Text Comprehension and Oral Language as Predictors of Word-Problem Solving: Insights into Word-Problem Solving as a Form of Text Comprehension

This study was designed to deepen insights on whether word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension (TC) and on the role of language in WPs. A sample of 325 second graders, representing high, average, and low reading and math performance, was assessed on (a) start-of-year TC, WP skill, language, nonlinguistic reasoning, working memory, and foundational skill (word identification, arithmetic) and (b) year-end WP solving, WP-language processing (understanding WP statements, without calculation demands), and calculations. Multivariate, multilevel path analysis, accounting for classroom and school effects, indicated that TC was a significant and comparably strong predictor of all outcomes. Start-of-year language was a significantly stronger predictor of both year-end WP outcomes than of calculations, whereas start-of-year arithmetic was a significantly stronger predictor of calculations than of either WP measure. Implications are discussed in terms of WP solving as a form of TC and a theoretically coordinated approach, focused on language, for addressing TC and WP-solving instruction.     

Piaget meets big bird: Is TV a passive teacher?

Conclusion The important thing for us to acknowledge as developmental psychologists is that our theories and our intuitions about how young children learn were virtually all full-blown before television became a major component of early childhood experience. Because children did not learn from passive stimuli before (when there were indeed few such stimuli available to him) we have been too sure that theycannot learn this way. Sesame Street has led a lot of us to make concessions about this, but more significant shifts in our thinking may still be in order.Barbara R. Fowles is associate director of research for the Children's Television Workshop and adjunct assistant professor of psychology and education, Ferkauf Graduate School, Yeshiva University. Gilbert Voyat is associate professor of psychology in the Graduate Faculty, City University of New York.     

The influence of cue type and configuration upon radial-maze performance in the rat

The influence of cue type and cue configuration on radial-maze performance in rats was examined in two experiments. In the first experiment, it was found that rats provided with both salient intramaze and extramaze cues acquired the task faster than rats given only one set of cues. No difference in acquisition was found between a group trained with intramaze cues alone and a group trained with extramaze cues alone. In a cue-preference test, it was found that groups that had been trained with extramaze cues, intramaze cues, or both sets of cues relied on extra-maze cues to avoid visited arms when given both types of cues concurrently. When all groups were transferred to intramaze-cue-alone trials, only the group that had been originally trained with extramaze cues alone showed any disruption. Also, during the second half of the intramaze-cue-alone trials, the arrangement of these cues was randomly changed on each trial. This disruption in cue configuration did not deleteriously affect performance in any of the three groups; all remained above chance performance, although the performance of the group originally trained with extramaze cues alone was inferior to that of the other two groups. In Experiment 2, groups of rats were trained on daily alternating trials under intramaze-cue-alone and extramaze-cue-alone conditions. For one group, the configuration of intramaze cues was altered randomly on each trial; the other group had intramaze cues always presented in the same configuration over trials. It was found that acquisition was more rapid on intramaze trials in the group given static configurations. Also, acquisition of the extramaze task was faster than the intramaze task in the group given variable intramaze cue configurations. No difference was found between the intramaze and extramaze conditions in the group given static intramaze cue configurations. These data suggest that a static cue configuration may influence radial maze performance, but is not a necessary condition for such performance.     

Contract learning

Contract learning provides an effective way to structure the learning process to address individual educational needs. This learning method has now been applied successfully across a broad range of fields and levels within undergraduate education. In this paper the method is described, and the educational advantages of its use are examined. The role of the faculty member using learning contracts is discussed, and the applicability of the method to various student audiences is suggested. With the contract learning method students become interested and eager, since the learning process can truly be tailored to their individual needs.     

Some New Convergence Conditions for Jacobi's Method

Let Aχ = b be a linear system or equations in which A is an n × n matrix and both χ and b are n dimensional column vectors. If in addition A is row diagonally predominant (i.e. for any i, ¦:a_ii¦>¦:a_ij¦: for all 1?j?n,i≠j), then criteria are developed to show how to ascertain when such matrix problems may be successfully solved using Jacobi's iterative method.     

Teacher's role and reproducibility of didactical situations

Is it possible to specify teaching situations and to control their effects on students' learning? This general question is essential regarding the scientific character of research on mathematics education. It especially concerns the teacher's role in the class: can she ensure sufficient fidelity to a predefined scenario? This question is of special importance in the case of an experimental scenario the design of which is the result of a collaboration between a researcher and a teacher. This is considered here in the context of two case-studies. These case-studies exhibit two types of factors which tend to hamper fidelity in reproducing a given scenario:

- first, constraints on the teacher resulting from the didactical system: time constraints, success of the teaching process;

- second, teachers' conceptions about mathematics and learning. These results are considered with reference to prior research on didactical transposition and teacher's beliefs.

     

Navigating “thorny” issues

In their article Mindfulness and discussing ‘thorny’ issues in the classroom Konstantinos Alexakos et al. (Cult Stud Sci Educ, 2016. doi: 10.1007/s11422-015-9718-0) describe “thorny” issues as “difficult topics to discuss because they are more personal to some perhaps even cause pain and violence.” As women from different backgrounds, we engage in a metalogue, which expands on our thoughts and emotions the thorny issues evoked. Our discussion is grounded in theoretical frameworks of mindfulness, wellness, and safe space for learning. We also reflect on our experiences of facing some of the thorny issues in our academic and personal lives. Having trust and respect for one another and being aware of thorny issues allows for a meaningful conversation about the complexity and nuances involved in discussing difficult topics in a classroom setting.     

Another type of diversity: A student teacher with a learning disability

Carrie wanted to be a teacher more than anything else. But Carrie had a learning disability which interfered with the basic literacy skills of reading, writing, and language processing. Although she had entered the university through a special private program designed to identify and support studentswith learning disabilities,Carrie kept her disability a secret when she was admitted to the teacher education program. She did not tell her cooperating teachers or university supervisors about her difficulties until the incident in the high school resource room. Her experiences and the immediate and future dilemmas created for all teacher educators by Carrie's experiences raise larger issues about the balance between individual rights and public interest.