How Fading Worked Solution Steps Works – A Cognitive Load Perspective

In order to facilitate the transition fromlearning from worked examples in earlier stagesof skill acquisition to problem solving inlater stages, it is effective to successivelyfade out worked solution steps – in comparisonto the traditional method of employingexample-problem pairs that is frequently usedin cognitive-load research. In the presentstudies, the learning processes and mechanismsthat occur when learning in a computer-basedlearning environment containing faded workedsolution steps were examined across twoexperiments. The first experiment showed thatthe position of the faded steps did notinfluence learning outcomes; instead,individuals learned most about those principlesthat were faded. This suggested that specificself-explanation activities are triggered byfaded steps. The second experiment investigatedthis hypothesis directly by collecting andanalyzing thinking-aloud protocols generated bythe learners during their interaction with thelearning environment. No effect on productivelearning events including self-explanationscould be found. It could, however, be shownthat fading is associated with fewerunproductive learning events and, thereby,lends itself to better learning outcomes.     

Informelles Lernen und Medienbildung

Der Begriff des informellen Lernens wird hier auf den Wissenserwerb im Rahmen der allt?glichen Nutzung von Massenmedien bezogen. Bei der genaueren Betrachtung des Mediennutzungsverhaltens von verschiedenen Altersgruppen erweisen sich sozio-kulturelle Unterschiede als wichtige Pr?diktoren für Mediennutzung und -rezeption. Das Konzept der sozialen Milieus eignet sich zur Analyse sozio-kultureller Differenzen, auch mit Blick auf die Medienbildung. Bei Kindern scheint das Herkunftsmilieu der Eltern einen zentralen Einfluss auf deren Medienbildung zu haben, w?hrend im Jugendalter auch jugendkulturelle Rahmungen bedeutsam werden. Medienrezeption wird dabei nicht als einseitiger Prozess, sondern als kommunikative Interaktion zwischen Medienproduzenten und Medienkonsumenten verstanden. Letztere bringen in der Wahl von Medien, Genres und Rezeptionskontexten auch ?sthetische Pr?ferenzen und ihren sozio-kulturellen Habitus zum Ausdruck.     

Demokratie lernen am gymnasium: das projekt "schule als staat"

(Learning Democracy in High School: the "School as State" Project) – The disquieting social developments in the German Federal Republic are leading to intense discussions about the possibilities of instilling values and democratic attitudes within the context of secondary education. The interdisciplinary educational project "School as State" has been running for some time in various schools in Baden-Württemberg. This article describes the goals and processes of this project and examines the didactic approaches from which it emerged.     

Veränderungen in der gruppenspezifischen Nutzung von ganztägigen Schulangeboten - Längsschnittanalysen für den Primarbereich

Since the launch of the public investment program ‘Future Education and Care’ (IZBB) in 2003 the share of primary school aged children participating in all-day schooling in Germany has more than quadrupled. Against this backdrop, this study analyzes, the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics which are possibly related to a higher probability of attendance. Moreover, it analyzes changes in the composition of students participating in all-day schooling. Has there been rather a convergence or a divergence in the characteristics of participants and non-participants over time? Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and the additional survey “Families in Germany” (FiD), our results show that in West Germany all-day school participants have become more similar according to their socioeconomic characteristics (in particular income), hence supporting the convergence hypothesis. In East Germany our findings also provide evidence for convergence. In contrast to West Germany, however, convergence applies to characteristics related to the household structure. Overall, there is no indication for divergence over time.     

Promoting Interest by Supporting Learner Autonomy: the Effects of Teaching Behaviour in Biology Lessons

Research in Science Education - In self-determination theory, Ryan and Deci (2017) propose that psychological well-being is based on three innate psychological needs: relatedness, competence, and...     

Experimentation in biology lessons: guided discovery through incremental scaffolds

Experimentation is a complex problem-solving process. In biology lessons, experiments involve creative thinking and open discovery; however, they still require some degree of instructional guidance. The right balance between discovery learning and instructional guidance depends substantially on students’ prior knowledge. Students with low prior knowledge in particular might have difficulties with conducting and understanding experiments. Incremental scaffolds might be a valuable tool to meditate between pure discovery and strong guidance while simultaneously taking learners’ individual knowledge and skills into account. In the current study, we examined the effects of incremental scaffolds (IncSc), no scaffolds (NoSc), and worked-out examples (WoEx) on students’ knowledge acquisition while doing inquiry-based experimentation with a special focus on students with low prior knowledge. In a pre-posttest design, 193 students (M_age?=?13.02?±?0.81 years) participated in a four-hour teaching unit on animals’ overwintering strategies. In the pre- and posttest, we assessed the students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge. Our results partially confirmed our hypotheses: Regarding the conceptual and procedural knowledge of all students, incremental scaffolds showed no additional benefit regarding students’ knowledge in the posttest when compared to working with no scaffolds or worked-out examples. For the students with low prior knowledge, working with incremental scaffolds led to higher conceptual and procedural knowledge after the teaching unit than working with worked-out examples.     

Gerechtigkeit und Studienabbruch. Die Rolle der wahrgenommenen Fairness von Benotungsverfahren bei der Entstehung von Abbruchsintentionen

This article investigates the relationship between grading fairness and university students’ dropout intentions. Our focus is on the extent to which students assess the grading procedures as fair from a procedural justice perspective. We distinguish between control-related and validity-related aspects of procedural justice. The fairness of grading procedures is incorporated into a rational choice model on educational decision-making. We theorize that students consider questions of procedural justice in determining their chances of success. Thus, unfair grading practices lead to an increased risk of the students developing dropout intentions. Further, we investigate the relationship between students’ socioeconomic characteristics and procedural justice. Data from the first wave of the CampusPanel are used (n = 1393). Results show that dropout intentions are significantly affected by evaluations of procedural justice. Further, there is evidence that students with low parental socioeconomic status as well as students with an immigrant background are especially prone to exhibit dropout intentions when confronted with low procedural justice.