Acceptance of lack of closure: is it an index of advanced reasoning?

Lunzer reported data suggestive of a stage of cognitive development manifest between 9 and 11 years of age characterized by the ability to avoid drawing premature inferences when faced with ambiguity (i.e., accept lack of closure [ALC]). The present study sought to test this hypothesis. Inference tasks emphasizing ALC, memory, and hypothetico-deductive reasoning were administered to 67 males and 74 females (5-12 years in age). Although use of ALC increased with age, considerable use was evidenced on a simple task among 7-8-year-olds. On tasks hypothesized to place increasing demands on working memory, longer tasks were found to be more difficult. Marked improvement due to memory aids suggested that task difficulty results from limitations in working memory as predicted by Pascual-Leone's theory. Tasks requiring hypothetico-deductive reasoning were found to be most difficult. Performance was related to subject's spontaneous use of ALC. Lack of appropriate strategies was hypothesized to prevent solution rather than lack of logical competence. In conclusion, the relationship of ALC to age appears to be mediated by memory development rather than logical development.     

Context modulation of learned attention deployment

In three experiments, we investigated the contextual control of attention in human discrimination learning. In each experiment, participants initially received discrimination training in which the cues from Dimension A were relevant in Context 1 but irrelevant in Context 2, whereas the cues from Dimension B were irrelevant in Context 1 but relevant in Context 2. In Experiment 1, the same cues from each dimension were used in Contexts 1 and 2, whereas in Experiments 2 and 3, the cues from each dimension were changed across contexts. In each experiment, participants were subsequently shifted to a transfer discrimination involving novel cues from either dimension, to assess the contextual control of attention. In Experiment 1, measures of eye gaze during the transfer discrimination revealed that Dimension A received more attention than Dimension B in Context 1, whereas the reverse occurred in Context 2. Corresponding results indicating the contextual control of attention were found in Experiments 2 and 3, in which we used the speed of learning (associability) as an indirect marker of learned attentional changes. Implications of our results for current theories of learning and attention are discussed.     

Spoken vocabulary growth: Its role in the development of phoneme awareness and early reading ability

In this paper, two theoretical positionsregarding the developmental origins of thephoneme as a unit for lexical representationand processing are outlined – theaccessibility and emergent positions. OurLexical Restructuring Model (Metsala & Walley1998), which is consistent with the secondposition, focuses on the role of vocabularygrowth in prompting the implementation of morefine-grained, segmental representations forlexical items in childhood; this restructuringis viewed as an important precursor to theexplicit segmentation or phoneme awarenessskills implicated in early reading success.Empirical evidence that supports this model issummarized, including preliminary results fromone of our most recent studies. Severalsuggestions are made for future research thatwill lead to a better understanding of thedevelopment of spoken word recognition and thelinks between speech- and reading-relatedabilities.     

1920年至1921年北洋政府赈灾借债研究

1920-1921年北洋政府为赈济中国北方旱灾，对内发行公债、向外努力借债。这两笔债务的性质既不同于政治借款，又不同于实业借款，在中国内外债史上有其特殊地位。对其进行深入研究，有助于我们更全面地认识北洋政府。     

A COMPARISON OF THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF TWO METHODS FOR ASSESSING PARTIAL KNOWLEDGE ON A MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST

Differential weighting of response alternatives and confidence testing have been proposed as ways to assess partial knowledge on multiple-choice tests. 211 students in an educational measurement course took their midterm examination under one of three procedures. Results from those students administered the test under conventional directions provided a baseline for comparing, in terms of reliability and validity, the results from students who took the test under the differential weighting of response alternatives or the confidence testing instructions. Reliability was estimated by the split-half technique. Validity was estimated by correlating midterm test scores with scores on a final examination. This investigation provides some support for the contention that validity can be improved using more sophisticated testing techniques. Suggestions for the conduct of more definitive studies were offered.     

Adapting the delivery of learning materials to student preferences: Two studies with a course model based on ‘cases’

Current printed courses of the Open universiteit (Ou) have been designed according to a variety of course models; for example the ‘learning unit model’ or the ‘textbook‐workbook model’ (van den Boom & Schlusmans 1991). Considering the potential of the ILCE approach (Valcke & Martens, this issue), one can imagine new and innovative course models that build on the interactivity and flexibility possibilities of such an environment An essential feature of the ILCE approach is that developers can consider student differences when designing and producing learning materials.

In this article we will explore the problem of adapting the delivery of learning materials to student characteristics in relation to a course based on ‘cases’ in the law domain. Two different study modes are researched: a study mode that starts with the theory and next moves to practical work with the cases versus a study mode that starts with the practical work and next moves to the theoretical base.

Two studies are presented. Within the exploratory study, the research questions focus on the potential interrelations between student characteristics and the preference/choice for one of the two study modes. From the results can be concluded that almost all students from the Open universiteit prefer a theory‐based study mode, because they have a relatively large amount of experience with this study mode and because they find it a successful study mode.

In the second study, an experimental design is adopted with students studying in one of four different conditions: two study modes of printed learning materials and two study modes of interactive learning materials. In contrast with the exploratory study students clearly indicate a more diverse preference for certain study modes. Students also differ in their preference for the delivery mode. However the more traditional study and delivery mode (theory‐based and printed learning material) remains more popular. Again this might again be due to the greater experience students have with this approach. Only two student characteristics are significantly related to opting for the practice‐based study mode: the experience level with a study mode and one's prior knowledge with the subject matter. Comparable results were detected regarding the preferred delivery mode: students with little prior knowledge more readily prefer a printed book, probably because they have a better overview.