Emotion Regulation Strategies That Promote Learning: Reappraisal Enhances Children’s Memory for Educational Information

The link between emotion regulation and academic achievement is well documented. Less is known about specific emotion regulation strategies that promote learning. Six‐ to 13‐year‐olds (N = 126) viewed a sad film and were instructed to reappraise the importance, reappraise the outcome, or ruminate about the sad events; another group received no regulation instructions. Children viewed an educational film, and memory for this was later assessed. As predicted, reappraisal strategies more effectively attenuated children’s self‐reported emotional processing. Reappraisal enhanced memory for educational details relative to no instructions. Rumination did not lead to differences in memory from the other instructions. Memory benefits of effective instructions were pronounced for children with poorer emotion regulation skill, suggesting the utility of reappraisal in learning contexts.     

Performance in solving arithmetic problems: a comparison of children with different levels of achievement in mathematics and reading

The aim of the present study was to investigate the performance in arithmetic related to achievement levels in reading and mathematics. Basic arithmetical facts and multi‐step calculations were examined. The participants were 941 pupils aged 8 (N = 415), 10 (N = 274) and 13 (N = 252) years. The pupils were divided into four groups by standardized achievement tests. One group showed low achievement in both mathematics and reading (MLRL), a second group showed low achievement in mathematics only (ML‐only), a third group in reading only (RL‐only) and a fourth group showed normal achievement in both mathematics and reading (NA). The ML‐only and the MLRL groups did not differ significantly in basic arithmetical facts at any age level, but both groups performed below the RL‐only and NA groups. The two latter groups also performed similarly at all year levels. In multi‐step calculation all groups differed significantly at the lowest age level, with the NA as the group with the best achievement, followed by RL‐only, ML‐only and the MLRL group. At the two highest age levels the relations between the groups, in multi‐step calculation, were in accordance with the results regarding basic facts. The findings indicate, for both normal and low general mathematical ability, that low achievement in reading to a small extent interferes with the pupils’ development of arithmetic performance     

The Fast Track a Self-Paced Approach to Learning French

To determine the impact of an assignment and workshop intended to increase students’ information literacy skills, we conducted a quasi-experiment using a pretest-posttest assessment with undergraduate students in four sections of an introduction to developmental psychology course. Two sections (N = 81) received the assignment and instructions only, acting as the control group; two sections (N = 76) received the librarian-led workshop in addition to the assignment and instructions. Results of an independent-samples t-test revealed a significant difference on posttest scores on students’ information literacy skills between those who participated in the workshop and those who did not. There was also a positive change in students’ subjective views of their ability to use the library and online library resources.     

ONE'S OWN TEACHER AND THE CHOICE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Gustafsson, J.‐E. Differential Effects of Imagery Instructions on Pupils with Different Abilities. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 21, 157‐179. A study investigating interactions between imagery instructions and aptitude variables is presented. A group of seven fifth‐grade classes was given imagery instructions in the reading of a short text, while another group read the text in a regular way. Three different outcomes covering different types of learning were registered. Tests of verbal ability and spatial (or imagery) ability were used as aptitude variables. The data analysis indicated that there were differences for the girls between the treatment groups among the aptitude variables; the results for the girls thus had to be excluded. A positive effect of imagery instructions was found for boys high in verbal and imagery ability with respect to the acquisition of simple terms. For other outcomes and groups of subjects either no effect or a negative effect was found.     

The Improvement of Thinking Skills in Young Children using Computer Activities: a replication and extension

Summary In a replication and extension of a study by Riding & Powell (1985), 60 four‐year‐old nursery class children were given the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices and were then randomly divided within sexes into two groups. A treatment group worked through 16 computer presented problem solving activities and where necessary received coaching. A control group did not do the problems, but spent the time on their normal nursery class activities. All the children were then re‐tested on Raven's Matrices. The results showed a significantly greater improvement between the pre‐ and post‐test scores for the treatment group than for the control group: The results were similar to those obtained in the previous study and suggest that a worthwhile improvement in thinking performance in young children can be obtained.     

LEARNING TEST-WISENESS BY PROGRAMMED TEXTS1

High school seniors (84 males, 77 females) were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group received a programmed text designed to teach Ss to answer every item on an examination, whether or not the directions included a penalty for incorrect answers. The other group was administered a programmed text to teach certain selected aspects of test-wiseness. Each group served as the control group for the other. The following day all Ss were administered a measure of willingness to guess and a measure of test-wiseness. Two weeks later, all Ss received additional measures of willingness to guess and test-wiseness. Analysis of the data indicated the group that received the guessing program answered significantly more items than its control group (on both the immediate and delayed tests), even though there was a penalty for incorrect answers. In similar fashion, the group exposed to the test-wiseness program achieved significantly higher mean test-wiseness scores than its control group.     

The Comparative Effects of Prediction/Discussion‐Based Learning Cycle,Conceptual Change Text,and Traditional Instructions on Student Understanding of Genetics

The present study examined the comparative effects of a prediction/discussion‐based learning cycle, conceptual change text (CCT), and traditional instructions on students' understanding of genetics concepts. A quasi‐experimental research design of the pre‐test–post‐test non‐equivalent control group was adopted. The three intact classes, taught by the same science teacher, were randomly assigned as prediction/discussion‐based learning cycle class (N = 30), CCT class (N = 25), and traditional class (N = 26). Participants completed the genetics concept test as pre‐test, post‐test, and delayed post‐test to examine the effects of instructional strategies on their genetics understanding and retention. While the dependent variable of this study was students' understanding of genetics, the independent variables were time (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3) and mode of instruction. The mixed between‐within subjects analysis of variance revealed that students in both prediction/discussion‐based learning cycle and CCT groups understood the genetics concepts and retained their knowledge significantly better than students in the traditional instruction group.     

Early Comprehension Instruction for Spanish‐Speaking English Language Learners: Teaching Text‐Level Reading Skills While Maintaining Effects on Word‐Level Skills

This study investigated the effects of three instructional conditions on precursors to successful reading for Spanish‐speaking English language learners (ELL). The study was conducted using a randomized, alternate treatment control group design specifically targeting phonological awareness (PA) listening comprehension (LC), and decoding in a sample of ELL (N= 82) including students who were and were not at risk for later reading failure. Two randomly assigned experimental intervention groups and one treatment control group were created to test the effectiveness of three instructional interventions that differed in the relative amount of time used for instructing the word‐ and text‐level targeted skills. Specifically, the two experimental intervention groups received different doses of LC relative to PA instruction, creating a LC Concentration group and a PA Concentration group. The treatment control group received only PA and alphabet knowledge instruction (word‐level skills). Results indicated that both at‐risk and not‐at‐risk ELLs in the LC Concentration group outperformed students in the other groups on almost all measures, including PA skills, despite minimal amounts of instructional time‐targeting word‐level skills. These data extend the existing literature by lending empirical support to the use of a LC component in early reading interventions for young ELL.     

Adolescents’ Evaluation of Teachers Using Disparaging Humour

Abstract High school students viewed a video‐taped lecture of a professional actor playing the role of a teacher. Four films were presented, one of which was a control film in which no humour was used. The other three films contained (a) self‐disparaging humour (directed toward the teacher), (b) other‐disparaging humour (directed toward the students, and (c) mixed humour (a combination of a and b). All 186 10th graders from four classrooms participating in the experiment were given sociometry of humour tests. Results showed that the teacher using mixed humour received the highest evaluations on ‘appeal’ and ‘originality’ factors; the other‐disparaging teacher was perceived as most powerful, while the teacher not using humour at all was perceived as the most systematic in his teaching method. The sociometry of humour test revealed that students with a sense of humour are more appreciative of a teacher using humour, than are students who do not possess this attribute.     

A comparative study of the effects of using dynamic geometry software and physical manipulatives on the spatial visualisation skills of pre‐service mathematics teachers

The study compared the effects of dynamic geometry software and physical manipulatives on the spatial visualisation skills of first‐year pre‐service mathematics teachers. A pre‐ and post‐test quasi‐experimental design was used. The Purdue Spatial Visualisation Test (PSVT) was used for the pre‐ and post‐test. There were three treatment groups. The first group (n = 34) used Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) Cabri 3D as a virtual manipulative and the second group (n = 32) used physical manipulatives. In the control group (n = 30), the students received traditional instruction. The results of the study showed that physical manipulatives and DGS‐based types of instruction are more effective in developing the students' spatial visualisation skills than traditional instruction. In addition, students in the DGS‐based group performed better than the physical manipulative‐based group in the views section of the PSVT.     

The spelling of final letter patterns: A comparison of instruction at the level of the phoneme and the rime

Two groups of first graders (n=63) participated in a brief 10-day intervention study in which they were instructed in the spelling of five final letter patterns in monosyllabic words. Apart from the final letter pattern sh, the other four patterns (nk, ke, sk, and ck) incorporated the phoneme /k/. One group received phoneme-based instruction that emphasized the direct relation between final speech sounds and their spelling patterns, whereas the second group received linguistically implicit instruction that focused solely on the spelling of the rime. The group receiving phoneme instruction (PI) improved accuracy of final pattern spelling as well as speed of word reading over the group receiving rime instruction (RI). The representation of one sound with the digraphs sh or ck did not confuse first graders as much as the discrimination and representation of two sounds with the blends sk and nk, or spelling of /k/ with ke when preceded by a long or tense vowel. The results suggest that the difficulty for beginning spelling does not necessarily lie in the letter pattern but in the sound sequence that is represented by letters. The results seem to support phoneme-based spelling instruction.     

Supporting the self-regulated use of retrieval practice: A higher education classroom experiment

This study investigated whether an instructional intervention can increase students’ self-regulated use of retrieval practice in a higher education classroom environment. A lab-experiment by Ariel and Karpicke (2017) revealed that strategy instructions improved students’ self-regulated use of retrieval practice and subsequent test performance. Our goal was to determine whether these effects generalize to a classroom environment using key concepts from marketing communication. We compared two groups on their self-regulated use of retrieval practice using an online environment. An experimental group (n = 58) received strategy instructions on retrieval practice and a control group (n = 58) received neutral instructions. Instructions were provided during sessions 1 and 2; no instructions were provided in a third, transfer session, measuring self-regulated use of retrieval practice. In sessions 1 and 2, no significant differences between groups were found. In the transfer session, the experimental group tested themselves more (Hypothesis 1) and displayed a larger number of (correct) retrieval attempts per key concept (Hypothesis 2) than the control group. No correlations were found with performance (Hypothesis 3). With our experiment, we took a first step in supporting students in their self-regulated use of retrieval practice in a classroom environment with complex materials.     

Factor structure of the WISC‐V in four standardization age groups: Exploratory and hierarchical factor analyses with the 16 primary and secondary subtests

This study examined the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐Fifth Edition (WISC‐V) with four standardization sample age groups (6–8, 9–11, 12–14, 15–16 years) using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multiple factor extraction criteria, and hierarchical EFA not included in the WISC‐V Technical and Interpretation Manual. Factor extraction criteria suggested that one to four factors might be sufficient despite the publisher‐promoted, five‐factor solution. Forced extraction of five factors resulted in only one WISC‐V subtest obtaining a salient pattern coefficient on the fifth factor in all four groups, rendering it inadequate. Evidence did not support the publisher's desire to split Perceptual Reasoning into separate Visual Spatial and Fluid Reasoning dimensions. Results indicated that most WISC‐V subtests were properly associated with the four theoretically oriented first‐order factors resembling the WISC‐IV, the g factor accounted for large portions of total and common variance, and the four first‐order group factors accounted for small portions of total and common variance. Results were consistent with EFA of the WISC‐V total standardization sample.     

The negative impact of goal-oriented instructions

The phrasing of task instructions can facilitate or hinder the learning process. In this study, three groups of participants (N = 526) performed a foreign vocabulary memorization task, with modified instructions for each group. The instructions were either learning oriented, encouraging participants to improve their abilities; outcome oriented, prompting participants to achieve a positive evaluation of their performance; or neutral, with no goal orientation, for the control group. Participants’ performance in the task was measured along with several factors pertinent to the learning process. Results showed that learning-oriented instructions led to lower performance levels, while outcome-oriented instructions reduced participants’ language risk-taking, both of which negatively impact learning. The control group had the best overall results, indicating that it is better to refrain from using goal-oriented instructions in learning tasks.     

Voice in Digital Education: The Impact of Instructor's Perceived Age and Gender on Student Learning and Evaluation

Instructor evaluations are influenced by implicit age and gender bias, with lower ratings and negative feedback given to instructors believed to stray from stereotypical age and gender norms. Female instructors exhibiting typically male-associated qualities such as leadership and authority, are often negatively impacted. Implicit bias also influences evaluation of digital resources and instructors, regardless of students' positive learning outcomes. As digital learning resources become the norm in education, it is crucial to explore the impact of implicit bias at various educational levels. In this study, undergraduate and graduate students were randomly exposed to one of five digital tutorials; four experimental tutorials presenting identical anatomy content with narrators of different gender and age, and a control tutorial featuring origami (paper folding) instructions without audio. Learning outcomes were measured by pre-quiz vs. post-quiz comparisons using repeated measures MANOVA. Implicit bias was analyzed by evaluation response comparisons using repeated measures MANOVA and three-way MANOVA. Post-quiz scores increased significantly in the four experimental groups (P < 0.05) but not in the control (P = 0.99). The increased performance was not statistically different across the four experimental groups (P > 0.26), suggesting that learning occurred irrespective of the instructor gender and age. Students' evaluations were consistently higher for the experimental resources than the control. There was no significant difference in evaluations across the four experimental groups but compared to the control, younger male and younger female narrators received significantly higher ratings for approachability, acceptance, inclusivity, and care for student learning. The study highlights important considerations for digital resources development and interpretation of student evaluations.     

Targeting phonological representations can help in the early stages of reading in a non‐dominant language

It is not known whether children who are struggling with reading in a non‐dominant language will respond better to a phonological intervention or to one that addresses oral proficiency. Multilingual seven‐to nine‐year‐olds showing reading difficulty in a non‐dominant language, English, were given a three‐week intervention in phonological skills or in language proficiency and were compared with two control groups (one with reading difficulties and one with no reading difficulties) who received a non‐language based intervention. The group receiving the explicit phonological instructions showed significantly better gain in reading and spelling measures than the language proficiency and reading difficulties control group, but did not reach the levels of the noreading‐difficulty group. The phonological intervention was particularly effective for children with the lowest single‐word reading scores. We suggest that the intervention helped to catalyse the fine‐tuning of the phonological domain, making phonological representations optimally available for decoding, phonological manipulations and literacy development.     

Hierarchical Models of Social Competence in Preschool Children: A Multisite,Multinational Study

The generality of a multilevel factorial model of social competence (SC) for preschool children was tested in a 5‐group, multinational sample (N = 1,540) using confirmatory factor analysis. The model fits the observed data well, and tests constraining paths for measured variables to their respective first‐order factors across samples also fit well. Equivalence of measurement models was found at sample and sex within‐sample levels but not for age within sample. In 2 groups, teachers’ ratings were examined as correlates of SC indicators. Composites of SC indicators were significantly associated with both positive and negative child attributes from the teachers’ ratings. The findings contribute to understanding of both methodological and substantive issues concerning SC in young children.     

Computer: The use of computer‐mediated communication in training students in group problem‐solving and decision‐making techniques

Abstract

A cost‐effectiveness analysis of training Army National Guard soldiers by audio teletraining technology was conducted. The trainees were n = 225 soldiers nationwide. About half of the trainees received training in a three‐week Unit Clerk Course through traditional residence training, and the remainder received the same instruction through audio teletraining. Objective performance data were collected from written tests on sixteen of the forty‐seven tasks taught. The percentage of trainees in the audio teletraining group that reached criterion (93%) on the first test was significantly higher (by statistical test) than the residence group (85%). In comparing costs, the audio teletraining group had lower training costs per trainee. Projected on an annual basis, the Army National Guard can save $292,404 per year through the use of audio teletraining for the Unit Clerk Course.     

Improving children's working memory and classroom performance

Previous research has demonstrated close relationships between working memory and children's scholastic attainment. The aim of the present study was to explore a method of improving working memory, using memory strategy training. Two hundred and fifty‐four children aged five to eight years were tested on measures of the phonological loop, visuo‐spatial sketchpad and central executive components of the multiple component model of working memory. Subgroups of children also completed tasks of following instructions and mental arithmetic in the classroom, and standardised tests of reading, arithmetic and mathematics. Half of the children then used Memory Booster, a computer game that teaches memory strategies, over a period of six to eight weeks. All the children were then retested on the memory and ability measures. The standardised tests were also administered five months later. The results revealed that working memory strategy training resulted in significant improvements in tasks assessing the phonological loop and central executive components of working memory, and tasks assessing following instructions and mental arithmetic in the classroom. However, no improvements were observed on standardised tests of reading, arithmetic or mathematics, either immediately following training or five months later. The results are discussed in terms of implications for educational practice.     

Exploring the effect of task instructions on topic beliefs and topic belief justifications: A mixed methods study

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether task instructions that asked adolescents to evaluate the merit of both sides of a controversial issue would affect their topic beliefs and topic belief justifications after they read belief-consistent and belief-inconsistent information. In the quantitative phase, we conducted an experiment in which high school students (n = 45) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions and received their respective pre-reading task instructions. Quantitative analyses showed that task instructions affected topic beliefs and belief justifications. However, inspection of topic belief scores within each condition indicated that some individuals’ beliefs became weaker, whereas others’ became stronger. In the qualitative phase, we conducted interviews to explain why this occurred. The interview data revealed two distinct reader profiles: belief-reflection and belief-protection. The data sets were complementary: the quantitative data indicated group differences in topic beliefs and belief justifications, and the qualitative data allowed us to explain differences within and across groups.