Measurement characteristics of the finding embedded figures test

The study investigated the measurement characteristics of both forms of a multiple choice measure of field independence: the Finding Embedded Figures Test. Subjects (n = 302) completed both forms of the FEFT or one form of the FEFT and the Group Embedded Figures Test. Item performance was evaluated by computing classical item difficulty and item-by-total-score correlation coefficients; FEFT-by-GEFT concurrent validity correlation coefficients; and test-retest and alpha reliability coefficients. Results suggest that the FEFT forms provide reasonably reliable and valid data.     

Mobile Field‐independence and Rating as a ‘Good Teacher‘

Mobile field‐independence is described and the relationship between such cognitive style, when present in a teacher, and the pupil's designation of the person possessing such cognitive style as a ‘good teacher’ is studied. Sixty‐two ‘good’ teachers were sorted on the basis of two scales, with the extremes on the continuum identified as field‐dependent and field‐independent. A group of ‘mobiles’ (those who performed differentially with cognitive and social stimuli), was also identified. A degree of ‘goodness’ was assigned to 62 teachers by 1580 of their pupils. The results were compared for the three types of cognitive style. Tests of Pascual‐Leone's theory regarding problem‐solving strategy and Improvement Scores on the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) were also performed. The group of 10 ‘mobile’ teachers received the highest ratings as good teachers and showed the highest improvement score (the latter difference is not statistically significant). The strategy hypotheses received partial support.     

场独立-场依存型认知风格与英语学习的实证研究

采用认知方式镶嵌图形测验的方法,以闽南师范大学150名非英语专业学生为被试对象,探讨其认知风格与英语学习成绩的关系。研究结果表明,场独立型、场依存型、场过渡型三种认知风格的学生在英语学习成绩上表现出一定的差异,但在不同的学习项目中各有所长。基于对个体认知风格的把握,学生应当灵活采用合适的学习策略,教师应当“因材施教”、引导学生全面提升英语技能。     

Field Independence Associates with Mathematics and Science Performance in 5‐ to 10‐Year‐Olds after Accounting for Domain‐General Factors

Field independence describes the extent to which individuals are influenced by context when trying to identify embedded targets. It associates with cognitive functioning and is a predictor of academic achievement. However, little is known about the neural and cognitive underpinnings of field independence that lead to these associations. Here, we investigated behavioral associations between two measures of field independence (Children's Embedded Figures Test [CEFT] and Design Organization Test [DOT]) and performance on tests of mathematics (reasoning and written arithmetic) and science (reasoning and scientific inquiry) in 135 children aged 5–10 years. There were strong associations between field independence and mathematics and science, which were largely explained by individual differences in age, intelligence, and verbal working memory. However, regression analyses indicated that after controlling for these variables, the CEFT explained additional variance on the mathematical reasoning and science tests, whereas the DOT predicted unique variance on the written arithmetic test.     

大学生外语焦虑与认知风格的关系研究

采用外语课堂焦虑量表（FLCAS）、镶嵌图形测验（EFT）,以454名大学生为研究对象,探讨了不同性别、不同专业大学生的外语焦虑差异,不同认知风格大学生的外语焦虑差异以及外语焦虑与认知风格的关系。结果表明：（1）男生的外语焦虑水平显著高于女生,文理科大学生的外语焦虑不存在显著差异。（2）场独立型大学生的外语焦虑显著高于场依存者,（3）外语焦虑与认知风格成显著的正相关。     

Parental teaching strategies and children’s cognitive style

A total of 83 mothers and 74 fathers worked with their respective 4-year-old sons or daughters on four problem-solving tasks. Observers evaluated the interaction between parent and child with a 49-item teaching strategy Q-sort (TSQ). As measures of field dependence–independence (FDI), the Rod-and-Frame Test (RFT) and the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) were administered when the children were 4, 7, 11, and 14 years of age, thus permitting an examination of concurrent and long-term effects (up to 10 years). Distinctive differences in parental teaching strategies were observed contingent on the child’s FDI status. Parents of FI children granted them autonomy in the task and assisted with its cognitive aspects. A positive emotional ambience characterized the teaching situation. Parents of FD children were controlling and quite critical of their children’s performance. Effects of gender were noted. Whereas outcomes for the father–son and father–daughter pairing were comparable, the mother–son dyad generated more powerful effects than were observed in the mother–daughter dyad. Results point to consistencies between beliefs and behaviors of parents of FI and FD children. Interpretation is offered within the FDI theoretical framework and linkages to other theories of parent–child interaction are considered.     

Do Human‐Figure Drawings of Children and Adolescents Mirror their Cognitive Style and Self‐Esteem?

The investigation probed relationships among human‐figure drawing, field‐dependent‐independent cognitive style and self‐esteem of 10–15 year olds. It also attempted to predict human‐figure drawing scores of participants based on their field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem. Area, stratified and multi‐stage random sampling were used to select a sample of 600 10–15 year olds residing in Kolkata city, India. The sample comprised three age‐based strata: 10 and 11 year olds; 12 and 13 year olds; and 14 and 15 year olds. Each stratum comprised 100 girls and 100 boys. Participants’ actual age‐ranges were 10 years 1 month – 11 years 10 months (first stratum); 12 years 4 months – 13 years 10 months (second stratum); and 14 years 3 months – 15 years 9 months (third stratum). Goodenough‐Harris Drawing Test, Group Embedded Figures Test and Coopersmith Inventory were administered for assessing participants’ human‐figure drawing, field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem respectively. Results revealed significant positive relations among pertinent variables. Participants’ human‐figure drawing scores could be significantly predicted by their field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem.     

Cognitive Style,Gender, Attitude toward Computer‐assisted Learning and Academic Achievement

This paper reports an investigation of cognitive style, gender, attitude toward using computer‐assisted learning (CAL) and academic achievement among university students. A Group Embedded Figures Test was used to assess students’ cognitive style and a questionnaire was used for the evaluation of students’ attitude toward CAL. The results revealed that students have positive attitudes toward CAL but they were not prepared to rely entirely on CAL. A 2 x 2 ANOVA was used to investigate the effect of cognitive style and gender on the attitude toward CAL. The results revealed that male students preferred using CAL significantly more than females and field dependent students were more prepared to rely entirely on CAL than field independent students. On the other hand, there was a significant difference between males and females in their achievement scores in favour of the male group. But there was no difference between field dependence and field independence groups in their achievement. The results also revealed no significant relationship between students’ attitudes toward CAL and their achievement in these courses.     

Field Dependence-Field Independence in 5- to 10-Year-Old Children

Abstract

A final random sample of 160 Provo, Utah, elementary school children ages 5 to 10, was included in a balanced cell format to investigate the effects of school as reflective of socioeconomic level, age, sex, and intelligence on performance on the Children’s Embedded Figures Test (CEFT), a measure of Witkin’s field-dependence-independence hypothesis appropriate for use with young children. Results implied that (1) there may be differences on criterion performance according to relative social class; (2) age is the single best predictor of criterion performance, as significant differences proceeding from relative field-dependence to greater field-independence with increasing age were found; (3) there is a similar developmental pattern to increase in verbal intellectual power and increase in relative field-independence when all ages are considered together; (4) there were no significant similarities between field-dependence-independence and verbal intelligence within three of four specific ages investigated; (5) no sex differences in criterion performance were found.     

场独立和场依赖认知风格对大学生听力理解能力的影响

Witkin认知风格理论中通过镶嵌图形测试将学习者认知风格分为场独立性和场依赖性两种,场独立风格的学习者对外界或背景依赖程度小,场依赖风格的学习者对外界或背景的依赖程度大。场独立和场依赖认知风格对学习者的二语习得能力具有不同影响,听力理解能力同样受到不同认知风格的影响,学习者认清自身认知风格并在教师指导下有针对性地进行策略训练将有效提高听力理解水平。     

The Relationship of Cognitive Style and Instructional Style to the Learning Performance of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effect of two different instructional styles, “discovery” and “expository,” on the change in learning performance of subjects of contrasting cognitive styles, field dependent and field independent. Based on the administration of the Group Embedded Figures Test, sixty-four subjects (thirty-two field dependent and thirty-two field independent) were randomly assigned to one of nine experimental groups (three expository experimental groups, three discovery experimental groups, and three no-treatment groups). The Behavior Modification Achievement Test, an original research instrument, was administered to all subjects on a pretest-posttest basis to measure change in learning performance. ANOVA revealed no significant interaction tied to the manipulation of the independent variable.     

多元智能理论与外语教育评价的多元化

多元智能理论认为,智能是一种生物心理潜能,人类普遍存在的智能类型有言语语言智能、逻辑数理智能、视觉空间智能、身体运动智能、音乐智能、人际交往智能等八种。多元智能理论为高校外语教育评价提供了新的视角。教育评价的形式多种多样,包括诊断性评价、形成性评价、终结性评价、主观评价和客观评价等。外语教育评价的多元化包括教学评价标准的多元化、评价对象的多元化、评价主体的多元化、评价方法的多元化等。多元智能理论为准确、公正地评价每个学生提供了理论依据。     

Reliability and concurrent validity of a measure of critical thinking skills in biology

The present study investigated the utility of 52 items, selected from a readily available item pool developed for instructional purposes, when the items are used to measure critical thinking abilities of biology students. The items yield scores that have reasonable internal consistency reliability. Furthermore, analyses involving ACT, Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, and Group Embedded Figures Test scores also suggest that the critical thinking test items have good concurrent validity. Thus, the measure may be useful in both science instruction and future research regarding critical thinking phenomena.     

Field‐dependent and Field‐independent Conceptualisations of Various Instructional Methods with an Emphasis on CAI: a qualitative analysis

Learning preferences differences and similarities of field‐dependent/independent college students were investigated with an emphasis on the usage of a computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) program designed for an ornamental horticulture class. The study was undertaken to improve the quality of a CAI program and the quality of instruction within the course. After administration of the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) instrument, qualitative interviews further investigated how each participant conceptualised their learning process. The findings were congruent with the theory of field dependency. In addition, results indicated that field‐independent students felt that using CAI was beneficial, but may prove to be more advantageous with provided structure. In contrast, field‐dependent students did not feel there was benefit in using the CAI program, but with provided structure, benefits may occur. However, both field‐dependent/independent students would prefer a greater usage of visuals in this CAI program. Both groups of students expressed advantages to the use of the CAI program but preferred traditional instructional methods of laboratory and lecture to CAI as their primary source of information.     

A working memory model applied to mathematical word problem solving

The main objective of this study is (a) to explore the relationship among cognitive style (field dependence/independence), working memory, and mathematics anxiety and (b) to examine their effects on students’ mathematics problem solving. A sample of 161 school girls (13–14 years old) were tested on (1) the Witkin’s cognitive style (Group Embedded Figure Test) and (2) Digit Span Backwards Test, with two mathematics exams. Results obtained indicate that the effect of field dependency, working memory, and mathematics anxiety on students' mathematical word problem solving was significant. Moreover, the correlation among working memory capacity, cognitive style, and students’ mathematics anxiety was significant. Overall, these findings could help to provide some practical implications for adapting problem solving skills and effective teaching/learning.     

多元智能理论与综合实践活动课程

多元智能理论认为人的智力是多元的，打破了以往单一的言语和逻辑智力观，在教育理论和实践领域产生了极大的影响，当前我国新基础教育课程改革中，国家新增设的综合实践活动课程是其中一个亮点，分析多元智能理论对我国综合实践活动课程的开发，组织，实施和评价等方面的启示，以期更深刻地理解和把握综合实践活动课程。     

Practical intelligence and tacit knowledge: Advancements in the measurement of developing expertise

Practical intelligence as measured by tacit-knowledge inventories generally has shown a weak relation to other intelligence constructs. However, the use of assessments capturing specialized, job-related knowledge may obscure the generality of practical intelligence and its relation to general intelligence. This article presents three studies in which three new everyday tacit-knowledge inventories are examined. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure of each inventory and their measurement equivalence across samples. In addition, a single-factor model was tested for its fit to the covariance among the three new tacit-knowledge inventories and the Practical subscale from the Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test. The relation between a higher-order practical intelligence factor emerging from this analysis and fluid and crystallized intelligence also was investigated. The results indicate that the new tacit-knowledge inventories are reliable and valid assessments of practical intelligence across diverse samples. The results also support the conclusion that practical intelligence and general intelligence are not the same construct, though some overlap was found.     

Evaluation of change blindness in multimedia learning environment with cognitive process

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the change blindness and cognitive processes with eye-tracking method in multimedia learning environment. For this purpose, a multimedia animation which had some changes was designed. The eye movements were examined during the process of detecting the changes in multimedia via eye-tracking technics. The research model was defined as controlled experiment and survey methods. Twenty-one ungraduated students participated in the experiment. Attention and perception levels of participants were determined by d2 Attention Test and Group Embedded Figures Test. Change detection numbers of participants were analyzed according to their attention level and field dependence. The appearance of a major object on the scene was the most detected change and the change on the detail object was detected less. According to findings about the attention level and change detection, the participants at high attention level were more successful at detecting change in multimedia. It was observed that field-independent individuals could detect the change much more compared to the field-dependent individuals.     

音乐智能对高职英语语音教学的影响

多元智能理论是一种新的教学理论,合理利用人的多元智能可以优化教学过程。其中,音乐智能的合理调动,尤其是音乐歌曲节奏的运用可以对英语语音教学起到很好的促进作用。文章在分析当前高职英语语音教学现状的基础上,结合多元智能理论的音乐智能,从音乐节奏与语音节奏的共性出发,探讨音乐节奏对高职英语语音教学的影响及作用,并提出相关的英语语音教学的配套改革措施。     

多元智能理论的评价观及其对我国幼儿发展评价的启示

多元智能理论是一种全新的有关人类智能结构的理论。其评价观及其对我国幼儿发展评价的启示是：评价要以帮助幼儿发展为主要目的；评价内容和评价标准应多元化；评价是情境化的，是幼儿学习情境的一部分。