Scaffolding cognitive and metacognitive processes in low verbal ability learners: Use of diagrams in computer-based training environments

This study investigated how instructionalstrategies can support learners' knowledgeacquisition and metacomprehension of complexsystems in a computer-based trainingenvironment, and how individual characteristicsinteract with these manipulations. Incorporating diagrams into the trainingfacilitated performance on measures ofintegrative knowledge (i.e., the integrationand application of task-relevant knowledge),but had no significant effect on measures ofdeclarative knowledge (i.e., mastery of basicfactual knowledge). Diagrams additionallyfacilitated the development of accurate mentalmodels (as measured via a card sorting task)and significantly improved the instructionalefficiency of the training (i.e., higher levelof performance was achieved with less mentaleffort). Finally, diagrams effectivelyscaffolded participants' metacognition,improving their metacomprehension accuracy(i.e., their ability to accurately monitortheir comprehension). These beneficial effectsof diagrams on learners' cognitive andmetacognitive processes were found to bestrongest for participants with low verbalability. Results are discussed in terms ofimplications for the design of adaptivelearning systems.     

Moral self-determination: The nature,existence, and formation of moral motivation

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses three basic questions about moral motivation. Concerning the nature of moral motivation, it argues that it involves responsiveness to both reasons of morality and the value of persons and everything else of value. Moral motivation is thus identified as reason-responsive appropriate valuing. Regarding whether it is possible for people to be morally motivated, the paper relies on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to show how moral motivation is a likely product of education that is need-supportive in modeling appropriate valuing and engaging students in the kinds of reasoning that are essential to moral motivation. Virtuous motivation that inclines people to engage in morally motivated acts is equated with being morally self-determining or achieving the right kind of integrated motivation. SDT shows how people come to be morally motivated, and the paper concludes that an identified aspiration to be virtuous may play a significant role.     

Soup-can Pendulum

In these studies, a vegetable can containing fluidwas swung as a pendulum by supporting its end-lipswith a pair of knife edges. The motion was measuredwith a capacitive sensor and the logarithmic decrementin free decay was estimated from computer-collectedrecords. Measurements performed with nine differenthomogeneous liquids, distributed through six decadesin the viscosity , showed that the damping ofthe system is dominated by rather than externalforces from air or the knife edges. The log decrementwas found to be maximum (0.28) in the vicinity of = 0.7 Pa s and fell off more than 15 fold(below 2 × 10^-2) for both small viscosity( < 1 × 10^-3 Pa s) and also for largeviscosity ( > 1 × 10³ Pa s). A simple modelhas been formulated, which yields reasonable agreementbetween theory and experiment by approximating therelative rotation of can and liquid.     

An Odds Ratio Approach for Assessing Differential Distractor Functioning Effects under the Nominal Response Model

Investigations of differential distractor functioning (DDF) can provide valuable information concerning the location and possible causes of measurement invariance within a multiple‐choice item. In this article, I propose an odds ratio estimator of the DDF effect as modeled under the nominal response model. In addition, I propose a simultaneous distractor‐level (SDL) test of invariance based on the results of the distractor‐level tests of DDF. The results of a simulation study indicated that the DDF effect estimator maintained good statistical properties under a variety of conditions, and the SDL test displayed substantially higher power than the traditional Mantel‐Haenszel test of no DIF when the DDF effect varied in magnitude and/or size across the distractors.     

Early Histories of School‐Aged Children With Attention‐Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

In a prospective study of developmental outcomes in relation to early‐life otitis media, behavioral, cognitive, and language measures were administered to a large, diverse sample of children at 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9–11 years of age (N = 741). At 9–11 years of age, 9% of the children were categorized as having attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on parent report. Compared to the non‐ADHD group, the ADHD group had higher (i.e., less favorable) scores on parent and teacher versions of the Child Behavior Checklist at all ages. Children in the ADHD group also had lower scores on cognitive and receptive language measures in preschool. The findings support the concept that ADHD is a cognitive as well as a behavioral disorder.     

Demand (and supply) in an inter-district public school choice program

This study examines parents’ demand for sending their children to a public school located outside their residential school district. Using a unique data set that contains information concerning both inter-district transfers and rejections of transfer applications, I am able to identify which school district characteristics attract the greatest demand for incoming transfers. The analyses reveal that mean student test scores are stronger predictors of transfer demand than both students’ socio-economic characteristics and school district spending, suggesting that parents care more about outcomes than inputs. In addition, while districts are only supposed to reject transfer students due to capacity concerns, districts’ supply decisions are also correlated with differences in student performance across neighboring districts.     

Disconnects between popular discourse and home advantage research: what can fans and media tell us about the home advantage phenomenon?

Many of the factors identified as influencing the home advantage have an underlying social basis, presumably through the influence exerted by the home crowd. Beliefs in the home advantage and the causes of that advantage also have a social basis: sports coverage and fan discourse focus on some aspects of the phenomenon at the expense of others. This paper compares home advantage research with the use of the concept in media narratives and fan Intemet postings. While there are many similarities across sources, the findings suggest three major differences. Fans, and to a lesser extent the media, (1) focus almost exclusively on winning as the evidence for a home advantage, (2) see crowd noise as the main factor for the home advantage, and (3) treat the phenomenon as much more transient than is suggested by academic studies. I identify several features of the phenomenon that facilitate popular views of the home advantage and suggest how future research may benefit from incorporating those views.     

Effect of a global alteration of running technique on kinematics and economy

In this study, we examined the consequences of a global alteration in running technique on running kinematics and running economy in triathletes. Sixteen sub-elite triathletes were pre and post tested for running economy and running kinematics at 215 and 250 m.min-1. The members of the treatment group (n=8) were exposed to 12 weeks of instruction in the "pose method" of running, while the members of the control group (n=8) maintained their usual running technique. After the treatment period, the experimental group demonstrated a significant decrease in mean stride length (from 137.25+/-7.63 cm to 129.19+/-7.43 cm; P<0.05), a post-treatment difference in vertical oscillation compared with the control group (6.92+/-1.00 vs. 8.44+/-1.00 cm; P<0.05) and a mean increase in submaximal absolute oxygen cost (from 3.28+/-0.36 l.min-1 to 3.53+/-0.43 l.min-1; P<0.01). The control group exhibited no significant changes in either running kinematics or oxygen cost. The global change in running mechanics associated with 12 weeks of instruction in the pose method resulted in a decrease in stride length, a reduced vertical oscillation in comparison with the control group and a decrease of running economy in triathletes.     

The Impact of Library Tutorials on the Information Literacy Skills of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Students in an Evidence-Based Practice Course: A Rubric Assessment

This study measures how online library instructional tutorials implemented into an evidence-based practice course have impacted the information literacy skills of occupational and physical therapy graduate students. Through a rubric assessment of final course papers, this study compares differences in students’ search strategies and cited sources pre- and post-implementation of the tutorials. The population includes 180 randomly selected graduate students from before and after the library tutorials were introduced into the course curriculum. Results indicate a statistically significant increase in components of students’ searching skills and ability to find higher levels of evidence after completing the library tutorials.