Abstracts and classification of graduate studies.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Modeling the perceptual component of conceptual learning—A coordination perspective

Although a picture may be worth a thousand words, modeling diagrams as propositions and modeling visual processing as search through a database of verbal descriptions obscures what is problematic for the learner. Cognitive modeling of language learning and geometry has obscured the learner's problem of knowing where to look—what spaces, markings, and orientations constitute the objects of interest? Today we are launching into widespread use of multimedia instructional technology, without an adequate theory to relate perceptual processes to conceptual learning. Does this matter? In this article, I review the symbolic approach to modeling perceptual processing and show its limitations for explaining difficulties children encounter in interpreting a graphic display. I present an alternative analysis by which perceptual categorization is coupled to behavior sequences, where gesturing and emotional changes are essential for resolving impasses and breaking out of loops. I conclude by asking what kind of cognitive theory we need to exploit communication technology. Have we been correct to assume that pedagogy must be grounded in an accurate psychological model of knowledge, memory, and learning

Basic calculation proficiency and mathematics achievement in elementary school children

The relation between skill in simple addition and subtraction and more general math achievement in elementary school is well established but not understood. Both the intrinsic importance of skill in simple calculation for math and the influence of conceptual knowledge and cognitive factors (working memory, processing speed, oral language) on simple calculation and math are plausible. The authors investigated the development of basic calculation fluency and its relations to math achievement and other factors by tracking a group of 259 United Kingdom English children from second to third grade. In both grades the group did not retrieve the solutions to most problems, but their math achievement was typical. Improvement in basic calculation proficiency was partially predicted by conceptual knowledge and cognitive factors. These factors only partially mediated the relation between basic calculation and math achievement. The relation between reading and math was wholly mediated by number measures and cognitive factors

Number skills and knowledge in children with specific language impairment

The number skills of groups of 7 to 9 year old children with specific language impairment (SLI) attending mainstream or special schools are compared with an age and nonverbal reasoning matched group (AC), and a younger group matched on oral language comprehension. The SLI groups performed below the AC group on every skill. They also showed lower working memory functioning and had received lower levels of instruction. Nonverbal reasoning, working memory functioning, language comprehension, and instruction accounted for individual variation in number skills to differing extents depending on the skill. These factors did not explain the differences between SLI and AC groups on most skills

A systematic review of pedagogical approaches that can effectively include children with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms with a particular focus on peer group interactive approaches

The broad background to this review is a long history of concepts of special pupils and special education, and a faith in special pedagogical approaches. The rise of inclusive schools and some important critiques of special pedagogy (e.g. Hart, 1996; Norwich and Lewis, 2001; Thomas and Loxley, 2001) have raised the profile of teaching approaches that ordinary teachers can and do use to include children with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms. Inclusive education itself is increasingly conceived as being about the quality of learning and participation that goes on in inclusive schools rather than simplistic matters of where children are place

THE EFFECT OF USING INKING YOUR THINKING STRATEGY TOWARDS READING COMPREHENSION OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS AT STATE ISLAMIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL NAUMBAI KAMPAR REGENCY

Berdasarkan KTSP, membaca adalah salah satu kemampuan Bahasa Inggris yang harus dipelajari oleh siswa.MTsN Naumbai merupakan salah satu sekolah yang menggunakan kurikulum tersebut sebagai pedoman dalam proses belajar mengajar. Berdasarkan studi pendahuluan penulis, sebagian siswa kelas dua memiliki kelemahan dalam pemahaman membaca. Dengan demikian, peneliti tertarik untuk melakukan penelitian dengan judul “Pengaruh Penggunaan Strategi Inking Your Thinking Terhadap Pemahaman Membaca Siswa Kelas Dua MTsN Naumbai Kabupaten Kampar”. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menemukan bagaimana pemahaman membacaa siswa sebelum diajarkan dengan strategi inking your thinking, dan setelah menggunakan strategi inking your thinking dan terakhir menemukan ada atau tidaknya pengaruh yang signifikan dari strategi inking your thinking terhadap pemahaman membaca siswa pada siswa kelas dua MTsN Naumbai. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuasi eksperimen. Pada penelitian ini, peneliti mengambil dua kelas; kelas eksperimen dan kelas kontrol dari tiga kelas dua yang ada. Terdapat 46 siswa yang menjadi sampel dari jumlah populasi keseluruhan kelas dua yaitu 70 siswa yang diambil secara acak berdasarkan kelas. Dalam pengumpulan data, peneliti menggunakan tes. Tes yang di gunakan adalah tes pemahaman membaca, tes terdiri dari 25 soal pilihan ganda berdasarkan beberapa teks bacaan. Dalam penganalisaan data, peneliti menggunakan rumus independent sample T test yang diolah oleh SPSS versi 16.0 Setelah data dianalisis, peneliti menemukan bahwa ada pengaruh yang signifikan dari strategi inking your thinking untuk meningkatkan pemahaman membaca siswa tahun kedua MTsN Naumbai kabupaten Kampar. Hasil dari analisa data adalah t observed lebih tinggi dari t table

Tutoring Chinese English-as-Foreign-Language Learners to Read: An Exploratory Research of Customized Reading Scaffolding Instruction

Given the status quo that Chinese English-as-foreign-language (EFL) learners’ reading practice is mainly confined to teach-to-test pedagogy, many of them who are struggling in reading have neither the interest nor the ability to comprehend authentic texts for the purpose of acquiring information rather than answering tests. The creation of Customized Reading Scaffolding Instruction (CRSI) was designed based on the Engagement Reading model (Guthrie, 2000) and aims to solve these students’ primary reading problems. This longitudinal study examined the effectiveness of tutoring Chinese EFL students struggling with reading in English by using the CRSI on their reading experience, reading amount and reading comprehension and contributed to a deeper understanding of participants’ learning processes and their reflections. Qualitative data showed that reading materials according to individual’s topic interest, prior knowledge, and inter-cultural awareness effectively improved participants’ reading experience, but CRSI remained less effective for forming a stable reading habit for some participants. Quantitative data showed that participants’ amount of reading time increased in varied degrees during the intervention period compared with their previous reading behavior. Accompanying the increasing of their reading amount, participants’ reading comprehension moderately developed during and after the CRSI training