Developing a thirst for knowledge: How uncertainty in the classroom influences curiosity,affect, learning,and transfer

Uncertainty is a key variable in fostering curiosity, which, in turn, is associated with learning. Yet, research in educational contexts rarely takes uncertainty into account, and rarely explores uncertainty and curiosity in the context of complex instructional activities. One concern with uncertainty is that it can provoke negative affect. Providing learners with expectations of future uncertainty may attenuate their feelings of negative affect. In a study with 138 middle school students learning physics concepts, we examined the relationship between uncertainty, curiosity, learning, transfer, and affect. Some students were given an inherently uncertain form of instruction, called Invention, in which information on how to solve the problem was initially withheld, while others were given direct instruction with all the necessary information to solve similar problems beforehand (No Uncertainty condition). Some of the students receiving uncertain instruction were given expectations about feeling uncertain (Expected Uncertainty condition), and some were not (Unexpected Uncertainty condition). Students in the unexpected uncertainty condition were the most curious, while students in the no uncertainty condition were the least curious. However, giving expectations of uncertainty reduced students’ negative affect. All groups learned the content equally well, but the expected and unexpected uncertainty groups exhibited greater transfer. Further, positive affect predicted learning, above and beyond condition, and curiosity predicted transfer, but not above and beyond condition. This study extends existing research on uncertainty and curiosity by studying these constructs in real classrooms, in the context of an exploratory learning paradigm, and by considering curiosity’s effect on transfer, rather than just learning. This work also demonstrates a practical approach for educators to foster students’ curiosity and transfer.     

The curiosity of educators from two cultural groups: Implications to professional development

The curiosity of Israeli educators from two separate educational systems (Jewish and Arab) was compared regarding five curiosity dimensions, types of curious people, and values that drive actions. Two assessment modes were employed (Likert-type and open-ended). The quantitative and qualitative analyses showed significant differences between the two groups on most measures, which were illustrated by authentic quotes from the participants. Inferences were drawn based on substantive culture-related explanations, some of which were qualified by response-style accounts. The paper concludes with implications for culturally-tailored professional development to enhance educator curiosity and their assessment for learning practice to nurture the curiosity and self-regulated learning of their students.     

Curiositas and Studiositas: Investigating Student Curiosity and the Design Studio

Curiosity is often considered the foundation of learning. There is, however, little understanding of how (or if) pedagogy in higher education affects student curiosity, especially in the studio setting of architecture, interior design and landscape architecture. This article provides a brief cultural history of curiosity and its role in the design studio. The study also used quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate curiosity among design students. Findings showed no significant relationship between curiosity and academic achievement, no significant difference in curiosity levels between female and male design students, and no significant difference in curiosity levels across various year levels or age groups. Results also revealed that the studio environment played a minor role in the origin and influence of student interests; student curiosities were affected more by travel, internships, family and non‐studio courses.     

Teaching Inquiry With a Lens Toward Curiosity

Abstract

This paper links educational psychology research about curiosity to teacher moves that are effective in an inquiry-based mathematics classroom. Three vignettes will show explicit teacher moves (staging disagreement, intriguing anecdotes, and creating a safe space) for different audiences (math majors, mathematics for liberal arts students, and future elementary school teachers) and tie them to particular studies about curiosity. The goal is to deepen our thinking about inquiry-based teaching by considering curiosity as one of the starting points of inquiry. Educational psychologists have found ample evidence that curiosity improves learning. We claim that curiosity and inquiry are deeply connected in a curiosity–inquiry cycle and become most active in a classroom that exhibits a culture of asking questions.     

试论当代大学生深层型学习动机的激发

当代大学生缺乏深层学习动机,主要表现在无明确的学习目标和学习计划,无抱负和理想、无学习成就感和求知欲,厌恶学习、逃避学习,思想压抑、精神萎靡等方面。当代大学生缺乏深层学习动机的原因有社会、学校、家庭和个人等诸多方面,可通过提高对学习的认识、设置学习目标、制订学习计划、培养学习兴趣和对学习成败合理归因来深化学习动机。     

浅论强化问题意识在物理教学中的价值与途径

物理教学中应强化学生问题意识的培养，教师设置的问题应有思考价值，有激发作用，能使学生保持强烈的好奇心和求异精神，积极诱导学生勇于提问、问、乐于提问，具有质疑诘难的勇气和兴趣，以此提高学生的学习能力，培善于提养和造就富有创新精神和创新能力的高素质人才。     

大学英语兴趣教学导向分析

学生对某一科是否感兴趣,直接影响到他的学习效果。学习兴趣不仅是英语初学者进行知识学习的重要动力,也是大学生学习英语的重要动机。在大学的英语教学过程中,只有通过兴趣教学,才能激发学生的求知欲,激发学生强大的学习动力,使他们在兴趣的指引下愉快、轻松地进行学习。因此激发和培养学习兴趣是大学英语教学的重要工作任务。     

The influence of perceived convenience and curiosity on continuance intention in mobile English learning for high school students using PDAs

Mobile learning aims to utilise communication devices such as mobile devices and wireless connection in combination with e-learning systems, allowing learners to experience convenient, instant and suitable learning at unrestricted time and place. Participants were 125 Taiwanese senior high school students, whose continuance intention was examined after learning English via PDAs (personal digital assistants). The study, using the one-group post-test design, adopted the Technology Acceptance Model and incorporated factors such as curiosity and perceived convenience. The results indicated that (1) curiosity had a positive effect on continuance intention; (2) perceived convenience had a positive effect on perceived usefulness and continuance intention.     

The Relationships Among Scientific Epistemic Beliefs,Conceptions of Learning Science,and Motivation of Learning Science: A study of Taiwan high school students

This study explores the relationships among Taiwanese high school students’ scientific epistemic beliefs (SEBs), conceptions of learning science (COLS), and motivation of learning science. The questionnaire responses from 470 high school students in Taiwan were gathered for analysis to explain these relationships. The structural equation modeling technique was utilized to reveal that the students’ absolutist SEBs led to reproduced COLS (i.e. learning science as memorizing, preparing for tests, calculating, and practicing) while sophisticated SEBs were related to constructive COLS (i.e. learning science as increase of knowledge, applying, and attaining understanding). The students’ reproduced COLS were also negatively associated with surface motive of learning science, whereas the constructive COLS were positively correlated with students’ deep motive of learning science. Finally, this study found that students who viewed scientific knowledge as uncertain (advanced epistemic belief) tended to possess a surface motive of learning science. This finding implies that the implementation of standardized tests diminishes Taiwanese high school students’ curiosity and interest in engaging deeply in science learning.     

农村中学物理教学方法刍议

在农村中学的物理教学中，为克服教学条件、教学环境相对滞后带采的困难，教师应在教学方法上狠下功夫；利用学校现有条件，创设情景、设置悬念，引发好奇心；教会学生正确的学法；加强开放性教学，培养学生的创新能力：在教学中应千方百计激发学生学习兴趣：帮助学生搞小设计、小制作，使学生认识到学习物理非常有用，亦可巩固物理知识。     

浅谈学具操作在小学数学课堂教学中的作用

学具操作对小学数学课堂教学非常重要。近几年的教学实践证明,在小学数学课堂教学中,适当地引导学生动手操作,让学生通过学具操作参与知识的形成过程,对唤起学生的求知欲、帮助学生理解算理和掌握数学概念、培养学生的探索能力都起着非常重要的作用。     

创设有效教学情境 促进学生自主学习

创设有效的教学情境能够帮助学生顺利实现知识的迁移和应用,有利于学生循着知识产生的脉络去准确把握学习内容,促进学生的自主学习,调动学生的积极性和主动性。在教学中,教师可运用各种方法创设"悬念"情境、"问题"情境等以激发学生的求知欲。     

Thriving in the classroom

How do we engage our students in their own learning process? In the second of a three‐part series, Laurie Schreiner shares practical, research‐based suggestions for fostering the curiosity and mindfulness of all of our students.     

培养学生的积极情感,提高学习效果

课堂教学是学生日常获得知识的主要方式,教师在教学活动中关注学生的心理活动,在教学活动的各个环节培养学生学习的积极情感,就会为教育的成功提供强大动力和有效保障。通过激发学生的求知欲,变学生被动接受知识的教学模式为学生主动探究知识的教学模式,即从"要我学"变为"我要学",以达到良好的学习效果。     

Differences in Motivation Towards Science Subjects Among Kibbutz and Urban High School Students

This paper study analyzes differences in motivation towards science subjects among kibbutz and urban high school students in Israel. Students' motivational traits in science were explored by a questionnaire whose items corresponded to four motivational patterns: achievement, curiosity, conscientiousness and sociability. The major findings of this study are that a) Kibbutz students were mostly sociability oriented in the learning of science, b) city students were mostly sociability and achievement oriented in the learning of science, c) city students were better achievers than kibbutz students in junior high school, while in senior high school the difference between them was nonsignificant, d) there was a significant increase in kibbutz students' achievement motivation in learning science when passing from junior to senior high school.     

高职建筑类学生创造力水平的调查与反思

通过问卷调查的方法,量化分析了体现高职建筑类学生创造力水平的冒险性、好奇性、想象力、挑战性四项行为特质的程度,结果表明学生创造力有进一步开发的潜质.提出从学生学习方法、思维方式、实践技能、个性品质四个方面入手,进行创造力培养和教育.     

人本主义教学在儿科实习带教中的应用

临床实习是将课堂理论与临床实践相结合的过程,儿科与其他临床学科相比有其特殊的方面。在教学中,以人本主义教学为基础,应增强学生自我意识和独立性,帮助学生为自己的学习负责,增强学生的好奇心和创造性,同时让学生学会与家长、老师沟通交流,以提高儿科实习质量。     

Building middle school students' understanding of proportional reasoning through mathematical investigation

This article describes and shares an innovative pedagogical practice that holds promise in contributing to the teaching and learning of proportions in middle school. The teaching and learning of mathematics with understanding framework was used as a vehicle to help 21 seventh grade students reason proportionally. The findings of this unit suggest that the classroom culture, which encouraged the students to make connections between their existing and new ideas and reflecting and communicating their thinking, contributed to their emerging understanding of proportions. The use of an authentic and non-routine task involving liquid measurements also heightened their interest, curiosity and enthusiasm, thereby contributing to their excitement about the mathematics they were learning.     

生物实验教学中对学生探究能力的培养

在生物教学中,生物实验教学以其突出的实践性,为学生探究能力的培养提供了一个广阔的空间,教师要充分利用实验教学的特点,积极调动学生学习的主动性,激发学生强烈的好奇心和求知欲,鼓励学生大胆创新,积极实验,并在探究中学会合作交流、讨论、反思。     

Murder on Grimm Isle: The impact of game narrative design in an educational game‐based learning environment

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of narrative design in a game‐based learning environment. Specifically, this investigation focuses the narrative design in an adventure‐styled, game‐based learning environment for fostering argumentation writing by looking at how the game narrative impacted player/learner (1) intrinsic motivation, (2) curiosity, (3) plausibility and (4) transference of game‐based experiences into prewriting activities. The methodological framework for this qualitative investigation is a case study with grounded theory methodology. The setting is an educational, three‐dimensional, immersive game‐based learning environment titled Murder on Grimm Isle, used to foster argumentation and persuasion writing for Grades 9–14. The participants included 20 college students. The findings of the investigation reveal that intrinsic motivation, curiosity and plausibility were first supported by the game‐like environment, and then sustained through the narrative and the environment. Additionally, game‐based experiences were transferred into prewriting activities. Unanticipated findings revealed some student resistance. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of narrative design for game‐based learning environments.