Examining the influence of expertise on the effectiveness of diagramming and summarising when studying scientific materials

A 2 (learning strategies: diagram vs. summary) × 2 (levels of expertise: low vs. high) experiment was conducted to compare the effectiveness of using diagrams to writing summaries for students given biological information to learn and who possessed different levels of expertise in that topic area. A main effect of learning strategy used on number of idea units encoded (in diagrams or summaries) was found: drawing diagrams was superior to writing summaries. However, no interaction effect between learning strategies and expertise was found. An examination of students’ subjective ratings of cognitive load revealed that those with low expertise reported higher levels of cognitive load when constructing diagrams. These findings suggest that using diagrams is effective for identifying and encoding important information when learning, but that it would be helpful to provide guidance about diagram use particularly to students who are novices in the topic area to reduce cognitive load

The effect of cultivating diagram use on the quality of EFL students’ written explanations

This study investigated how an intervention that promoted the use of diagrams might affect quality features of written explanations produced by EFL (English as a foreign language) students in an undergraduate education studies course taught entirely in English. At the beginning (Pre-instruction) and end (Post-instruction) of the semester, the 19 student participants were administered a task that required reading a passage and writing an explanation of it. During the semester they had a weekly homework task of writing an explanation of what they had learned in the course. They were additionally provided workshop instruction and practice in using diagrams. Analyses of the students’ homework and Pre- and Post-instruction explanations revealed increases in quantity and types of diagrams the students included in explanations they produced. Analysis of Post-instruction explanations also showed that number of diagrams included in the explanations negatively correlated with both word- and verb-counts. However, despite the reduction in use of words, the number of key points the students were able to include in their explanations did not decrease. These findings suggest diagram inclusion may enable students to construct more concise and simpler explanations without having to sacrifice inclusion of important points. Especially for foreign language students who may not be as proficient in the use of the language, the cultivation of competencies in appropriate use of diagrams may be beneficial as it could provide a means to more creatively and efficaciously communicating what they know

Graficacia: representar, registrar y comunicar hechos matemáticos desde edades tempranas para evitar la ansiedad matemática

La graficacia, definida sucintamente como la capacidad de comprender y presentar información gráfica, es un término relativamente desconocido y poco aplicado en el campo de la educación en España. En este artículo se realiza una breve revisión bibliográfica del conocimiento existente en graficacia y en ansiedad matemática, proponiendo la graficacia como un recurso que puede contribuir a romper el círculo vicioso del fracaso que relaciona recíprocamente el bajo rendimiento matemático y la ansiedad matemática. Dado que la ansiedad matemática es una de las causas del fracaso escolar, finalmente se sintetiza cómo utilizar el conocimiento y estudio de técnicas basadas en la graficacia en edades tempranas para prevenir la ansiedad matemática

An Investigation Into The Learning Experiences Of Adolescents With Perceived Dual Exceptionalities Within Gifted And Special Education Middle Grades Settings

Students who possess both a disability and characteristics of giftedness are referred to as students with dual exceptionalities. This paradoxical relationship of disability and giftedness creates a challenge for teachers and students, particularly in schools that do not have a specific program for students with dual exceptionalities. Most of these students typically receive the majority of their instruction either within a special education program, or a gifted education program. Students with perceived dual exceptionalities are often able to mask their disabilities with strengths in other major areas. The students in this investigation have all demonstrated strong talent in mathematics. They each have a unique view of the world and their learning experiences are filtered through the lenses of both their disabilities and their talents. In this qualitative case study, the researcher will explore the learning experiences of students with perceived dual exceptionalities through the perspective of parents, teachers, and the students themselves. While it may be subjective to ask middle schoolers what they think, perception is reality, and however they feel about their experiences istheir current reality. The conceptual framework that undergirds this study is the Constructivist Theory offered by Piaget (1952) and elaborated by Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory. Building upon these is the theoretical framework of the Stage-Environment Fit Theory which attempts to explain the fit between adolescent developmental needs and the educational environment. Student participants generated drawings in order to express their perceptions of their learning experiences. Other data sources included semi-structured interviews, observations, and a document review. All data was triangulated and analyzed using three analysis strategies offered by Creswell and Poth (2018), consisting of (1) data preparation and organization (i.e., transcribing data for analysis, or preparing student drawings/image data for analysis), (2) development of themes through a process of coding, and (3) writing up the results of the study and representing the data in tables and figures. Themes that emerged from the data became larger categories of note. Findings suggest that (1) Students perceived to have dual exceptionalities who receive instruction primarily within gifted educational settings may use their giftedness to mask their disability; (2) Conversely, students perceived to have dual exceptionalities who receive instruction primarily within special educational settings may use have the tools or opportunity to leverage their giftedness to mask their disability; (3) Academic and/or Social/Emotional difficulties that begin early in the educational careers of students perceived to possess dual exceptionalities can become exacerbated by time they reach the middle-school level (Stage Environment Fit Theory); and (4) Students who are perceived to have dual exceptionalities and who suffer from feelings of isolation, may experience these feelings regardless of the setting in which they receive the majority of their instruction