Achieving Optimal Best: Instructional Efficiency and the Use of Cognitive Load Theory in Mathematical Problem Solving

We recently developed the Framework of Achievement Bests to explain the importance of effective functioning, personal growth, and enrichment of well-being experiences. This framework postulates a concept known as optimal achievement best, which stipulates the idea that individuals may, in general, strive to achieve personal outcomes, reflecting their maximum capabilities. Realistic achievement best, in contrast, indicates personal functioning that may show moderate capability without any aspiration, motivation, and/or effort expenditure. Furthermore, our conceptualization indicates the process of optimization, which involves the optimization of achievement of optimal best from realistic best.In this article, we explore the Framework of Achievement Bests by situating it within the context of student motivation. In our discussion of this theoretical orientation, we explore in detail the impact of instructional designs for effective mathematics learning as an optimizer of optimal achievement best. Our focus of examination of instructional designs is based, to a large extent, on cognitive load paradigm, theorized by Sweller and his colleagues. We contend that, in this case, cognitive load imposition plays a central role in the structure of instructional designs for effective learning, which could in turn influence individuals’ achievements of optimal best. This article, conceptual in nature, explores varying efficiencies of different instructional approaches, taking into consideration the potency of cognitive load imposition. Focusing on mathematical problem solving, we discuss the potentials for instructional approaches to influence individuals’ striving of optimal best from realistic best.     

Exzellenz durch Internationalität

Like excellence, internationality has evolved into a key concept for German universities. This article reconstructs the manifold genesis of internationality as a principle for stratificatory claims on the basis of science policy documents. At the levels of student exchange, researcher mobility, and university cooperation, three changes are elaborated upon: the transition from the medieval universitas of the nationes to the national university, the increasing competitive orientation of a concept of internationality based on cooperation and cultural exchange, and the transformation of internationality under the auspices of excellence. At the same time, it will be shown how international understanding, exchange, and competition as guiding principles of an internationalization discourse are enacted differently in varying historical contexts. It will be demonstrated that internationality as a sign of excellence becomes a strategy for universities to position themselves as superior in their respective fields.     

Effects of disfluency and test expectancy on learning with text

Do students learn better with texts that are Open image in new window (i.e., disfluent)? Previous research yielded discrepant findings concerning this question. To clarify these discrepancies, the present study aimed at identifying a boundary condition that determines when disfluent text is, and is not, beneficial to learning. This boundary condition is knowledge about whether a test will follow (high test expectancy) versus not (low test expectancy). Participants with high test expectancy may already engage in effortful processing, so that making text harder-to-read (disfluent) might not change their processing mode any further. Thus, particularly when no test is expected, disfluency is supposed to exert its beneficial effect. This assumption was tested in a 2?×?2 design (N?=?97) with text legibility (fluent vs. disfluent) and test expectancy (low vs. high) as factors, and learning outcomes (retention, transfer) and learning times as main dependent variables. Results revealed that high test expectancy led to better learning outcomes (for retention and transfer), but disfluent text did not. Unlike expected, there was no interaction between the two factors. Moreover, both high test expectancy and disfluency led to longer learning times, resulting in a lower efficiency when learning with disfluent compared to fluent text. Hence, the present results further question the stability and generalizability of a positive disfluency effect on learning, because only high test expectancy – but not disfluency - stimulated better learning through more effortful processing the way it was supposed to.     

Motivational and emotional components affecting male’s and female’s self-regulated learning

The relationship between self-referenced feelings and cognitions and self-regulated learning has become an important area of research. But to what extent can differences in self-regulation be explained by differences in motivation and emotion? And how facilitating or debilitating is the effect of motivation and emotion on the use of regulatory study activities? In this study, 292 freshmen were assessed on self-referenced cognitions and feelings. Three months later, regulatory study activities were measured by self-report. The canonical correlation between self-referenced cognitions and feelings and regulatory activities was very substantial (.52), and even invariant of ability differences. Task value and the tendency to achieve success were positively related to self-regulation for both males and females. An impressive gender difference was noticed, however, for the tendency to avoid failure. For female students, a high level of fear of failure acted as a detrimental agent upon regulatory activities. It is concluded that attention should be paid to facilitating and debilitating mechanisms underlying the use of metacognitive activities while being engaged in a cognitive endeavour.     

Accounting for diverse missions: can classification systems contribute to meaningful assessments of institutional performance?

Tertiary Education and Management - Although they have been developed for a variety of purposes, classification systems for tertiary or postsecondary education institutions offer a foundation for...     

Integrating Northern Ireland: Cross‐group friendships in integrated and mixed schools

While Northern Ireland strives to build a shared society, the current reality is that everyday experiences are still shaped by division along ethno‐religious lines. This is particularly pronounced in the education system, where more than 92% of pupils attend separate schools. Within the predominantly separate education system, however, exists a small collection of schools which cater to a more heterogeneous pupil body and offer the opportunity for young people from both communities to meet and interact, and potentially develop cross‐group friendships. The present study compares the network‐based cross‐group friendships within two such school types; an integrated and a separate post‐primary school. These schools boast a distinct ethos yet they similarly enrol students from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. Findings reveal that both schools show a high level of interconnection between pupils; however, the integrated school, with an ethos that openly supports social cohesion, shows a greater tendency towards cross‐group interactions and best friendships than those found within the separate school. In line with contact theory, these findings suggest that it may not be enough to simply create opportunities for intergroup contact but that optimal conditions, such as institutional support, may be a prerequisite for positive relationships to flourish. Implications for educational policies designed to promote greater cross‐community contact are discussed.     

The use of morphological knowledge in spelling derived forms by learning-disabled and normal students

Currently popular systems for classification of spelling words or errors emphasize the learning of phoneme-grapheme correspondences and memorization of irregular words, but do not take into account the morphophonemic nature of the English language. This study is based on the premise that knowledge of the morphological rules of derivational morphology is acquired developmentally and is related to the spelling abilities of both normal and learning-disabled (LD) students. It addresses three issues: 1) how the learning of derivational morphology and the spelling of derived words by LD students compares to that of normal students; 2) whether LD students learn derived forms rulefully; and 3) the extent to which LD and normal students use knowledge of relationships between base and derived forms to spell derived words (e.g. “magic” and “magician”). The results showed that LD ninth graders’ knowledge of derivational morphology was equivalent to that of normal sixth graders, following similar patterns of mastery of orthographic and phonological rules, but that their spelling of derived forms was equivalent to that of the fourth graders. Thus, they know more about derivational morphology than they use in spelling. In addition, they were significantly more apt to spell derived words as whole words, without regard for morphemic structure, than even the fourth graders. Nonetheless, most of the LD spelling errors were phonetically acceptable, suggesting that their misspellings cannot be attributed primarily to poor knowledge of phoneme-grapheme correspondences. I am indebted to Laurel Fais and students in the Language Training program at the Forman School in Litchfield, Connecticut, for their participation in this study. The first phase of this research project was sponsored by NICHD grant HD-01994 to Haskins Laboratories and by a Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Connecticut. The final stages of work on this project were completed while I was at American International College.     

Towards an American Jewish Education

My function is to analyze a survey of adult Jewish education and to present briefly some of my own views on the subject. The survey was planned and conducted under the direction of the National Advisory Council on Adult Jewish Education of the American Association for Jewish Education. The Advisory Council includes the directors or representatives of a number of important religious and lay national Jewish agencies which sponsor adult Jewish education. The responses to the questionnaires were analyzed and the Survey Report was written by Rabbi Samuel I. Cohen.     

Core competencies and high leverage practices of the beginning teacher: a synthesis of the literature

Teacher competency frameworks comprise a number of competencies that enable a teacher to develop effective teaching practices. However, their conception, value, use and recognition vary widely. Equally, assessment and measurement of such competencies differ across contexts. More recently, a body of research has emerged which focuses the lens of teacher preparation on the inclusion of high leverage practices. The focus of this study is to report a synthesis of the literature pertaining to the ‘core competencies’ and ‘high leverage practices’ selected for inclusion in teacher preparation. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in order to synthesis available evidence. Results are presented in two sections; competency-based approaches; and high leverage practice approaches in teacher preparation. Findings are discussed from the perspective of epistemological and methodological questions emerging from the research and the implications for teacher preparation.