Effects of Confluent Education on High School Students Identified as Learning Disabled

Six confluent education strategics, or modes of instruction which integrate cognitive and affective concerns, were developed and systematically used in eight high school classrooms for 120 students identified as learning disabled. The academic and behavioural effects of their use over one school semester were evaluated. Significant gains were found on academic measures of word recognition, reading comprehension, math computation and problem‐solving. In addition, patterns of behavioural change reported by teachers in post‐study interviews included: hurtful remarks and actions decreased, communication “opened up,” co‐operation increased, and affection developed.     

Acceleration of cognitive development of kindergartners

A curriculum modification was designed to increase the general reasoning ability of kindergarten children who were lagging in cognitive development. The new instructional program was tested with 22 kindergarters who scored in the lowest 9% on the EAS measure of general learning and reasoning ability taken from SRA's Survey of Basic Skills. The experimental children were given “learning set” instruction on unidimensional classification, unidimensional seriation, and number conservation for four months. They received the instruction in groups of six for 15 minutes two or three times per week during the time usually reserved for mathematics. Control children received the normal mathematics instruction, also in groups of six, for matched sessions. The experimental children made twice the gains of the control children on the EAS measure, and matched their gains on reading and mathematics achievement. It appears that integrated “learning set” training on these three Piagetian concepts may be a potent tool for aiding kindergartners who are falling behind their peers in cognitive development.     

论“读思达”教学法

“读思达”教学法是一种实现学习中心和体现素养导向的教学法,是推进育人方式变革的重要抓手。它是一种普遍适用于各学科各学段的教学法,是各学科教学的共性要求和共同法则。阅读对应于认知输入,思考对应于认知加工,表达对应于认知输出,阅读、思考、表达是学生学习的本质、本体和核心。“读思达”教学法具有科学性、继承性、系统性和实践性,是一种能够帮助普通教师教好普通学生的教学法。读、思、达三者是个有机的整体,它们是你中有我、我中有你,同时又是相对独立、相互制约的关系。     

Teacher development through coteaching outdoor science and environmental education across the elementary-middle school transition

Abstract

This study considers the benefits of coteaching in the context of the outdoors. It explores the use of coteaching in a professional development program and investigates all the cited outcome categories for teachers: cognitive, affective, coteaching, and professional development. Coteaching pairs coplanned, cotaught, and coevaluated “Shared Learning Days” in the outdoors. Eight teachers took part with 180 students in their last year of elementary school or their first year of (junior) high school. This article demonstrates how a model of professional development, with coteaching at its core, is beneficial for the development of teachers who are teaching “outside” their comfort zone (outdoors) and expected to focus on skills-based teaching and learning. In particular, the benefits of attitudinal change among the teachers involved is discussed.     

Fluent reading in special primary education

The learning gains in reading of students in 57 classrooms in special primary education doubled as a result of implementing the Reading Impulse in Special Education (RISE) programme. Raising the scheduled reading time with 1.5 hr in all classrooms and implementing standards-based teaching characterised by “monitoring of pupil progress”, “reflection on own teaching”, and “setting targets” are the most important explanations for the improvement in pupils’ reading achievements.     

Using the Jigsaw Method to Teach Abdominal Anatomy

This study evaluates a cooperative learning approach for teaching anatomy to health science students incorporating small group and peer instruction based on the jigsaw method first described in the 1970's. Fifty-three volunteers participated in abdominal anatomy workshops. Students were given time to become an “expert” in one of four segments of the topic (sub-topics) by allocating groups to work-stations with learning resources: axial computerized tomography (CT) of abdominal structures, axial CT of abdominal blood vessels, angiograms and venograms of abdominal blood vessels and structures located within abdominal quadrants. In the second part of workshop, students were redistributed into “jigsaw” learning groups with at least one “expert” at each workstation. The “jigsaw” learning groups then circulated between workstations learning all sub-topics with the “expert” teaching others in their group. To assess abdominal anatomy knowledge, students completed a quiz pre- and post- workshop. Students increased their knowledge with significant improvements in quiz scores irrespective of prior exposure to lectures or practical classes related to the workshop topic. The evidence for long-term retention of knowledge, assessed by comparing end-semester examination performance of workshop participants with workshop nonparticipants, was less convincing. Workshop participants rated the jigsaw workshop highly for both educational value and enjoyment and felt the teaching approach would improve their course performance. The jigsaw method improved anatomy knowledge in the short-term by engaging students in group work and peer-led learning, with minimal supervision required. Reported outcomes suggest that cooperative learning approaches can lead to gains in student performance and motivation to learn. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000–000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

Bringing the Text to Life and Into Our Lives: Jewish Education and the Arts

This article explores how arts-based learning can facilitate understandings of Jewish religious texts. Through practical examples drawn from our own research, from the worlds of dance, drama, and the visual arts in education, we demonstrate the ways in which arts can allow for the transmission of information and knowledge, as well as offer a “transformative” learning experience; a student can bring the text to life while bringing the text into his or her life. We stress the primary importance and centrality of sacred text within Jewish tradition and assert that the written text should serve in Jewish education as the starting point. The ultimate goal, however, is to enable learners' personal connection with texts. We argue that learning through the arts opens up opportunities for multiple shared interpretations of text, as well as accentuation of the “affective” dimensions of Jewish textual learning. By becoming more aware of the varied possible paths for generating learning activities, educators might choose learning strategies that enable an integration of both the cognitive and affective domains. The examples of Arts Reflective learning demonstrate possibilities for the structuring of “teaching towards transformation.”     

Facilitating attitudinal learning in an animal behaviour and welfare MOOC

This case study examines the design and facilitation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that focused on attitudinal learning about the topic of animal behaviour and welfare. Findings showed that a team of instructors worked together collaboratively towards realising learning goals and found the experience rewarding. While learners had mixed perceptions of gains in cognitive, affective and behavioural learning, they reported high satisfaction with lecture videos and instructor course participation. Implications for the instructional design of MOOCs and attitudinal learning are discussed based on these findings, including a discussion of MOOCs as a unique platform for attitudinal learning, and recommendations for their successful use. The recommendations include the importance of creating a collaborative instructor team, establishing high instructor presence, using interactive and collaborative learning activities, and receiving support from platform providers and institutions.     

Learning support and academic achievement among Malaysian adolescents: the mediating role of student engagement

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between learning support, student engagement and academic achievement among adolescents. We also examined the extent to which affective, behavioural and cognitive engagement play a mediating role in students’ perceived learning support from parents, teachers and peers, and contribute to their academic achievement. Malaysian adolescents (aged 12–17 years, N = 2359) completed a self-administered questionnaire based on an adapted version of the Student Engagement And Learning Support Scale. Item and factor analyses were performed to ensure appropriate psychometric properties of the scales. Pearson correlation analysis identified the relationship between variables and structural equation modelling was conducted to identify the role of student engagement as a mediator between learning support and academic achievement. The study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that perceptions of learning support influence adolescents’ affective, behavioural and cognitive engagement in school in different ways, which in turn influences their academic achievement. Cognitive engagement seemed to be the best predictor of academic achievement and the strongest mediator for all three types of learning support. Behavioural engagement was negatively associated with academic achievement, and affective engagement did not have a direct relationship with academic achievement, although it contributed indirectly through cognitive and behavioural engagement. The results of this study provide a basis for policy makers to initiate prevention and intervention programs for increasing the quality of parent–child, teacher–student and peer–peer relationships which ultimately could lead to improved academic competence and outcomes.     

Learning to Play Soccer: Lessons on Meta-cognition from Video Game Design

Over the past decade, there has been ongoing debate relating to the use of suitable pedagogical approaches for designing learning environments to develop skillful games players. There has, however, been little consideration of the “digital age of learning” and the global success of the digital video game industry. Using the educational work of James Gee, this article attempts to rationalize how a “digital video games approach” differs from other learner-centered pedagogies currently employed for teaching and coaching games. Examination of the literature suggests that the learning gains from Teaching Games for Understanding and the Constraints Led Approach ignore the meta-cognitive dimension of learning how to play games—surely an important consideration for long-term development. Accordingly, by drawing on experiences from digital video game design, we examine how games practitioners might utilize such an approach for meta-cognition in coaching or teaching practice to stimulate player learning.     

影响大学英语教学的情感障碍及其消除策略

情感因素对外语教学具有重大的影响。中国大学英语教学中存在着片面重视认知而忽视情感的现象,学生的情感障碍问题严重阻碍了其认知能力的发展。文章分析了情感障碍在外语教学中的负面作用,并对如何消除情感障碍提出了有益的建议。     

Creating In-Depth Learning Experiences by Using Rawls' “Veil of Ignorance”

Combining a variation of John Rawls' “veil of ignorance” mind experiment with role-playing and case studies allows instructors to create assignments that engage students in the full range of learning processes, encourage them to consider a wide range of viewpoints, provide them with opportunities to apply the cognitive and the affective components of learning, and make real for them world views competing for influence in the development of policies, regulations, and laws. This article presents three examples of this curriculum innovation in a graduate Human Behavior in the Social Environment sequence, followed by suggestions of its use in practice, research, and policy courses.     

我国大学生学情状态与影响机制的实证分析

采用整群分层抽样的方法,使用自编量表对全国23个省、直辖市和自治区52所高校的92122名大学生进行学习观、课堂体验、学习方式和学习收获的调查。结果显示:我国大学生的学习观、课堂体验、学习方式和学习收获偏正面,但还存在着许多需要进一步改善的地方。大学生的学习观和课堂体验既直接影响学习收获,也通过学习方式间接影响到学习收获。学习观、课堂体验和学习方式对学习收获的影响在不同类型高校中存在差异。根据大学生学习情况调查与指标结构分析的结果,提出如下对策与建议:转变大学生学习观和学习方式,强化大学生的多维学习体验;进一步提升教师的教学能力,促进大学生多维途径的互动;深化高等学校课程教学改革,全面提高大学生的学习成效;实行分类管理,形成高校各自的办学理念和风格;建立全国高等学校分类教学质量评估系统,持续实施国家大学生分类教学质量监测。     

A sequence of learning processes in an intelligent tutoring system from topic-related appraisals to learning gains

Although intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are increasingly used, it is unclear which psychological processes precede students' learning gains. Using a pre- and posttest design, the present study examined a sequence of psychological processes informed by control value theory. We investigated (a) whether secondary school students' topic-related cognitive appraisals (value and control) affected their task-related affective (enjoyment and boredom) and cognitive (engagement and performance) outcomes while using the ITS and (b) whether task-related outcomes affected learning. Path analyses showed that students’ topic-related interest, but not perceived utility, personal importance or self-efficacy, was associated with task-related enjoyment. In turn, enjoyment showed reciprocal effects on and of engagement and ongoing task performance, which predicted final performance and, ultimately, learning gains. The influence of boredom, in contrast, was minimal along this sequence. More generally, the findings highlight the difficulty of establishing a clear pattern of sequential causation derived from control value theory for the current ITS context, with evidence demonstrating the systematic influence of confounders accounting for the predicted relations among components. Despite these limitations, we identified key psychological processes involving the contribution of affective and cognitive processes to learning in the ITS context.     

The development of dynamic inquiry performances within an open inquiry setting: A comparison to guided inquiry setting

Dynamic inquiry learning emphasizes aspects of change, intellectual flexibility, and critical thinking. Dynamic inquiry learning is characterized by the following criteria: learning as a process, changes during the inquiry, procedural understanding, and affective points of view. This study compared the influence of open versus guided inquiry learning approaches on dynamic inquiry performances among high‐school biology students. We hypothesized that open inquiry students who engage in the inquiry process from its initial stage, participating in the decision making process of asking inquiry questions and planning all aspects of the inquiry, will outperform students who experienced guided inquiry, in terms of developing dynamic inquiry performances. Students were divided into two groups: guided and open inquiry learning approaches. Both groups were followed throughout their 2‐year inquiry learning process. The data sources included interviews, students' inquiry summary papers, logbooks, and reflections. A quantitative content analysis of the two groups, using a dynamic inquiry performances index, revealed that open inquiry students used significantly higher levels of performances in the criteria “changes during inquiry” and “procedural understanding.” However, the study's results indicated no significant differences in the criteria “learning as a process” and “affective points of view.” The implementation of dynamic inquiry performances during inquiry learning may shed light on the procedural and epistemological scientific understanding of students conducting inquiries. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 1137–1160, 2009     

The Habits of Mind Necessary to Generate New Ways of Teaching in a Career of Constant Change

In this paper we explore the philosophy, pedagogy and implementation of the third year course sequence in the M.A. in Educational Technology program at Michigan State University. We discuss how “little-r” revolutions in teaching and learning, i.e., technology facilitated revolutions specific to individual classrooms and contexts, are used to introduce our students to the thinking patterns of designers and innovators. This is accomplished by an overlapping emphasis on learning by design, trans-disciplinary creative cognitive tools, innovative technology, and reflective practice. In this environment, we also transition our students from acting as consumers of educational media to being producers of educational experiences. That is, not only do the students construct new educational media, they consider the aesthetic and affective implications of technology use for teaching and learning. Finally, given the rapid evolution of educational technologies, we support students as they establish a foundational vision for the interplay of education and technology that will serve them into the future, as they, and their learners, adapt tonew and emerging digital environments.     

Enhancing primary school children collaborative learning experiences in maths via a 3D virtual environment

Over the last years there has been a growing use of 3D virtual environments for educational purposes. Many studies advocate the integration of these environments in the daily teaching practice of various subjects. This requires innovative design in order create the appropriate affective/ pedagogical conditions as well as the development and use of well-structured activities in order to achieve effective collaborative learning. This paper presents an exploratory study in which collaborative learning strategies and cognitive apprenticeship models act as the pedagogical framework to facilitate learning and collaboration. The context is the teaching of mathematics in primary education via a 3D virtual environment. Specifically, we focus on evaluating students’ engagement (behavioral, affective and cognitive) in the collaborative learning process as they learn fractional concepts in a meaningful way. The findings show that a 3D virtual environment can support collaborative learning in primary school through its ability to enhance students’ engagement (behavioral, affective and cognitive) in the collaborative learning process.     

Toward an Integrated Theory of Teaching and Learning

The relationship between teaching and learning is examined from a perspective concerned with integrating the two phenomena along several dimensions. Traditionally, teaching and learning have been studied as separate entities. This discussion is based on the premise that within an educational context, teaching and learning are so intertwined in a dynamic and reciprocal process that they need to be considered as a single entity rather than as two separate ones. The need to consider the simultaneous effects of cognitive, affective, motivational, and developmental factors is also stressed. The evolution of research and theory on teaching and learning, along with issues associated with the application of psychological theory to educational practices, are examined for insights into the types of issues that need to be pursued in the next generation of research on the teaching-learning process. Several approaches to the application problem are critiqued, and examples of research that integrates concerns for teaching and learning are discussed.     

Cross-age peer tutoring of science in the primary school: influence on scientific language and thinking

The development of deeper understanding and transferable skills in science requires continuous interactive discussion and feedback and extended practice in various contexts for generalisation. In primary schools, these desiderata are difficult to supply through direct teacher instruction, but might be feasible through interactive peer tutoring. This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and affective gains from cross-age peer tutoring for both tutees and tutors in science, using the “paired science” programme. For the first time this programme was used to focus on peer rather than parent tutoring and on junior school rather than early years pupils, and for the first time an objective measure of cognitive gain in science was used. Experimental peer tutees were a whole class (n=32) of seven- to eight-year-olds; tutors a whole class (n=33) of eight- to nine-year-olds in the same school. A parallel composite class of seven- to nine-year-olds (n=24) served as controls for tutees and tutors. A peer tutoring paired science intervention was implemented for two 30-minute sessions per week for eight weeks. Video and observational data indicated implementation integrity was satisfactory. Pre- and post-project assessments of understanding of scientific concepts and keywords of a random sample of tutees, tutors and their respective controls (4×n=10) were conducted. Additionally, the attitudes of all the tutees, tutors and their teachers towards their experiences were explored by post hoc questionnaire. On pre-post assessments of understanding of scientific concepts and keywords, the experimental group made significant gains while the control group made no gains, yielding effect sizes greater than one. Tutees made greater gains than tutors. The attitudes of the paired scientists and their teachers towards their experiences were generally very positive. It was concluded that cross-age peer tutoring of science using the paired science programme offers an effective pedagogical strategy, with both cognitive and affective benefits for both tutors and tutees. Recommendations for future research are made.