Showing papers in "Instructional Science in 2014"

Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: a mixed method study

Abstract: This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined how belonging perceptions, academic motivation, and engagement might mediate the relationship between academic contextual characteristics and achievement using structural equation modeling and qualitative follow-up interviews with college students from a large, Midwestern university. In the first, quantitative phase, two hypothesized models of student belonging and motivation were tested. In line with the Self-System Model of Classroom Support for Motivation (Connell and Wellborn, in: Gunnar and Sroufe (eds.) Minnesota Symposium on Child Psychology: Self-processes and Development, 1991), Model 1 hypothesized student belonging and motivation to be directly predicted by supportive classroom environment perceptions, and to directly predict engagement, which was hypothesized to predict achievement. Model 2 elaborated on the traditional self-system model and hypothesized student belonging to mediate the relationship between supportive classroom environment perceptions and student motivation. Quantitative findings revealed support for Model 2. Supportive classroom environment perceptions predicted students’ belonging beliefs, which in turn predicted students’ motivation, engagement, and achievement in the course. The second, follow-up qualitative phase suggested ways in which contextual characteristics might influence student belonging beliefs in the classroom. Taken together, the quantitative and qualitative data illustrate the influential role of classroom contextual characteristics on student outcomes, as well as the role student belonging plays in college student motivation and success.

Understanding video as a tool for teacher education: investigating instructional strategies to promote reflection

Abstract: There is a general consensus among researchers and teacher educators that classroom video can be a valuable tool for pre-service teacher education. Media such as video are not, however, in themselves effective. They have to be embedded in an instructional program to be useful. Yet, little empirical research examines how specific instructional approaches might effectively exploit the potential of video in teacher education. In this study we explored the use of two video-based university courses, one representing a cognitive instructional strategy integrating video, the other representing a situative strategy. Using data from learning journals we analyzed the effects of the two strategies on pre-service teachers’ (N = 28) ability to reflect on classroom video. We found that the two strategies have distinct impacts on the kinds of reflection patterns that are fostered. Our findings suggest that the learning goal and purpose at hand should determine which instructional strategy should be employed when embedding classroom video into teacher education courses.

Participatory design of learning environments: integrating perspectives of students, teachers, and designers

Abstract: Instructional design processes aim to improve student learning. Educational designers and teachers use their expertise and experience to create best possible learning environments for students. Students themselves typically do not participate actively in the design process (Rudduck and McIntyre 2007). However, their perceptions of instruction determine their learning behaviour (Entwistle 1991) and hence the effectiveness of learning environments. Therefore, ‘‘students should help shape rather than simply be shaped by educational policies and practices’’ (Cook-Sather 2003, p. 22). Additionally, discrepancies between designers’ and teachers’ perspectives may inhibit the intended implementation of learning environments. Combining the expertise of different stakeholders can improve the quality of the instructional design process and the resulting learning environments. Therefore, the main aim of this special issue is to bring together research on how to improve cooperation between designers, teachers, and students in the instructional design process and to show important developments in this research field.

The impact of guidance during problem-solving prior to instruction on students’ inventions and learning outcomes

Abstract: Multiple studies have shown benefits of problem-solving prior to instruction (cf. Productive Failure, Invention) in comparison to direct instruction. However, students’ solutions prior to instruction are usually erroneous or incomplete. In analogy to guided discovery learning, it might therefore be fruitful to lead students towards the discovery of the canonical solution. In two quasi-experimental studies with 104 students and 175 students, respectively, we compared three conditions: problem-solving prior to instruction, guided problem-solving prior to instruction in which students were led towards the discovery of relevant solution components, and direct instruction. We replicated the beneficial effects of problem-solving prior to instruction in comparison to direct instruction on posttest items testing for conceptual knowledge. Our process analysis further revealed that guidance helped students to invent better solutions. However, the solution quality did not correlate with the posttest results in the guided condition, indicating that leading students towards the solution does not additionally promote learning. This interpretation is supported by the finding that the two conditions with problem-solving prior to instruction did not differ significantly at posttest. The second study replicated these findings with a greater sample size. The results indicate that different mechanisms underlie guided discovery learning and problem-solving prior to instruction: In guided discovery learning, the discovery of an underlying model is inherent to the method. In contrast, the effectiveness of problem-solving prior to instruction does not depend on students’ discovery of the canonical solution, but on the cognitive processes related to problem-solving, which prepare students for a deeper understanding during subsequent instruction.

Self-monitoring and knowledge-building in learning by teaching

Abstract: Prior research has established that learning by teaching depends upon peer tutors’ engagement in knowledge-building, in which tutors integrate their knowledge and generate new knowledge through reasoning. However, many tutors adopt a knowledge-telling bias defined by shallow summarizing of source materials and didactic lectures. Knowledge-telling contributes little to learning with deeper understanding. In this paper, we consider the self-monitoring hypothesis, which states that the knowledge-telling bias may arise due to tutors’ limited or inadequate evaluation of their own knowledge and understanding of the material. Tutors who fail to self-monitor may remain unaware of knowledge gaps or other confusions that could be repaired via knowledge-building. To test this hypothesis, sixty undergraduates were recruited to study and then teach a peer about a scientific topic. Data included tests of recall and comprehension, as well as extensive analyses of the explanations, questions, and self-monitoring that occurred during tutoring. Results show that tutors’ comprehension-monitoring and domain knowledge, along with pupils’ questions, were significant predictors of knowledge-building, which was in turn predictive of deeper understanding of the material. Moreover, tutorial interactions and questions appeared to naturally promote tutors’ self-monitoring. However, despite frequent comprehension-monitoring, many tutors still displayed a strong knowledge-telling bias. Thus, peer tutors appeared to experience more difficulty with self-regulatory aspects of knowledge-building (i.e., responding appropriately to perceived knowledge gaps and confusions) than with self-monitoring. Implications and alternative hypotheses for future research are discussed.

Mind the gap! Students’ use of exemplars and detailed rubrics as formative assessment

Abstract: The current study examined efficient modes for providing standardized feedback to improve performance on an assignment for a second year college class involving writing a brief research proposal. Two forms of standardized feedback (detailed rubric and proposal exemplars) were utilized is an experimental design with undergraduate students (N = 100) at three urban college campuses. Students completed a draft of a proposal as part of their course requirements and were then randomly assigned to receive a detailed rubric, proposal exemplars, or a rubric and proposal exemplars for use in revising their work. Analyses of students’ writing from first draft to second draft indicated that all three conditions led to improvements in writing that were significant and strong in terms of effect size, with the stand-alone detailed rubric leading to the greatest improvement. Follow-up focus groups with students indicated that a stand-alone rubric potentially engages greater mindfulness on the part of the student. Practical implications are discussed.

Multiplying perspectives and improving practice: what can happen when undergraduate students collaborate with college faculty to explore teaching and learning

Abstract: Traditional structures in higher education support a separation between faculty members’ and students’ perspectives on classroom practice. This is in part because student-faculty interactions are typically defined by a focus on content coverage and by a clear delineation between faculty and student roles in engaging that content. This paper focuses on key findings from an ongoing action research study that aims to address these basic questions: (1) What happens when faculty and students engage in structured dialogue with one another about teaching and learning outside of the regular spaces within which they interact? and (2) How can such dialogic engagement become a part of both students’ and teachers’ practice? The study takes place within the context of a program that supports undergraduate students and college faculty members in semester-long partnerships through which they explore teaching and learning. The goal of these explorations is to examine, affirm, and, where appropriate, revise pedagogical practice. Constant comparison/grounded theory was used to analyze discussions among and feedback from participants. It was found that partnership facilitates both faculty and students multiplying their perspectives in ways that have the potential to improve teaching and learning. Participants consistently describe gaining new insights produced at and by the intersections of their experiences and angles of vision. Furthermore, they discuss how these insights deepen their own self-awareness and their understanding of others’ experiences and perspectives. Finally, they indicate that, as a result of gaining these insights and deepening their awareness, they are inclined to embrace more engaged and collaborative approaches to teaching and learning.

Differences between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of education: profiles to describe congruence and friction

Abstract: Teachers and students have their own perceptions of education. Congruent perceptions contribute to optimal teaching–learning processes and help achieving best learning outcomes. This study investigated patterns in differences between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of their learning environment. Student profiles were identified taking into account the degree of congruence/friction with teachers’ perceptions. Teacher profiles were identified based on their differences in perceptions to students. Profiles were validated with regard to learning-related student characteristics and approaches to teaching. Tenth graders (N = 994) of four secondary schools filled out the Inventory of Perceived Study Environment-Extended (IPSEE) and the Inventory of Learning Styles. Their teachers (N = 136) filled out the teacher version of the IPSEE and the Approaches to Teaching Inventory. Latent class analyses were conducted to define profiles with respect to the magnitude of differences in perceptions. Results showed three student profiles: Closest match profile (30 %), intermediate profile (59 %), and distal profile (11 %). While closest match students had desirable learning-related characteristics, others did not and are at risk for destructive friction. Two teacher profiles described idealistic teachers (70 %) and adaptive teachers (30 %), which related to approaches to teaching. Subgroups of students and teachers provide a comprehensive picture of those who are at risk because of too large differences in perceptions. This study stresses that differences in perceptions deserve detailed attention for optimising learning environments. Involving both students and teachers in the instructional design process could be a way to better account for perceptions of both stakeholders.

Integrating Direct and Inquiry-Based Instruction in the Teaching of Critical Thinking: An Intervention Study.

Abstract: Critical thinking is a unifying goal of modern education. While past research has mostly examined the efficacy of a single instructional approach to teaching critical thinking, recent literature has begun discussing mixed teaching approaches. The present study examines three modes of instruction, featuring the direct instruction approach and the inquiry-based approach in different sequences and proportions, in enhancing Chinese secondary student’s critical thinking performance. A total of 651 Grade 12 students participated in an 18-hour intervention with pre- and post-intervention measures on critical thinking performance and critical thinking dispositions. Specifically, critical thinking assessments utilizing different response format were used. Those who received training showed greater improvement on at least one of the critical thinking assessments compared to those who received no training. Participants’ performances with regards to different critical thinking assessments are discussed. Benefits of adopting more than one instructional approach to teaching critical thinking are highlighted.

Making the failure more productive: scaffolding the invention process to improve inquiry behaviors and outcomes in invention activities

Abstract: Holmes, N. G., Day, J., Park, A. H., Bonn, D., & Roll, I. (2014). Making the failure more productive: scaffolding the invention process to improve inquiry behaviors and outcomes in invention activities. Instructional Science, 42(4), 523-538. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-013-9300-7

Getting immersed in teacher and student perspectives? Facilitating analytical competence using video cases in teacher education

Abstract: The ability to analyze and understand classroom situations through the eyes of not only teachers but also students can be seen as a crucial aspect of teachers’ professional competence. Even though video case-based learning is considered to have great potential for the promotion of analytical competence of teachers (i.e., becoming immersed in student and teacher perspectives as well as applying conceptual knowledge to better understand classroom situations), only a few studies have investigated the effects of corresponding instructional support. This empirical field study examines the effects on analytical competence of two types of instructional support—hyperlinks to multiple perspectives and hyperlinks to conceptual knowledge—by using a 2 × 2 factorial design in a computer-supported video case-based learning environment inspired by cognitive flexibility theory and participatory design. The study examines collaborative learning processes to discover what specific kind of instruction may help to counteract some of the known deficits of case-based learning and teacher thinking, such as limited perspective-taking. From a participatory design point of view, training novices to become immersed in teacher and student perspectives can be considered as an alternative for direct involvement of teachers and students in the design process. The study was realized as a four-day university course for pre-service teachers (N = 100). ANCOVAs of learning processes (small-group discussions) and outcomes (written case analyses) provide evidence that both types of instructional support (i.e., hyperlinks to multiple perspectives and conceptual knowledge) are beneficial. In particular, hyperlinks to multiple perspectives affected small-group case discussions and written post-tests as they led to increased immersion (i.e., perspective-taking). Hyperlinks to conceptual knowledge furthered the application of this knowledge, especially in the written post-tests. Implications for teacher education, participatory design, and further research are discussed.

Prompting Secondary Students' Use of Criteria, Feedback Specificity and Feedback Levels during an Investigative Task.

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of prompting on secondary students’ written peer feedback in chemistry investigation reports. In particular, we examined students’ feedback features in relation to the use of criteria, feedback specificity, and feedback levels. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was adopted. Reviewers in the prompted condition were provided with question prompts that asked them to pose written feedback to their peers on what they did or did not do well and suggestions for improvement, while reviewers in the unprompted condition gave written peer feedback without prompts. The findings showed that prompted peer feedback has a significant effect on the number of comments related to Knowledge of errors, Suggestions for improvement and Process level feedback. This study supports the view that prompting peer feedback in the use of criteria, feedback specificity and feedback levels opens up opportunity for reviewers to engage more meaningfully with peer feedback in report writing tasks.

Other-regulation in collaborative groups: implications for regulation quality

Abstract: The current study examines variation in other-regulation, conceptualized as efforts by one student to regulate their group’s work. This study extends research which has conceptualized other-regulation as temporarily guiding others’ conceptual understanding and skill development by broadening the spectrum of other-regulation to include directive forms and considering their differential impact on regulation quality. Qualitative analyses were conducted based on videotaped observations of three groups of 7th graders working on three collaborative activities during an inquiry-based science unit. Findings suggest that directive other-regulation related to employed moderate-low and low quality regulation within the group. Facilitative forms yielded higher quality regulation given co-equal regulation and task contributions, the focus of the other-regulator on integrating ideas using behavioral and group process regulation, as well as sustaining a shared focus on developing the task product through the use of high-quality content and disciplinary regulation. In contrast, directive other-regulation related to an imbalance in participation and regulatory contributions, as well as the other-regulators’ focus on controlling the task and ensuring their own contribution remained central to the task product. When group members do not have opportunities to make regulatory contributions, regulation and task quality suffer since the group cannot benefit from the full potential of their shared activity, with implications for learning.

Promoting critical, elaborative discussions through a collaboration script and argument diagrams

Abstract: During the past two decades a variety of approaches to support argumentation learning in computer-based learning environments have been investigated. We present an approach that combines argumentation diagramming and collaboration scripts, two methods successfully used in the past individually. The rationale for combining the methods is to capitalize on their complementary strengths: Argument diagramming has been shown to help students construct, reconstruct, and reflect on arguments. However, while diagrams can serve as valuable resources, or even guides, during conversations, they do not provide explicit support for the discussion itself. Collaboration scripts, on the other hand, can provide direct support for the discussion, e.g., through sentence openers that encourage high quality discussion moves. Yet, students often struggle to comply with the rules of a script, as evidenced by both the misuse and nonuse of sentence openers. To try to benefit from the advantages of both of these instructional techniques, while minimizing their disadvantages, we combined and experimented with them within a single instructional environment. In particular, we designed a collaboration script that guides student dyads through a process of analyzing, interrelating and evaluating opposing positions on a contentious topic with a goal to jointly generate a well-reasoned conclusion. We compare a baseline version of the script, one that only involves argument diagramming, with an enhanced version that employs an additional peer critique script, implemented with sentence openers, in which student pairs were assigned the roles of a proponent and a constructive critic. The enhanced version of the script led to positive effects: student discussions contained a higher number of elaborative moves and students assessed their argumentation learning more positively.

How to make guided discovery learning practical for student teachers

Abstract: Many innovative teaching approaches lack classroom impact because teachers consider the proposals impractical. Making a teaching approach practical requires instrumentality (procedures), congruence (local fit), and affordable cost (limited time and resources).This paper concerns a study on the development and effects of a participatory design based teacher training trajectory aimed at making guided discovery learning (GDL) practical for student biology teachers. First, we identified practical heuristics for designing GDL lessons by analyzing design protocols made by biology teachers who are experts in GDL. Next we inventoried student responses to their regular lessons and to GDL based lessons. Based on this we prepared a teacher training program for eleven student biology teachers in which they applied the heuristics and stepwise extended their teaching repertoire in the direction of GDL. The participants’ design processes and resulting lesson plans were scored on both use of design heuristics and GDL characteristics. The participants were interviewed about their motivational beliefs before and after the program. Results showed that student teachers are able to design GDL lessons and used the heuristics to design GDL lessons. Their motivation for implementing GDL in their classroom had increased substantially. The paper concludes with a critical reflection on our method of participatory design and its applicability.

The impact of incorrect examples on learning fractions: A field experiment with 6th grade students

Abstract: Educational research indicates that error reflection, especially reflection on incorrect examples, has a positive effect on knowledge acquisition. The benefit of error reflections might be explained by the extended knowledge of incorrect strategies and concepts (negative knowledge) which fosters the learning of new content. In a field experiment with a pre-post-design we taught fractions to N = 195 6th grade students and compared two conditions that encouraged reflection on either incorrect or correct examples. We found that incorrect examples supported students’ negative knowledge more than correct examples. However, regarding the knowledge of fractions, only advanced students could benefit from incorrect examples; students with low prior knowledge learned more from correct examples. Even though negative knowledge showed a partial mediation effect for knowledge acquisition, it did not mediate the effect of error reflections on the acquisition of knowledge of fractions. The implications for school instruction are discussed.

Student perceptions of facilitators' social congruence, use of expertise and cognitive congruence in problem-based learning

Abstract: In problem-based learning (PBL), the role of a tutor or facilitator is different from what is typically considered as the role of a traditional teacher. In addition to being a subject-matter expert, the facilitator is also expected to be ‘socially’ and ‘cognitively congruent’. In this study, we analyze the survey responses from more than 10,000 students in order to better understand their perceptions of what makes a good or poor facilitator, and to identify specific qualities related to social congruence, cognitive congruence and use of expertise. Students’ comments for the highest and lowest scoring groups of facilitators were analyzed qualitatively using inductive data analysis strategies. The following themes were identified: for social congruence—facilitator personality, relating to students, professionalism, motivating students, and learning environment; for cognitive congruence—scaffolding learning, and communication skills; for use of expertise—content knowledge and experience, and stretching students’ learning. Coding of students’ feedback also demonstrated that students most frequently commented on issues related to facilitators’ social congruence. Our findings indicate that social congruence encompasses skills which facilitators may improve on. We also argue that understanding students’ perspectives is critical especially in a learner-centred approach such as PBL and therefore propose that our findings provide useful input for the professional development of PBL facilitators.

Metacognitive scaffolds improve self-judgments of accuracy in a medical intelligent tutoring system

Abstract: In this study, we examined the effect of two metacognitive scaffolds on the accuracy of confidence judgments made while diagnosing dermatopathology slides in SlideTutor. Thirty-one (N = 31) first- to fourth-year pathology and dermatology residents were randomly assigned to one of the two scaffolding conditions. The cases used in this study were selected from the domain of nodular and diffuse dermatitides. Both groups worked with a version of SlideTutor that provided immediate feedback on their actions for 2 h before proceeding to solve cases in either the Considering Alternatives or Playback condition. No immediate feedback was provided on actions performed by participants in the scaffolding mode. Measurements included learning gains (pre-test and post-test), as well as metacognitive performance, including Goodman–Kruskal Gamma correlation, bias, and discrimination. Results showed that participants in both conditions improved significantly in terms of their diagnostic scores from pre-test to post-test. More importantly, participants in the Considering Alternatives condition outperformed those in the Playback condition in the accuracy of their confidence judgments and the discrimination of the correctness of their assertions while solving cases. The results suggested that presenting participants with their diagnostic decision paths and highlighting correct and incorrect paths helps them to become more metacognitively accurate in their confidence judgments.

The lag effect in secondary school classrooms: Enhancing students’ memory for vocabulary

Abstract: Educators often face serious time constraints that impede multiple repetition lessons on the same material. Thus, it would be useful to know when to schedule a single repetition unit to maximize memory performance. Laboratory studies revealed that the length of the retention interval (i.e., the time between the last learning session and the final memory test) dictates the optimal lag between two learning sessions. The present study tests the generalizability of this finding to vocabulary learning in secondary school. Sixth-graders were retaught English–German vocabulary after lags of 0, 1, or 10 days and tested 7 or 35 days later. In line with our predictions, we found that the optimal lag depends on the retention interval: Given a 7-day retention interval, students performed best when relearning occurred after 1 day. When vocabulary was tested after 35 days, however, students benefited from lags of both 1 and 10 days. Model-based analyses show that enhanced encoding processes and stronger resistance to forgetting—but not better retrieval processes—underlie the benefits of optimal lag. Our findings have practical implications for classroom instruction and suggest that review units should be planned carefully by taking the time of the final test into consideration.

Effects of a training intervention to foster argumentation skills while processing conflicting scientific positions

Abstract: Argumentation skills play a crucial role in science education and in preparing school students to act as informed citizens. While processing conflicting scientific positions regarding topics such as sustainable development in the domain of ecology, argumentation skills such as evaluating arguments or supporting theories with evidence are beneficial for developing deep understanding and well-grounded conclusions. We developed a 50-min training intervention to foster argumentation skills in the domain of ecology on topics related to sustainable development and analyzed its effects in a control-group design: (a) training intervention to foster argumentation skills (n = 41), (b) no such training intervention (n = 42). Results showed that this short-term training intervention successfully fostered three components of argumentation skills (i.e., evaluative knowledge, generative knowledge, and argument quality) and declarative knowledge about argumentation. The positive effect on declarative knowledge was stable 1 week after the training and it was mediated by learning processes during the training intervention: self-explaining the principles of argumentation underlying the video-based examples mediated the effect on declarative knowledge 1 week after the training. In short, the training intervention is an effective instructional method to enhance argumentation skills as well as declarative knowledge about argumentation.

Structured approaches to participatory design for children: can targeting the needs of children with autism provide benefits for a broader child population?

Abstract: In the past technology products created to overcome accessibility and usability issues experienced by individuals with special needs have also resulted in greater usability for the wider population. Technology is increasingly being seen as a key component within the education of children with special needs and recently researchers have developed tailored approaches to involving this population in designing the technology. However, it is not known if these approaches could also benefit participation in a wider population. This paper investigates the potential benefits of using a new structured and supportive participatory design (PD) approach IDEAS, tailored to the specific needs of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), for mainstream schoolchildren. The development of this new approach is guided by the TEACCH program and additionally draws on ideas from existing PD approaches for children. A study has been undertaken to trial this approach with four design teams, two teams including children with ASD and two teams including mainstream schoolchildren. Their design task was to develop a mathematics game over a series of six design sessions following the IDEAS approach. The findings reveal that a structured and supportive PD approach can benefit both children with ASD and mainstream children. However, these benefits varied between and within different groups, with some children requiring the additional structure/support more than others. Future work intends to build upon these findings to develop a PD toolbox for a broader child population, enabling researchers to provide appropriate tailored support based on children’s individual characteristics and needs.

Students' Consideration of Source Information during the Reading of Multiple Texts and Its Effect on Intertextual Conflict Resolution

Abstract: This study investigated students’ spontaneous use of source information for the resolution of conflicts between texts. One-hundred fifty-four undergraduate students read two conflicting explanations concerning the relationship between blood type and personality under two conditions: either one explanation with a higher credibility source and the opposite explanation with a lower credibility source or the same two explanations but with the sources interchanged. Afterwards, students wrote their opinions about the controversial issue. In their opinion essays, students were more likely to resolve the conflicts between the two explanations by affirming the one from the higher credible source and/or negating the opposite one from the lower credible source, though source manipulation had a small and partial effect on intertextual conflict resolution compared with the perceived quality of each explanation and prior attitudes. However, students’ attention to source information during reading and their use of the information for justifying their intertextual conflict resolution were limited. These results suggest that undergraduate students are capable of, but not good at, using source information for intertextual conflict resolution.

Relative effects of three questioning strategies in ill-structured, small group problem solving

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to investigate the relative effectiveness of using three different question-prompt strategies on promoting metacognitive skills and performance in ill-structured problem solving by examining the interplay between peer interaction and cognitive scaffolding. An ill-structured problem-solving task was given to three groups. One group (Type QP) received instructor-generated question prompts that guided the problem-solving process; the second group (Type PQ) developed their own peer-generated questions; another group (Type PQ-R) developed their own question prompts first and revised them later with an instructor-generated question list. In this study, students in the QP group outperformed those in any other groups. The results revealed that providing instructor-generated question prompts was more effective than letting students develop their own questions, with or without revision, in ill-structured problem solving. Analysis of each of the four problem-solving stages revealed that the provided question prompts were more helpful in the stages of justification, and monitoring and evaluating than student-generated prompts. The difference between PQ and PQ-R groups is not statistically significant either overall or in any of the problem-solving stages.

Fostering a collaborative and creative climate in a college class through idea-centered knowledge-building

Abstract: This study explored the effects of student engagement in a knowledge-building (KB) environment on their collaborative learning process and the perceived creative climate of that environment. The participants were 30 college students who undertook a living technology course in which KB were employed. The main data sources include students’ online discourse and a creative climate questionnaire. The findings indicate that the students became progressively more collaborative and productive over time, and they also tended to perceive the climate of the learning environment as highly supportive of knowledge creation. Implications for designing creative learning environments are discussed.

Children's Acquisition and Use of the Control-of-Variables Strategy: Effects of Explicit and Implicit Instructional Guidance.

Abstract: Direct instruction is a proven effective method to strengthen children’s ability to design unconfounded experiments using the control-of-variables strategy (CVS). Recent research suggests that task segmentation can also promote children’s use of this strategy. The present study investigated this assumption by comparing the relative effectiveness of both instructional approaches in elementary science classes. Children in the direct instruction condition (n = 22) were taught the CVS prior to investigating a multivariable inquiry task. Children in the task structuring condition (n = 23) were not, but received a segmented version of the inquiry task that addressed the variables in successive order. Children in the control condition (n = 22) investigated the multivariable inquiry task without additional support. Comparison among these three conditions revealed that task structuring equals direct instruction in effectiveness to promote children to use the CVS and draw valid inferences, and that either type of guidance is more effective than unguided inquiry learning. However, as children’s knowledge of the CVS improved as much in either condition, more practice seems needed for children to take full advantage of both instructional approaches.

Cognitive load in percentage change problems: unitary, pictorial, and equation approaches to instruction

Abstract: Eighth grade students in Australia (N = 60) participated in an experiment on learning how to solve percentage change problems in a regular classroom in three conditions: unitary, pictorial, and equation approaches. The procedure involved a pre-test, an acquisition phase, and a post-test. The main goal was to test the relative merits of the three approaches from a cognitive load perspective. Experimental results indicated superior performance of the equation approach over the unitary or pictorial approach especially for the complex tasks. The unitary approach required students not only to process the interaction between numerous elements within and across solution steps, but also to search for critical information, thus imposing high cognitive load. The pictorial approach did not provide a consistent approach to tackling various percentage change problems. Coupled with the need to coordinate multiple elements within and across solution steps, and the need to search for relevant information in the diagram, this approach imposed high cognitive load. By treating the prior knowledge of percentage quantity as a single unit, the equation approach required students to process two elements only. Empirical evidence and theoretical support favor the equation approach as an instructional method for learning how to solve percentage change problems for eighth graders.

Scripted collaborative drawing in elementary science education

Abstract: Creating graphical representations can foster knowledge gains on science topics in elementary school students by promoting active integration and translation of new information. Collaborating on joint representations may encourage children to discuss and elaborate their knowledge. To foster productive interactions, children may greatly benefit from additional guidance through collaboration scripts or careful group composition. In this study, we investigate the effects of script support and group composition by social preference on children’s learning processes and outcomes in a collaborative drawing setting within science education. The script foresaw a phase of individual preparation and prompted learners to engage in critical interactions. Group composition was based on children’s preferences for peers to work with. Results show that whereas the drawings of unscripted children depicted the concepts to be learned more adequately, scripted children acquired more domain knowledge during the experience. We discuss how a script can facilitate learning through collaborative drawing by imposing additional challenges on children’s interactions.

The mediating effect of instruction on pair composition in L2 revision and writing

Abstract: The present study tests the effect of ability pairing in two instructional methods in L2 collaborative revision. Two continuous indices determine a pair: individual proficiency level, distance in proficiency between pair members (heterogeneity), and the interaction between both indices. Instructional methods tested are modelling and practising. Results show that the effect of pair composition depends on instructional strategies. In the Practising condition less proficient learners profit most from a heterogeneous ability pair, whereas more proficient learners are best paired homogeneously. In the Modelling condition no effect of pair composition factors was observed. This result illustrates that Modelling is a powerful instructional method for complex learning tasks like collaborative revision in L2 as it overrides some of the grouping effects which can be found in more traditional learning conditions.

Two instructional aids to optimise processing and learning from instructional explanations

Abstract: Although instructional explanations are commonly used to introduce learners to new learning content, previous studies have often shown that their effects on learning outcomes are minimal. This failure might partly be due to mental passivity of the learners while processing introductory explanations and to a lack of opportunity to revise potential misunderstandings after working on introductory explanations. Against this background, we provided learners with two instructional support measures to optimise the introduction of new principles and concepts by providing instructional explanations in the domain of management theory: (a) prompts designed to induce inferences that are focused on the central content of the explanations, and (b) remedial explanations that are adapted to the learners’ knowledge gaps. We tested their effects in a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design with the following factors: (a) prompts designed to induce focused processing (with vs. without), and (b) remedial explanations (adapted vs. random). The participants consisted of 80 psychology students. We found that the prompts fostered both the share of deep-oriented processing and the acquisition of conceptual knowledge. The beneficial effect of prompts on conceptual knowledge was mediated by the number of inferences that learners generated in response to the prompts. In addition, we found that prompts also fostered the instructional efficiency of providing instructional explanations. The provision of adapted remedial explanations, however, fostered neither deep-oriented processing nor the acquisition of conceptual knowledge. We conclude that prompts designed to induce focused processing can foster deep-oriented processing as well as both the effectiveness and efficiency of learning from instructional explanations.

Training the use of interactive videos: effects on mastering different tasks

Abstract: This study was concerned with identifying prerequisites for the successful use of videos that offer different levels of interactivity. In a homework scenario, 64 ninth graders participated either in a search training demonstrating the efficient use of features facilitating the selection of relevant information or in a control training focusing on the integration of new information with prior knowledge. Following the training, the participants used either a common video that allowed them to control the transient flow of the information via stop and browsing or an enhanced video that additionally facilitated the localization of information via chapter selection and an index. Overall, the students wrote two essays (Essay 1: summary; Essay 2: argument) and performed a search task. The study revealed that, independent of the training condition, students benefitted from the enhanced video for the search task which merely required naming isolated facts. Moreover, in a summary task, the enhanced video resulted in the consideration of information from more different chapters when the task required gathering information from the video; however, this broader consideration of chapters only translated into naming more information after the search training. The data of a second essay requiring inferences about the video’s contents (argument) were not analyzed due to a floor effect. Taken together, these results indicate that the characteristics of a task as well as the students’ knowledge of respective search strategies need to be considered when implementing interactive features in video environments.