and low prior misconceptions). Results indicated that the mixed profile appeared to be most productive for conceptual change and that learner characteristics most productive for conceptual change learning may differ from those most productive in other learning situations.     

The relation between individual interest and knowledge acquisition

The objective of this study was to examine how individual interest and knowledge acquisition are causally related. Three hypotheses were tested using a cross‐lagged panel analysis (N = 186) and two quasi‐experimental studies (N = 68 and N = 108) involving students from schools in Singapore. The first hypothesis is the broadly shared standard assumption on the relation between individual interest and knowledge: the more an individual is interested in a topic, the more (s)he is willing to engage in learning. An alternative hypothesis assumes that individual interest is not the cause but the consequence of the process of learning: individual interest as an affective by‐product of learning. Finally, a third possibility is that interest and knowledge influence each other reciprocally. The results supported the affective‐by‐product hypothesis. Our findings seem at variance with commonly held conceptions that being interested guides knowledge attainment. The implications of these findings for interest research are discussed.     

The contribution of knowledge about anaphors,organisational signals and refutations to reading comprehension

Expository texts contain rhetorical devices that help readers to connect text ideas (within a text and with prior knowledge) and to monitor reading. Rhetorical competence addresses readers' skill in detecting, understanding and using these devices. We examined the contribution of rhetorical competence to reading comprehension on two groups of 11‐ to 13‐year‐old students: low‐level (Study 1) and high‐level (Study 2) reading skills. The measures of rhetorical competence assessed students' knowledge about anaphors, organisational signals and refutations. In both studies, each measure of rhetorical competence contributed significantly to reading comprehension once prior knowledge, working memory and decoding skills were controlled for. This contribution was higher in Study 2. Furthermore, whereas in Study 1, each measure of rhetorical competence had a unique contribution to reading comprehension when controlling for the other measures of rhetorical competence, in Study 2, only the knowledge about organisational signals and refutations had this unique contribution.     

背景知识与大学生英语听力理解能力的相关研究

随着英语听力教学的不断深入和发展,背景知识越来越受到重视。本文通过实证研究,论证了背景知识与大学生英语听力理解能力存在一定的相关性,丰富的背景知识有利于培养英语听力理解能力。在实证研究的基础上,笔者阐述了背景知识对提高大学生英语听力理解能力的重要性,从而进一步探讨了在英语听力教学中导入背景知识的有效途径,以期更好地提高大学生的英语听力理解能力。     

先前知识和文本类型对听力理解的影响

实验选取了"圣诞罐"(访谈)和"萨满文化"(新闻报道)两个学生最不熟悉的话题来作为听力材料。结果表明:先前知识对两种话语类型听力理解均有显著促进作用,实验组和控制组听访谈的成绩均好于新闻报道。这些发现对英语听力教学具有启示意义,教师在听力教学过程中应充分利用学生的先前知识来提高听力能力。     

基于真实科研情境的光合作用专题复习

以"玉米为什么在强光、干旱和高温条件下仍具有较高的光合产量"为问题情境,将C4植物科学研究史融入其中,并与转 PEPC基因水稻科研实例有机整合,引导学生构建和运用C4植物光合作用途径模型,发展科学思维和科学解释能力;运用结构与功能观、进化与适应观等生命观念解释C4植物"花环型"结构的形成和意义;通过做出推测、设计实验和...