Cognitive ability and the instructional efficacy of collaborative concept mapping

Data were gathered from 248 secondary students (14 years old, 56% female) who learned about the circulatory system in 77 self-selected collaborative groups. The learning outcomes of biology students who summarised by collaborative concept mapping were compared with those of students who summarised by collaborative writing. Learning groups randomly assigned to construct concept maps instead of conventional summaries generated more relations in the summary task and their members obtained higher individual scores on a post-test. The concept mapping strategy was found to be advantageous only for students whose cognitive ability was below the median for the sample and who were placed in groups with other students having low cognitive ability.     

The influence of concept mapping on achievement,self-regulation,and self-efficacy in students of English as a second language

This study investigated the effectiveness of concept mapping used as a learning strategy with students in English as a Second Language classrooms. Seventy-nine ESL students participated in the study. Variables of interest were students’ achievement when learning from English-language text, students’ reported use of self-regulation strategies (self-monitoring and knowledge acquisition strategies), and students’ self-efficacy for learning from English-language text. A randomized pre-test–post-test control group design was employed. The findings showed a statistically significant interaction of time, method of instruction, and level of English proficiency for self-monitoring, self-efficacy, and achievement. For all four outcome variables, the concept mapping group showed significantly greater gains from pre-test to post-test than the individual study group. The findings have implications for both practice and research.     

Segmenting Educational Content: Long-Form vs. Short-Form Online Learning Modules

This article studies the differences in student learning outcomes associated with changes in the format of online learning resources. We compare completion rates and degrees of student achievement across several economic education learning modules produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Initially designed as a long-form online learning module focused on unemployment, the virtual lecture “The Story of Unemployment” was later chunked into four separate short-form learning modules. We find across-the-board evidence of increased completion rates among registered students and statistically significant increases in average differences between pre-test and post-test scores. We also study how the increases in scores are distributed across students by comparing pre-test grade quartiles. Finally, we document that chunking online instructional materials increases retained learning and consistently boosts information absorption at the item level.     

Concept Mapping Assessment of Media Assisted Learning in Interdisciplinary Science Education

Acquisition of conceptual knowledge is a central aim in science education. In this study we monitored an interdisciplinary hypermedia assisted learning unit on hibernation and thermodynamics based on cooperative learning. We used concept mapping for the assessment, applying a pre-test/post-test design. In our study, 106 9th graders cooperated by working in pairs (n = 53) for six lessons. As an interdisciplinary learning activity in such complex knowledge domains has to combine many different aspects, we focused on long-term knowledge. Learners working cooperatively in dyads constructed computer-supported concept maps which were analysed by specific software. The data analysis encompassed structural aspects of the knowledge corresponding to a target reference map. After the learning unit, the results showed the acquisition of higher-order domain-specific knowledge structures which indicates successful interdisciplinary learning through the hypermedia learning environment. The benefit of using a computer-assisted concept mapping assessment for research in science education, and in science classrooms is considered.     

Can performance feedback during instruction boost knowledge acquisition? Contrasting criterion-based and social comparison feedback

Feedback indicating how well students are performing during a learning task can be very stimulating. In this study with a pre- and post-test design, the effects of two types of performance feedback on learning results were compared: feedback during a learning task was either stated in terms of how well the students were performing relative to other students (social comparison feedback) or relative to an absolute criterion (criterion-based feedback). Thirty-four students in secondary vocational engineering education were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In both conditions, students worked together in small groups. All groups completed a math learning task, during which they received either social comparison feedback or criterion-based performance feedback. The findings showed that the type of feedback had a strong effect on learning outcomes: the post-test scores and gains of students in the social comparison condition were significantly higher than those of students in the criterion-based feedback condition.     

移动辅助语言学习在英语口语教学中的作用

随着"互联网+"时代的深入,移动辅助语言学习已广泛应用于中国大学生的英语学习,是否能有效提高学生的口语能力仍需实证研究验证.研究以英语口语学习APP"FiF口语训练系统"为例,根据雅思口语评分标准,分析118名学生的口语前后测得分差值与任务参与度的相关性.研究发现,受试者在总分、发音、流畅程度、连贯性以及词汇量方面的评...     

Dyadic executive function effects in children's collaborative hypermedia learning

The current study investigated the extent to which executive functions (EF) affect how prior knowledge predicts hypermedia learning outcomes in primary school children. Learning outcomes were: individual knowledge and transfer, and dyadic assignment quality. Eighty-seven same-sex dyads participated in a hypermedia WebQuest assignment about the heart and living a healthy lifestyle. EF measures were action control and attention control. Dyadic analyses were performed using actor-partner interdependence models with dyads distinguished by EF. Analyses showed that one's own pre-test predicted one's own and partner's post-test for both higher and lower EF dyad members. Furthermore, for dyad members with relative higher EF only, their own and partner's pre-test predicted transfer. Finally, the lower action control dyad member's pre-test and the higher attention control dyad member's pre-test predicted assignment quality. These results show the importance of EF and prior knowledge for deeper conceptual understanding in a collaborative learning setting.     

Exploring the fluctuation of motivation and use of self-regulatory processes during learning with hypermedia

We collected think-aloud, pre-test, post-test, and motivation data from 43 undergraduates to examine the impact of conceptual scaffolds on the fluctuation of certain motivation constructs and use of self-regulatory processes during learning with hypermedia. Participants were randomly assigned to either the No Scaffolding (NS) or Conceptual Scaffolding (CS) condition. During the experimental session, each participant individually completed a pre-test on the circulatory system, a pre-task motivation questionnaire, one 30-min hypermedia learning task during which they learned about the circulatory system, a motivation questionnaire at three regular intervals during this learning task, a post-test on the circulatory system, and a post-task motivation questionnaire. Results indicated that while participants in both conditions gained declarative knowledge, participants who received conceptual scaffolds during learning demonstrated deeper understanding of the circulatory system on the post-test. In terms of self-regulatory processes, the results indicated that participants in the CS condition used significantly more planning processes during learning than participants in the NS condition. Additionally, participants in both conditions significantly decreased their use of strategies as they progressed through the learning task. Regarding motivation while learning with hypermedia, results indicated that participants in both conditions reported significantly increased levels of interest as they progressed through the learning task. Furthermore, participants in the CS condition reported the task as being easier and putting forth less effort than participants in the NS condition.

任务复杂度对学生英语口语能力发展的影响

运用复杂度较低和复杂度较高的任务为实验组和控制组对62名非英语专业的大学一年级学生进行口语教学研究。结果表明:在任务型口语教学中,任务复杂度显著影响学生英语口语能力的发展;相对而言,复杂度较低的任务对学生英语口语水平的提高帮助更大。     

The Use of Interactive Computer Animations Based on POE as a Presentation Tool in Primary Science Teaching

This study investigates the effects of using interactive computer animations based on predict–observe–explain (POE) as a presentation tool on primary school students’ understanding of the static electricity concepts. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design was utilized in this study. The experiment group consisted of 30 students, and the control group of 27 students. The control group received normal instruction in which the teacher provided instruction by means of lecture, discussion and homework. Whereas in the experiment group, dynamic and interactive animations based on POE were used as a presentation tool. Data collection tools used in the study were static electricity concept test and open-ended questions. The static electricity concept test was used as pre-test before the implementation, as post-test at the end of the implementation and as delay test approximately 6 weeks after the implementation. Open-ended questions were used at the end of the implementation and approximately 6 weeks after the implementation. Results indicated that the interactive animations used as presentation tools were more effective on the students’ understanding of static electricity concepts compared to normal instruction.     

Why students need to be prepared to cooperate: a cooperative nudge in statistics learning at university

Despite the potential benefits of cooperative learning at university, its implementation is challenging. Here, we propose a theory-based 90-min intervention with 185 first-year psychology students in the challenging domain of statistics, consisting of an exercise phase and an individual learning post-test. We compared three conditions that manipulated the exercise phase: individual work, cooperative dyadic instructions (structuring three basic components of cooperative learning: positive goal interdependence, individual responsibility and promotive interactions) and cooperative dyadic interactions (the three basic components with an additional cooperative nudge, namely explaining why and how to cooperate in this task) in order to test whether a progressive increase in benefits occurs as the cooperative structure is reinforced. Results indicated a linear trend in individual post-test learning and competence perception, from individual work to cooperative instructions to cooperative interactions. Competence perception mediated the effect of experimental conditions on learning. The results highlight the benefits of the cooperative nudge.     

Which strategy for which learner?

The selection of a suitable learning strategy in individualised science instruction should be influenced by the learning potential of the learners. Components of their'learning potential'include: aptitude, scientific affect, attitude, and college scores. Achievement gain was measured by the difference between pre-test and post-test scores with the credits gained through the enrichment and task activities. Based on their gain scores, learners were divided into high, average and low achievers and their preferences for learning strategies were collected. The results indicated marked differences according to learning potential.
Other research has investigated the question of suitable learning strategies for different kinds of learners, but its validity often has been restricted by a limited number of strategies with only a small number of learning components analysed. To overcome such constraints, this study included six independent learning strategies and seven group learning ones. Instead of calculating simple correlations, the influence of different components of learning potential was analysed for three achievement levels, and interaction effects were separated.     

Prior knowledge activation: how different concept mapping tasks lead to substantial differences in cognitive processes, learning outcomes, and perceived self-efficacy

Two experiments investigated the effects of characteristic features of concept mapping used for prior knowledge activation. Characteristic demands of concept mapping include connecting lines representing the relationships between concepts and labeling these lines, specifying the type of the semantic relationships. In the first experiment, employing a within-subjects design, 20 psychology students completed a label-provided-lines economics mapping task and then a create-and-label-lines meteorology mapping task or vice versa. The analysis of 40 think-aloud protocols indicated more elaboration processes for the label-provided-lines task than for the create-and-label-lines task. On the other hand, the protocols indicated more model-construction and organization processes in the create-and-label-lines task. The second experiment used the same variation but focused on learning outcomes and perceived self-efficacy as dependent measures. Forty-two psychology students were randomly assigned to either a label-provided-lines mapping task or a create-and-label-lines mapping task. Subsequently, both groups completed a learning phase in a hypertext environment and a posttest. Results showed substantial differences in learning outcomes and perceived self-efficacy in favor of the label-provided-lines prior knowledge activation task. The findings are congruent with coherence effects found in text-comprehension research and support the position that concept mapping should not be seen as a unitary method but be differentiated according to the specific tasks to be completed.     

An Immersion Approach to Teaching Food Science

ABSTRACT: Introductory Food Science courses are most often lecture-based courses, but some include limited laboratory experiences. As described in this paper, the course minimizes lecture and maximizes experiential or "hands-on" learning by using an immersion approach to teach basic concepts of food science. Additionally, it requires students to work in groups to accomplish tasks, thus providing valuable experience in working cooperatively. The course has been taught in this basic manner at Ohio State for 10 y. Analysis of pre-test and post-test results shows that none of the students pass the pre-test and 92% pass the post-test. In 2002, the average increase in scores from the pre-test to the post-test was 65.7 ± 14.7 (n = 22).     

Promoting self-regulated learning to improve achievement: A case study in higher education

Abstract

The aim of this article is to report on a study conducted to assess the effect of an intervention programme to improve SRL and the achievement of a group of poorly performing undergraduate students at the Tshwane University of Technology. SRL was used as theoretical framework. The case study reports on 20 Engineering students who attended learning skills intervention sessions and wrote a college version of the learning and study strategies inventory (LASSI) pre-test and post-test. The intervention consisted of 12 workshop sessions presented over a period of three months. The LASSI pre-test showed that the group scored below the 50th percentile on four scales (anxiety, attitude, selecting main ideas and test-taking strategies). Observed improvements in the post-test scores of the LASSI scales for seven out of ten scales were statistically significant. The students’ academic achievements also improved. The findings are important for improving student success and throughput in South African higher education.     

The influence of achievement goals on collaborative interactions and knowledge convergence

Although there is evidence of the influence of achievement goals on individuals’ learning, less is known about their influence on collaborative groups. In this study, 45 pairs of college students engaged in a building task. Twenty-three of the pairs were assigned to a learning goal condition and 22 to a performance goal condition. Pre- and post-test measures were used to quantify differences in outcomes, knowledge convergence and knowledge convergence mechanisms between conditions; qualitative coding was conducted to understand differences in interactions. Results indicated no difference in overall measures of learning and performance outcomes between conditions. However, groups with a learning goal showed more knowledge convergence than groups with a performance goal. Groups with a learning goal engaged in more reflection and more explanations during the task than groups with a performance goal. These results suggest that achievement goals influence interaction behaviors when students are engaged in collaborative activities.     

Advance organizers in videos for software training of Chinese students

The effectiveness of demonstration-based training (DBT) videos for software training has been investigated for a Western audience. These studies have generally found that the demonstration videos significantly enhanced self-efficacy and task performance, but also that there was a gap between task practice and learning with the latter lagging behind. The present study investigated the effectiveness of DBT-videos for software training of Chinese students. The control condition presented demonstrations only. In the experimental condition demonstrations were preceded with advance organizers that aimed to enhance learning. The 61 participants (mean age 11.8 years) came from a middle school in China. Data analyses revealed that self-efficacy significantly improved in both conditions. Task performance success also increased significantly over time. The familiar gap between task practice and learning was found between task practice and outcomes on an immediate post-test. However, on the delayed post-test this difference had disappeared. An effect of the advance organizer was found for accuracy of the self-efficacy appraisals, and for gain scores from pretest to delayed post-test. It is concluded that DBT-based demonstration videos are moderately effective for software training of Chinese students, and that it can be beneficial to precede these with advance organizers.     

Use of technology-assisted techniques of mind mapping and concept mapping in science education: a constructivist study

The study aims to investigate the effects of using mind maps and concept maps on students' learning of concepts in science courses. A total of 51 students participated in this study which used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test/post-test control groups. The constructivist-inspired study was carried out in the sixth-grade science course unit of ‘Light and Sound’ in a primary school with two experimental groups and one control group. The intervention was held in the experimental group 1 by using technology-assisted technique of mind mapping, in the experimental group 2 by using technology-assisted technique of concept mapping, and in the control group by means of traditional classroom instruction. After the intervention in the experimental groups, concept tests and open-ended questions related to the unit were used as post-tests. According to the data obtained from concept tests, it was found out that all groups' understanding of concepts was equivalent. Significantly, students in the experimental group 2 reported positive opinions, stating that learning through concept maps was useful and engaging.     

Dynamic assessment of literacy: English as a third language

The aim of this paper is to valuate the applicability of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and the concept of dynamic assessment to the problem of assessing reading comprehension in English as a third language (L3). The study was conducted with immigrant students from Ethiopia studying at pre-academic centers in Israel. The assessment procedure included a pre-test, mediation, and post-test. The pre-test was based on a standard reading comprehension placement exam. Based upon the pre-test material, a very detailed analysis of the required pre-existing knowledge and necessary strategies was then mediated to the students. The post-test was identical to the pre-test regarding structure, requirements in terms of pre-existing knowledge and strategies, length, etc., but with different content. The results demonstrated: (1) A dynamic assessment procedure significantly improved the text comprehension performance of L3 students; (2) The dynamic assessment procedure added information regarding students’ learning potential over and beyond their initial performance level; (3) The learning potential profile of immigrants from Ethiopia is somewhat different from that of non-immigrant students.     

Effect of Cooperative Learning Strategies on Students' Understanding of Concepts in Electrochemistry

The present study was conducted to investigate the degree of effectiveness of cooperative learning instruction over a traditional approach on 11th grade students' understanding of electrochemistry. The study involved forty-one 11th grade students from two science classes with the same teacher. To determine students' misconceptions concerning electrochemistry, the Electrochemistry Concept Test consisting of 8 open-ended and 12 multiple-choice questions was used as a pre-test and some students were interviewed. According to the results, twenty-four misconceptions (six of them initially identified) about electrochemistry were identified. The classrooms were randomly assigned to a control group (traditional instruction, 21 students) and an experimental group (cooperative learning based on a constructivist approach, 20 students). After instruction, the same test was administered to both groups as a post-test. The results from the t-test indicated that the students who were trained using cooperative learning instruction had significantly higher scores in terms of achievement than those taught by the traditional approach. According to the post-test and interviews, it was also found that instruction for the cooperative group was more successful in remediation of the predetermined misconceptions.