Theories of Learning and the Real World: An Integrated Teaching Technique Using Empirical Research and Film

As instructors of an educational psychology course focusing on theories of learning, we are aware of the trepidation our students may experience on the first day of class and beyond. Theories of learning sound a bit daunting and, unfortunately, disconnected from the real world. Of course, our students\u27 conceptualizations of learning theories are quite different from our own; that they are interesting, informative, and relevant to understanding how individuals learn in a variety of contexts as well as how best to instruct others (Schneider, 2008)

School processes in providing reading support in GCSE examinations

Against a background of increasing student eligibility for ‘access arrangements’ in examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), this article examines the processes within schools that structure a student's access to the provision of reading support, including staff and student viewpoints. Dominic Griffiths, who is a Senior Advisory Teacher with Tameside Local Authority Education Psychology and Learning Support Team, and Kevin Woods, who is a Senior Lecturer in Educational and Child Psychology at the University of Manchester, report upon a series of four case studies, each based within an urban secondary school offering some form of reading support to students in GCSE examinations. Each case study incorporates student interviews, observations of reading support in action, and interviews with staff who manage and provide reading support in examinations. Quantitative findings show an association between students' preferred mode of reading support and the location in which it is provided. Qualitative analyses revealed key themes relating to the dynamics of provision and use of reading support, including ‘student worthiness’, ‘relationships’ and ‘unfair advantage’. Recommendations are made for a more central role for student consultation within processes for providing reader support to GCSE examination candidates

Questions raised in science education : a Colombian-Spanish comparative study

RESUMEN: La formulación de preguntas es un potente recurso para el aprendizaje de las ciencias. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el desarrollo de la competencia metacognitiva por medio de la formulación de preguntas. En este estudio se usaron dos dispositivos experimentales de ciencias con un comportamiento inesperado. Se pidió a los participantes realizar preguntas destinadas a comprender su funcionamiento. La evaluación contrastó el desempeño de estudiantes colombianos con estudiantes españoles equivalentes. Los resultados mostraron que los colombianos formulan significativamente más preguntas en general, y más preguntas de alta calidad, que los estudiantes españoles. Se concluyó que estos estudiantes han desarrollado su control de la comprensión de un modo eficaz.ABSTARCT: Asking questions is a powerful resource to learn science. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of metacognitive competencies by asking questions. In this study two experimental devices of science were used with unexpected behavior. Participants were asked to ask questions to understand their operation. The assessment contrasted the performance of Colombian students with equivalent Spanish students. The results showed that Colombians significantly ask more general questions, and more questions of high quality, than Spanish students. We concluded that these students have developed their control of understanding effectively

hildren's metamemory: A review of the literature and implications for the classroom

n this paper we examine the development of children's metamemory and provide practical implications of research findings for the classroom. In the first part of the paper we define and discuss the global concept of metacognition, the component processes of metacognition and the importance of each component to children's learning. We then examine the development of children's knowledge about memory and ability to monitor memory (i.e., metamemory). We focus, in particular, on seven major research themes: children's metamemory develops with age and experience, younger children are less aware than older children of the benefits of categorization on recall, younger children use different strategies than older children, children's causal attributions may affect metamemory, instructional interventions must be appropriately timed, children will show more strategy transfer when explicit instructions are provided and children overestimate their memory ability. We discuss implications of these major themes for teachers of young children

Nothing to Fear

https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/bookcontest5th2019/1405/thumbnail.jp

Contributions of metacognitive and self-regulated learning theories to investigations of calibration of comprehension

In this paper we examine the contributions of metacognitive and self-regulated learning theories to research on students' calibration of comprehension. Historically, cognitive psychologists have studied calibration of comprehension within a purely metacognitive framework, with an emphasis on the role of text and task factors but little consideration of factors of self. There has been a recent trend, however, towards incorporating a social cognitive perspective to the study of calibration of comprehension, with factors of self such as motivation and affect being examined more often. Among the factors of self that have been examined, self-efficacy has played a major role as it may be all but impossible to disentangle its influence on students' calibration of comprehension. Other variables of self that have been examined include ability, familiarity, ego and goal-orientation, goal setting, personality traits and susceptibility to social and cultural influences. Broadening the context in which calibration of comprehension is assessed allows a more complete examination of the rich set of interrelated processes that affect students' performance

Nothing to Fear

https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/bookcontest5th2019/1404/thumbnail.jp