The factors influencing the outcome of solving story problems in a web-based learning environment

The aim of the present study was to investigate those factors influencing performance in solving story problems in a web-based environment. A situational simulation, “Hiking across Estonia,” was explored by two samples of voluntary groups of students, comprising 65 and 50 groups, respectively. They solved 25 ecological and environmental story problems and filled in a pre-test and post-test that evaluated problem-solving skills. The groups were clustered according to their characteristics and performance into five clusters: “slow learners,”“quick learners,”“successful learners,”“smart learners,” and “ineffective learners.” The clusters were provided with different types of supportive notes and the sequence of problems was rearranged according to the students' initial results in the first four problem-solving tasks. These treatments demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the outcome in solving story problems in small groups. The main factors determining the effectiveness of problem solving were: (i) time spent on learning; (ii) initial skills in problem-solving; (iii) the presence of support in enhancing situation awareness; (iv) graduated problem tasks sequenced on the basis of complexity and difficulty; (v) ratio of genders in a learning group. However, the importance of these factors depended on the cluster and, therefore, it can be concluded that the design of problem-solving instruction has to be adapted according to the clusters' characteristics.     

Effects of multimedia on cognitive load, self-efficacy, and multiple rule-based problem solving

This study investigates effects of multimedia on cognitive load, self-efficacy and learners' ability to solve multiple rule-based problems. Two hundred twenty-two college students were randomly assigned to interactive and non-interactive multimedia groups. Based on Engelkamp's multimodal theory, the present study investigates the role of multimedia in multiple rule-based problem solving. The findings indicate that providing learners with manipulative function in multimedia would facilitate their problem solving through reduced cognitive load and improved self-efficacy. The study identifies a significant mediator effect for self-efficacy that mediates between multimedia and learners' problem solving. Discussion focuses on the effects of multimedia and self-efficacy on learners' performance in multiple rule-based problem solving. Suggestions are made with regard to the design of problem solving in future studies.     

基于问题式学习(PBL)的设计

基于问题式学习（PBL——problem-based learning)是一种教学方式或教学策略，它强调把学习设置到有意义的问题情境中，通过让学习组织团队解决实际问题，让学习获自主学习与协作学习的能力和高效解决问题的技能。问题、学习和教师（辅助）是基于问题式学习的三要素。本主要讨论基于问题式学习的设计策略与实施步骤。     

Varying effects of subgoal labeled expository text in programming,chemistry, and statistics

Originally intended as a replication study, this study discusses differences in problem solving performance among different domains caused by the same instructional intervention. The learning sciences acknowledges similarities in the learners’ cognitive architecture that allow interventions to apply across domains, but it also argues that each domain has characteristics that might affect how interventions impact learning. The present study uses an instructional design technique that had previously improved learners’ problem solving performance in programming: subgoal labeled expository text and subgoal labeled worked examples. It intended to replicate this effect for solving problems in statistics and chemistry. However, each of the experiments in the three domains had a different pattern of results for problem solving performance. While the subgoal labeled worked example consistently improved performance, the subgoal labeled expository text, which interacted with subgoal labeled worked examples in programming, had an additive effect with subgoal labeled worked examples in chemistry and no effect in statistics. Differences in patterns of results are believed to be due to complexity of the content to be learned, especially in terms of mapping problem solving procedures to solving problems, and the familiarity of tools used to solve problems in the domain. Subgoal labeled expository text was effective only when students learned more complex content and used unfamiliar problem solving tools.     

Effects of worked examples on step performance in solving complex problems

The instructional effect of worked examples has been investigated in many research studies. However, most of them evaluated the overall performance of the participants in solving post-intervention problems, rather than individual step performance in multi-step problems. The two experiments reported in this article investigated the relations between using worked examples and individual step performance in solving isomorphic problems. In Experiment 1, the effect of worked examples was found for overall performance for novice learners, whereas this effect was gradually reduced from Step 1 (the most difficult one) at which the effect was the strongest, to Step 3 (the easiest one) at which the effect was the weakest or even disappeared. In Experiment 2, relatively more knowledgeable participants learned the same sets of materials, and no effect of worked examples was found for either overall performance or individual step performance. Learner levels of expertise and levels of element interactivity were used to explain the results.     

探究教学在商务英语教学中的应用

探究教学是以学习者为中心,以师生之间和学习者之间的交互性为特点,利用各种资源尤其是网络资源形成探究团体,实行课堂教学与开放式自主学习相结合的一种教学模式。在商务英语教学中运用探究教学法,学生可以通过各种资源和媒体体验不同的商务情景,并在此过程中进行批判性或创造性地学习,发现问题、探究问题、解决问题,从而提高学生的商务实践能力。     

Case-based learning in virtual groups – collaborative problem solving activities and learning outcomes in a virtual professional training course

This article analyzes the collaborative problem solving activities and learning outcomes of five groups that worked on two different complex cases in a virtual professional training course. In this asynchronous virtual learning environment, all knowledge management content was delivered virtually and collaboration took place through forums. To measure the effects of the problem solving activities, learners' contributions were analyzed with respect to four different problem solving activities: Two content-specific problem solving activities, namely gathering information and developing a solution, and two coordination-specific problem solving activities, namely planning the common approach and steering the interaction process. Results indicated that the learning process was dominated by two central activities: developing a solution and steering the interaction process. Furthermore, the results indicated that the groups with the more complex case used more overall problem solving activities than the groups with the less complex case. There was also a greater range of learning outcomes for learners with the more complex case than for learners with the less complex case. Finally, the number of overall problem solving activities for most of the successful groups was higher than for the less successful groups. Additionally, the more successful groups used more coordination-specific activities than content-specific activities during the problem solving process.     

韦达定理在解析几何中的应用

在平面解析几何中,经常会遇到求二次曲线的中点弦,求弦的中点,求弦长,给了定弦求关于这弦的共轭直径等问题,这些问题都可借助于韦达定理而简捷地解决。     

Visuospatial anatomy comprehension: The role of spatial visualization ability and problem‐solving strategies

The present study explored the problem‐solving strategies of high‐ and low‐spatial visualization ability learners on a novel spatial anatomy task to determine whether differences in strategies contribute to differences in task performance. The results of this study provide further insights into the processing commonalities and differences among learners beyond the classification of spatial visualization ability alone, and help elucidate what, if anything, high‐ and low‐spatial visualization ability learners do differently while solving spatial anatomy task problems. Forty‐two students completed a standardized measure of spatial visualization ability, a novel spatial anatomy task, and a questionnaire involving personal self‐analysis of the processes and strategies used while performing the spatial anatomy task. Strategy reports revealed that there were different ways students approached answering the spatial anatomy task problems. However, chi‐square test analyses established that differences in problem‐solving strategies did not contribute to differences in task performance. Therefore, underlying spatial visualization ability is the main source of variation in spatial anatomy task performance, irrespective of strategy. In addition to scoring higher and spending less time on the anatomy task, participants with high spatial visualization ability were also more accurate when solving the task problems. Anat Sci Educ 7: 280–288. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

论学习环境中资源、工具与评价的设计

本从学习环境设计理论与实践的角度，探讨了资源、工具与评价的设计与应用问题。在学习环境设计中，资源是支持任务学习或问题研究的必备条件之一，是需要认真设计的重要构件之一。学习环境中的工具是指学习工具。学习工具是指有益于学习查找、获取和处理信息，交流协作，建构知识，以具体的方法组织并表述理解和评价学习效果的中介。在学习环境设计中，比较注重信息技术作为学习工具的设计与应用。学习环境中的评价与传统的教学评价是不同的。为了真正促进学习能力的发展，学习必须体验解决真实问题的过程，理解复杂的学习任务。因此，评价应当尽可能是基于真实任务的、复杂的、能挑战学习思维过程的，评价的标准能反映多元化的观点和多样化的问题解决方案。     

Differential effects of problem-solving demands on individual and collaborative learning outcomes

The effectiveness and efficiency of individual versus collaborative learning was investigated as a function of instructional format among 140 high school students in the domain of biology. The instructional format either emphasized worked examples, which needed to be studied or the equivalent problems, which needed to be solved. Because problem solving imposes a higher cognitive load for novices than does studying worked examples it was hypothesized that learning by solving problems would lead to better learning outcomes (effectiveness) and be more efficient for collaborative learners, whereas learning by studying worked examples would lead to better learning outcomes and be more efficient for individual learners. The results supported these crossover interaction hypothesis. Consequences of the findings for the design of individual and collaborative learning environments are discussed.     

面向高阶认知发展的成长式问题化学习(GPBL)研究--概念、设计与案例

促进学习者高阶认知和问题解决能力的发展,是当代教学设计的核心诉求之一。问题化学习(PBL)虽致力于此,但实践效果却不够理想。面向高阶认知发展的成长式问题化学习(GPBL),是在分析PBL的价值与困境的基础上所提出的一种扬长避短的教学设计方法。它将学习置于复杂而真实的问题空间中,使其难度可随学习者能力发展而循序渐进动态变化,进而促进其高阶认知发展。以此方法开展的“教育游戏设计”教学案例表明,学习者在复杂问题解决、远迁移、合作及编程等能力上,都有较为明显的发展,这在一定程度上验证了设计目的。     

Exploring Teachers’ Meta-Cognitive Skills in Mathematics Classes in Selected Rural Primary Schools in Eastern Cape,South Africa

Undoubtedly the acquisition of mathematical skills for problem solving is critically important in today’s sophisticated technological world. There is growing evidence that meta-cognition application is an important component of academic success in general and impacts on mathematical achievement in particular. Teachers’ application of meta-cognition therefore directs and reflects their teaching-practice behaviour which influences their learners’ learning with understanding in problem-solving. The purpose of the study reported on in this article was to explore teachers’ available meta-cognitive skills in class with the intention of supporting learners’ development of mathematics in problem-solving in some selected rural primary schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The participants were three teachers purposefully selected from three primary schools. Interviews were conducted with the three teachers and three lessons were observed. The interviews, as an extension of observation, focused on the teachers’ knowledge or understanding of available meta-cognitive skills and how they used these skills in helping their learners’ development of mathematics problem-solving. The findings included a detailed exploration of the teachers’ acquisition and use of specific metacognitive skills, either consciously or unconsciously, during teaching and learning processes in order to develop their mathematics learners’ meta-cognitive skills as well as in solving mathematical problems. The results of the observation showed that there was evidence of teachers applying meta-cognitive skills unconsciously in assisting their learners in problemsolving in class. The interviews confirmed this evidence of available meta-cognitive skills which the teachers usually applied in assisting their learners in problem-solving in class. Recommendations have been made regarding teachers’ methods of teaching to improve the development of such skills in the lives of their mathematics learners through problemsolving.     

合作学习方法在课堂教学中的有效应用

合作学习能形成和改变学习的学习态度，增进合作学习技能，并创立紧密结合与整合学习为一体的学习方式，从而发展学习批判性思维、推理及解决问题的能力。     

基于问题的《语言学概论》教学设计初探

＂基于问题式教学＂是把学习置于问题情境中,通过学习者的小组合作学习来解决问题。在基于问题的《语言学概论》教学实践中,教学内容设计上要紧密联系语言实际,营造问题情境,教学方法设计上要突出小组合作探究的方法性与解决问题的目的性,最终提高学生的学习能力。     

The Solving of Problems in Chemistry: The more open-ended problems

Most problem solving in chemistry tends to be algorithmic in nature, while problems in life tend to be very open ended. This paper offers a simple classification of problems and seeks to explore the many factors which may be important in the successful solving of problems. It considers the place of procedures and algorithms. It analyses the role of long-term memory, not only in terms of what is known, but how that knowledge was acquired. It notes the great importance of the limitations of working memory space and the importance of confidence which comes from experience. Finally, various psychological factors are discussed. This paper argues that solving open-ended problems is extremely important in education and that offering learners experience of this in a group work context is a helpful way forward.     

Convergence of sequences and series: Interactions between visual reasoning and the learner's beliefs about their own role

This paper examines part of a set of students who were followed during their first-term, first-year studies in formal definition-based real analysis at a British university. It explores the approaches to problems about convergence of sequences and series made by students who have a tendency to include visual imagery in their reasoning. We explore links between the students' mathematical behavior in solving these problems and their perception of their roles as learners. We develop a theory in which the tendency to visualize, coupled with the students' view of their role, can be used to account for their mathematical behavior. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of learning environments for object-oriented programming: measuring cognitive load with a novel measurement technique

Various methods and tools have been proposed to overcome the learning obstacles for Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). However, it remains difficult especially for novice learners. The problem may be not only adopting an instructional method, but also an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Learners employ IDEs as a means to solve programming problems and an inappropriate IDE may impose additional cognitive load. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study tried to identify the cognitive effects of a more visually supportive and functional IDE. It was explored by the functional near-infrared spectroscopy method, which is a relatively new physiological tool for measuring cognitive load. Novice students participated in the study in two experimental groups and they were required to write a Java application using two different IDEs. The results indicated a significant difference between the experimental groups and the findings are discussed in view of the principles of Cognitive Load Theory and Multimedia Learning.