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- Title
- EFFECTS OF SELF-PACED POSTINFORMATIVE FEEDBACK INTERVALS AND TASK COMPLEXITY ON CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION (INTERTRIAL, COMPUTER).
- Creator
- PALACIO, FRANCES LABRIOLA., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the self-paced postinformative feedback interval (PIFI) and task complexity on concept identification. Eight independent groups of learners served in a factorial design which combined four PIFI durations (self-paced - 15 sec) and two levels of task complexity (2 and 4 irrelevant stimulus dimensions). Instructions and tasks were presented to 64 subjects via microcomputers. The criterion performance of 16 consecutively correct stimulus...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the self-paced postinformative feedback interval (PIFI) and task complexity on concept identification. Eight independent groups of learners served in a factorial design which combined four PIFI durations (self-paced - 15 sec) and two levels of task complexity (2 and 4 irrelevant stimulus dimensions). Instructions and tasks were presented to 64 subjects via microcomputers. The criterion performance of 16 consecutively correct stimulus identifications as well as total number of trials and total time to criterion were recorded by the computer program. Factorial analyses of variance, a priori tests, Newman-Keuls' pairwise comparisons, and one-way analyses of variance were used to statistically determine significant differences among the means of the groups studied. Results of all statistical analyses were considered significant at the .05 level. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in terms of total trials or total time to criterion between the self-paced PIFI condition and the combined data for the three fixed PIFI conditions. For the low complexity task, the 8-second PIFI condition required significantly fewer trials to criterion than self-paced PIFI. For the higher complexity task, the self-paced PIFI condition required significantly less total time to criterion than 15-second fixed PIFI. Results also indicated that self-paced PIFI durations for initial trials were significantly longer than those of final trials for performances at both levels of task complexity. Findings were interpreted as demonstrating a need for absorption time during PIFIs which may not be adequately provided in a totally self-paced environment. Thus, a reduction in the efficiency inherent in the self-paced mode, stemming from the gradual decrease in PIFI durations as problem solution is approached, is experience.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1986
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11884
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Concept learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Individual Differences in Learning and Perseveration.
- Creator
- Preache, Maurline, Adamson, Robert E., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
Two groups of rats received training and testing in learning situations designed to induce perseveration. One task involved discrimination training on one bar of a two-bar Skinner box and a subsequent shift of reinforcement to the opposite bar. The second task was a maze-learning one in which the training route was blocked after 40 trials at a point just before the entrance to the goal box. Thereafter, access to the goal box was possible only through a shorter, but not previously reinforced...
Show moreTwo groups of rats received training and testing in learning situations designed to induce perseveration. One task involved discrimination training on one bar of a two-bar Skinner box and a subsequent shift of reinforcement to the opposite bar. The second task was a maze-learning one in which the training route was blocked after 40 trials at a point just before the entrance to the goal box. Thereafter, access to the goal box was possible only through a shorter, but not previously reinforced route. The third task involved escape training through one door of a four-door shock compartment. After 40 trials, the training door was locked and S was permitted to escape shock only through one of the three previously-locked doors. In each of the three tasks, indices of initial learning and perseveration were selected, and within-subject comparisons were made for both initial learning and perseveration across tasks. Within each task there was a comparison of the initial learning measures to those used to define perseveration. Finally, one of the groups was given conditioning and extinction sessions in a single-bar Skinner box. The extinction measure was compared with perseveration measures in the other tasks. Four hypotheses were stated. These were that between tasks perseverative measures would be positively related; that between tasks initial learning measures would be positively related; that within each task initial learning and perseveration would be neeatively related; and finally that extinction in the single-bar Skinner box would have a positive relationship to measures of perseveration in the other tasks. Only the last two hypotheses were supported and this support was not uncontradicted. Also~ in the case of the extinction-perseveration comparisons, none of the supporting evidence reached significance at the .05 level of confidence.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1969
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000813
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Perseveration (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Effect of the Conditioned Emotional Response (CER) on the Subsequent Acquisition of a Temporal Discrimination.
- Creator
- McNeely, Joseph J., Otten, Cynthia S., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
Twenty 100 day old male rats were trained to behavioral criterion in a CER paradigm. Two shock levels (.1 and .2 ma) were employed to establish these criteria. Half of the Ss reached medium suppression (suppression ratios between .39 and .11) of a bar pressing response; half achieved high suppression (suppression ratios less than .10). The animals were subsequently exposed to 15 daily sessions of FI training utilizing a head, panel pressing response for food. Five of the medium suppression...
Show moreTwenty 100 day old male rats were trained to behavioral criterion in a CER paradigm. Two shock levels (.1 and .2 ma) were employed to establish these criteria. Half of the Ss reached medium suppression (suppression ratios between .39 and .11) of a bar pressing response; half achieved high suppression (suppression ratios less than .10). The animals were subsequently exposed to 15 daily sessions of FI training utilizing a head, panel pressing response for food. Five of the medium suppression group and five of the high suppression group were exposed to the conditioned suppression CS (a light) during the FI acquisition periods . The remaining rats underwent FI training in the absence of the CS. An Index of Curvature was employed to measure each FI period record and to indicate the degree of acquisition of FI scalloping. Analysis of variance for the four groups revealed only the progression over days to be a significant source of variation. Analysis of linear trend indicated a strong linearity in the variance over 15 days for all groups, but revealed no clear differences between the groups. Some tendencies indicate a slight superiority in acquisition by the medium suppression group which was exposed to the CS during FI training. The high suppression group which was exposed to the light was noticeably inferior in FI discrimination. These results possibly demonstrate an "arousal- interference" mechanism for the CER, but the data do not support the conclusion that the conditioned suppression signal (CS) has a differential effect on subsequent acquisition of an unrelated temporal discrimination. A history of shook treatment, or of CER training, may be responsible, however, for the overall poor acquisition of FI scalloping that was demonstrated by all four groups in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1969
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000799
- Subject Headings
- Emotional conditioning, Discrimination learning, Learning, Psychology of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE EFFECTS OF ELABORATION AND DISTANCE ON THE RETRIEVAL OF TEXT.
- Creator
- MCCANDLESS, KATHY LEE, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
Two experiments are presented that examined the manner in which antecedents are retrieved from memory. In Experiment 1, subjects read passages containing two antecedents, with one appearing early in a passage and one appearing late. In addition, one of the antecedents was mentioned briefly while the other was elaborated on in much greater detail. The last line of each passage required reinstatement of either the early or late antecedent. Following reinstatement, subjects were required to name...
Show moreTwo experiments are presented that examined the manner in which antecedents are retrieved from memory. In Experiment 1, subjects read passages containing two antecedents, with one appearing early in a passage and one appearing late. In addition, one of the antecedents was mentioned briefly while the other was elaborated on in much greater detail. The last line of each passage required reinstatement of either the early or late antecedent. Following reinstatement, subjects were required to name either the early or the late antecedent. Reading time results showed that search time was a function of both recency and elaboration with late antecedents retrieved more quickly than early antecedents and elaborated antecedents retrieved more quickly than nonelaborated antecedents. Naming times confirmed that subjects were performing the required reinstatement; reinstated antecedents were named faster than nonreinstated antecedents. Experiment 2 demonstrated that there was no difference in the activation level of either antecedent prior to reinstatement. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)
Show less - Date Issued
- 1987
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14385
- Subject Headings
- Memory transfer, Learning, Psychology of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The self-reported use of metacognitive reading strategies of community college students.
- Creator
- Munro, Sophia., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
College requires students to read strategically in order to be academically successful (Caverly, Nicholson, & Radcliffe, 2004). Strategic readers utilize a variety of strategies, including metacognitive reading strategies (Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002; Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995). However, not all students use the same strategies when reading academic text. The purpose of this study was to explore whether students enrolled in a developmental reading course report using different metacognitive...
Show moreCollege requires students to read strategically in order to be academically successful (Caverly, Nicholson, & Radcliffe, 2004). Strategic readers utilize a variety of strategies, including metacognitive reading strategies (Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002; Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995). However, not all students use the same strategies when reading academic text. The purpose of this study was to explore whether students enrolled in a developmental reading course report using different metacognitive reading strategies than students who are enrolled in a college-level English course. The Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (Mokhatari & Reichard, 2002) was administered to 423 students at a community college in the southeastern United States. The results of the Tests of Between-Subjects Effects indicated that the main effect for group membership was not significant. The results of the Tests of Within-Subjects Effects indicated that problem solving was reportedly used relatively equally by the two groups, but global and support reading strategies were used less by the English group,with the interaction effect even stronger for support strategies. The implications of this study on teaching and further research were also explored.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333057
- Subject Headings
- Reading, Psychology of, Cognitive learning, Inquiry-based learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of Non-reinforced Test Trials on Transposition.
- Creator
- Royal, Jackson W., Adamson, Robert E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Ten male albino rats were trained In a brightness discrimination problem where they were reQuired to choose a sttmulus value of 0.053 ft/cd over one of 0.012 ft/cd. Pairs were matched accordlng to the number of trials requtred to reach a criterion of 18/20 correct responses then randomly assigned to one of two grouos for testing In transposition. Both groups were tested on the orlgtnally positive stimulus and a brighter one: 1.25 ft/cd for Group 8-C and 5.38 ft/cd for Group 8-D. By testing...
Show moreTen male albino rats were trained In a brightness discrimination problem where they were reQuired to choose a sttmulus value of 0.053 ft/cd over one of 0.012 ft/cd. Pairs were matched accordlng to the number of trials requtred to reach a criterion of 18/20 correct responses then randomly assigned to one of two grouos for testing In transposition. Both groups were tested on the orlgtnally positive stimulus and a brighter one: 1.25 ft/cd for Group 8-C and 5.38 ft/cd for Group 8-D. By testing for transposttlon wtth non-reinforced trials, contrary to the usual method, a tendency toward converging measures of transposltton was achteved. Transposition for Group 8-D, In the situation most dissimilar to training, was greater than for 8-C. These results were discussed from relational or Gestalt, Spence model, and Adaptation Level positions and It was shown that the results are contrary to traditional Gestalt predictions. It was oredlcted that, according to underlying assumptions of the Spence model, with continued non-reinforced trials, per cent of transposition for both groups would decrease until a chance level of responding was reached. That this did not occur cannot be explained by the Spence model. Because the variability was too great with such a small N, these results did not reach the .05 level of probability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1968
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012596
- Subject Headings
- Transfer of training, Discrimination learning, Extinction (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ALTERNATIVE SPATIAL FRAMES OF REFERENCE IN THE RECOGNITION OF NOVEL FORMS.
- Creator
- SULLIVAN, MARY., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The effects of retinal and objective orientation on recognition of novel stimuli were examined in a two-phase experiment. In Phase 1 novel stimuli were presented to tilted subjects placed in either an intentional learning condition (they were instructed to remember the stimuli) or an incidental learning condition (they received no instruction regarding memory). In Phase 2 the same stimuli were randomly mixed with distractor stimuli in a recognition test. Stimuli were presented to upright...
Show moreThe effects of retinal and objective orientation on recognition of novel stimuli were examined in a two-phase experiment. In Phase 1 novel stimuli were presented to tilted subjects placed in either an intentional learning condition (they were instructed to remember the stimuli) or an incidental learning condition (they received no instruction regarding memory). In Phase 2 the same stimuli were randomly mixed with distractor stimuli in a recognition test. Stimuli were presented to upright subjects in either their objectively upright orientation (the same orientation relative to gravity as in Phase 1) or their retinally upright orientation (the same orientation relative to subjects' tilted retinas as in Phase 1). The instructions produced no effect on recognition. Evidence that both retinal and objective orientation influenced recognition was obtained in both conditions. Alternative interpretations hypothesized that: (1) dual memory representations of Phase 1 stimuli, referenced to both retinal and objective upright, were formed and (2) a single memory representation of Phase 1 stimuli, referenced to an axis intermediate to retinal and objective upright, was formed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1979
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13990
- Subject Headings
- Recognition (Psychology), Orientation--Testing, Learning, Psychology of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploration of the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness.
- Creator
- Amey, Beth E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The research instrument utilized was the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) constructed by Guglielmino (1978). The SDLRS is a self-report questionnaire with 58 Likert scale items designed to measure the attitudes, values and abilities of learners relating to their readiness to engage in self-directed learning. A pretest, treatment, posttest design was utilized. Demographic data were collected with the pretest administration and level of satisfaction information was collected with the posttest administration. The bachelor's level social work students demonstrated statistically significant differences in the pre and posttest SDLRS scores while the master's level social work students' changes in readiness for self-directed learning were not significant. It is important to note that the master's level social work students spent only half the amount of hours in the field education as the bachelor's level students at the time of the posttest. Correlations between change score from pretest to posttest SDLRS with students' previous exposure to the field of social work, prior experiential learning in a social work program, their satisfaction with the experiential learning component, and demographic factors of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, number of children, and number of years pursuing degree were not significant., The initial SDLRS scores of the bachelor's level students were found to be consistent with those of nursing students previously scored on the SDLRS. In the ANOVA of all groups, significant differences were not found with the four groups of social work students in their change scores of pretest and posttest SDLRS or their overall level of satisfaction with the field experience and overall level of satisfaction with the quality of the supervisor in the field experience. The internship did not demonstrate particular merit for improving readiness for self-directed learning except for the bachelor's level students. However, students were satisfied with the experience and felt it changed their perceptions of self and others.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107799
- Subject Headings
- Experiential learning, Adult learning, Learning, Psychology of, Self-culture
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- False recognition driven by meaning and form: the dynamics of bilingual memory representations.
- Creator
- Parra, Marisol., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Activation of the representations of the two languages in bilingual memory has been shown to affect recognition during initial word comprehension (e.g., Dijkstra & Van Heuven, 2002). This study investigated whether the activation of semantic (i.e., meaning) and lexical (i.e., form) representations of words in a bilingual's two languages affects word recognition after the first stages of word comprehension. False recognition of words in one language that were similar in meaning and/or form to...
Show moreActivation of the representations of the two languages in bilingual memory has been shown to affect recognition during initial word comprehension (e.g., Dijkstra & Van Heuven, 2002). This study investigated whether the activation of semantic (i.e., meaning) and lexical (i.e., form) representations of words in a bilingual's two languages affects word recognition after the first stages of word comprehension. False recognition of words in one language that were similar in meaning and/or form to words studied in the other language was an indication of these effects. This study further investigated whether false recognition based on meaning and/or form is modulated by bilingual language proficiency.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362571
- Subject Headings
- Psycholinguistics, Language and languages, Psychological aspects, Bilingualism, Psychological aspects, Learning, Psychology of, Recollection (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- In Their Own Words: Older Adults' Perceptions of Effective and Ineffective Learning Experiences.
- Creator
- Duay, Deborah L., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The percentage of older adults in the American population is expected to increase from about 12% now to 22% by the year 2030 (Eisen, 2005). Educators can play an important role in managing the effec.,ts of this demographic shift by designing learning opportunities that increase older adults' motivation to participate and their ability to learn. Because older adults themselves can otTer important insights on what helps and hinders their learning, the purpose of this study was to explore the...
Show moreThe percentage of older adults in the American population is expected to increase from about 12% now to 22% by the year 2030 (Eisen, 2005). Educators can play an important role in managing the effec.,ts of this demographic shift by designing learning opportunities that increase older adults' motivation to participate and their ability to learn. Because older adults themselves can otTer important insights on what helps and hinders their learning, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of adults over age 64 residing in a large metropolitan area in the southeastern United States on effective and ineffective learning experiences. Utilizing a qualitative design, the researcher interviewed 36 older adults involved in learning experiences at three distinct sites. Data were also collected through observations and document analysis. Five research questions were answered with the following four findings: 1) effective learning experiences are involving, 2) the instructor is a key component in the classroom, 3) familiar or relevant topics are interesting, and 4) the computer and the Internet are both loved and hated. The participants in this study value learning experiences that involve them in the classroom and keep them involved in the world. They enjoy asking questions, discussing ideas, and learning with friends and family members in environments free from the pressures of mandatory assignments and tests. They seek instructors who are knowledgeable about the subject, clear and understandable in their presentation, respectful of their experience, and effective at grabbing their attention through enthusiasm, humor, and relevant stories. When they discover effective instructors, they tend to take classes with them over and over again. However. when instructors' abilities are unknown, they look for learning experiences that will either expand their knowledge abcut something familiar or teach them something that will have some relevance in their lives. Finally, these seniors enjoy the convenience of accessing a wealth of information using computers and the Internet. Yet, they also experience considerable frustration in learning computer tasks and dealing with computer problems. Reommendations are provided for designing, marketing, and delivering quality learning experiences for senior adults.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000663
- Subject Headings
- Continuing education, Learning, Psychology of, Adult learning, Experiential learning, Self-actualization (Psychology) in old age--United States
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SYNERGISTIC MODEL IN TEACHING FIFTH GRADERS HOW TO DO RESEARCH.
- Creator
- DENNARD, KHA PHRANCES., Florida Atlantic University, Weppner, Daniel B.
- Abstract/Description
-
The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a synergistic research model in teaching fifth graders how to do research. The secondary purpose was to determine if achievement means of the treatment group in an open research and development school were comparable to achievement means of the treatment group in a traditional school. Four fifth grade teachers in the research and development school, two teachers in the traditional school, and their 167 fifth grade...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a synergistic research model in teaching fifth graders how to do research. The secondary purpose was to determine if achievement means of the treatment group in an open research and development school were comparable to achievement means of the treatment group in a traditional school. Four fifth grade teachers in the research and development school, two teachers in the traditional school, and their 167 fifth grade students comprised three experimental and three control groups. The researcher conducted two three hour workshops on two consecutive days in the classrooms of the three experimental groups. Specific, behaviorally defined skills of the synergistic research process were demonstrated by the researcher as they were practiced and developed by the teachers and students. One experimental and one control group in the research and development school were pretested on "A Test of Knowledge, Comprehension and Application of Selected Research Competencies," constructed by the researcher. Experimental teachers used the synergistic model in teaching their students how to do research during the last nine week period of the school year. Experimental and control groups were posttested using a different form of the instrument. The Solomon Four Group and Posttest Only Control Group Designs were used to generate 2 x 2 factorial analyses of variance utilizing the SPSS MANOVA Program. It was found that treatment groups in both the traditional and research and development schools achieved significantly higher posttest scores than the control groups. It was further concluded that the achievement means of the treatment group in the traditional school were comparable to the achievement means of the treatment group in the research and development school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1983
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11841
- Subject Headings
- Report writing, School reports, Academic achievement, Learning, Psychology of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Flexible modification of biological coordination: The recruitment and suppression of degrees of freedom.
- Creator
- Buchanan, John J., Florida Atlantic University, Kelso, J. A. Scott
- Abstract/Description
-
The dynamics of recruitment and suppression processes are studied in the coupled pendulum paradigm developed by Kugler and Turvey (1987). Experimentally, the main concern is whether pendulum motion in this task is purely planar. Theoretically, the main concern is whether one-dimensional phase equations developed originally by Haken, Kelso and Bunz (1985) and the symmetry breaking extension by Kelso, Delcolle and Schoner (1990), can capture the richness of the dynamics of this experimental...
Show moreThe dynamics of recruitment and suppression processes are studied in the coupled pendulum paradigm developed by Kugler and Turvey (1987). Experimentally, the main concern is whether pendulum motion in this task is purely planar. Theoretically, the main concern is whether one-dimensional phase equations developed originally by Haken, Kelso and Bunz (1985) and the symmetry breaking extension by Kelso, Delcolle and Schoner (1990), can capture the richness of the dynamics of this experimental model system. In experiment 1, subjects swung single hand-held pendulums in time with an auditory metronome whose frequency increased. Bifurcations from planar to spherical pendulum motion occurred at critical cycling frequencies. Typically, these frequencies were above the pendulum's eigenfrequency. Spectral measures showed that spherical pendulum motion was generated through the recruitment of wrist abduction and adduction. The spectral measures revealed that elbow flexion and extension was recruited as movement rate increased, presumably to stabilize pendulum motion. When recruited, both components frequency- and phase-entrained with the primary pendulum mover, wrist ulnar flexion-extension. In experiment 2, subjects swung coupled pendulums in either an in-phase or anti-phase coordinative mode as movement rate increased. Transitions between coordinative modes were not observed. Pattern stability, as defined by the variability of the phase relation between the pendulums, was not affected to any large degree by increasing movement rate. Bifurcations from planar to spherical motion emerged at critical cycling frequencies. Spectral measures demonstrated that this motion was generated by abduction and adduction of the wrist. Elbow flexion-extension motion was also recruited. The newly active components frequency- and phase-entrained with wrist ulnar flexion-extension. When the same neuromuscular components were recruited simultaneously, e.g., elbow motion in both arms, the components exhibited frequency- and phase-entrainment with the task defined pattern. The results demonstrate that recruitment processes stabilize the coordinative modes, thereby reducing the need to switch patterns. Both experiments revealed a much richer dynamics than ever observed in the coupled pendulum paradigm and question the application of one-dimensional phase equation models to the coupled pendulum paradigm.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1996
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12439
- Subject Headings
- Kinesiology, Human mechanics, Movement, Psychology of, Motor learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A study to compare the critical thinking dispositions between Chinese and American college students.
- Creator
- Dennett, Susan K., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative research study was to compare Chinese and American students’ inclined level of critical thinking using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) (Insight Assessment, 2013). The literature of Paul and Elder (1996, 2000, 2005, 2010), Facione and Facione (1992, 1996) and Brookfield (2005, 2010, 2013) and the conceptual framework in this study provided the foundation for the main research question of whether there are differences between...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative research study was to compare Chinese and American students’ inclined level of critical thinking using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) (Insight Assessment, 2013). The literature of Paul and Elder (1996, 2000, 2005, 2010), Facione and Facione (1992, 1996) and Brookfield (2005, 2010, 2013) and the conceptual framework in this study provided the foundation for the main research question of whether there are differences between Chinese and American students’ scores on the seven individual scales and their total score on the CCTDI. The Sample included 41 Chinese and 50 American undergraduate and graduate students at Florida Atlantic University, a regional research university located in southeast Florida. Independent t-tests concluded that there were no differences between the 41 Chinese students and the 50 American students regarding their critical thinking dispositions on each of seven scales on the CCTDI. A factorial analysis of variance measured moderator questions to determine whether there was a difference between Chinese and American students’ CCTDI scores based on student gender, discipline of study, undergraduate or graduate status, or enrollment as an undergraduate within the United States. There were significant differences between the critical thinking dispositions of Chinese and American undergraduate and graduate students when comparing the scale of open mindedness and gender. There were also significant differences for the scale of confidence in reasoning and discipline. For the remaining questions, there were no significant differences. A Pearson’s correlation determined that there was no relationship between the length of time students had been in the United States and their scores on the CCTDI. Educational implications include that when problem-solving skills are developed in the college setting, critical thinking can be cultivated to help prepare students for work in future employment settings. Social implications include the use of critical thinking when faced with decision making in adults’ lives, as well as in their daily work. This study may be the foundation for future studies. Finally, educators may find the CCTDI helpful in positioning students’ critical thinking dispositions prior to learning or training activities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004100, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004100
- Subject Headings
- Behaviorism (Psychology), Critical thinking, Learning, Psychology of, Reasoning (Psychology), Thought and thinking
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Assessing goal intent and achievement of university learning community students.
- Creator
- Pfeffer-Lachs, Carole F., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to assess the goal intent and achievement of university students, during the Fall 2011 semester, at Blue Wave University, a high research activity public institution in the southeast United States. This study merged theories of motivation to measure goal setting and goal attainment to examine if students who chose to participate in a learning community program set goals at different levels than the students who chose not to join a learning community program. This...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to assess the goal intent and achievement of university students, during the Fall 2011 semester, at Blue Wave University, a high research activity public institution in the southeast United States. This study merged theories of motivation to measure goal setting and goal attainment to examine if students who chose to participate in a learning community program set goals at different levels than the students who chose not to join a learning community program. This study investigated if there was a difference in motivation, by studying goal intent and goal achievement of Freshman Learning Community participants, Living- Learning community participants, or non-learning community participants at Blue Wave University. . Moderation analyses concluded that none the seven contextual variables (choice of college, ethnicity, gender, high school grade point average, living on-campus, SAT score, and ACT score) moderated the difference in the level of change from goal intent to goal achievement in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360967
- Subject Headings
- Achievement in education, Group work in education, Professional learning communities, Learning, Psychology of, School improvement programs
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The relationship of self-directed learning readiness to knowledge-based and performance-based measures of success in third-year medical students.
- Creator
- Findley, Brian W., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-directed learning (SDL) readiness of third-year medical students in comparison to previously reported scores for the general population; the relationship between SDL readiness and knowledge-based and performance-based measures of success in a medical school using an integrated medical curriculum; and to determine if knowledge-based and performance-based measures of success are significant in predicting Self-Directed Learning Readiness...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the self-directed learning (SDL) readiness of third-year medical students in comparison to previously reported scores for the general population; the relationship between SDL readiness and knowledge-based and performance-based measures of success in a medical school using an integrated medical curriculum; and to determine if knowledge-based and performance-based measures of success are significant in predicting Self-Directed Learning Readiness Survey/Learner Preference Assessment (SDLRS/LPA) and National Board of Medical Examiners Family Medicine Shelf Examination (NBME-FM) scores. This study analyzed SDLRS/LPA scores, knowledge-based scores (NBME-FM), performance-based scores (Objective Structured Clinical Examination [OSCE] and preceptor rating), and a combination of knowledge-based and performance-based scores (final grade). Analyses of 873 students resulted in mean scores of 229.06 + 23.19 for the SDLRS/LPA. Correlations were significant (p < .05) for SDLRS/LPA scores to NBME-FM scores (r = .073, p < .05). OSCE scores (r = .133, p < .01), and final grade (r = .138, p < .01). Regression analysis revealed that the total model of NBME-FM, OSC AVG, and preceptor rating predicted 2.1% of the variation in SDLRS/LPA, which was significant (p < .01). Regression analysis revealed that SDLRS/LPA, OSC AVG and preceptor ratings predicted 9.7% of the variance in NBME-FM, which was significant (p < .001). The results support previous findings that medical students' levels of SDL readiness are higher than the general population mean of 214.0 + 23.49., While the SDLRS/LPA scores of medical students with knowledge-based and performance-based examinations were modest, they mirror the relationships that have appeared consistently across a number of studies and indicate a tendency for students with higher levels of SDL to perform better in medical preparation programs.The SDLRS/LPA adds an important dimension to the assessment of medical students, addressing the emphasis on ensuring that physician preparation programs produce practitioners who are likely to be continuing, lifelong learners. This investigation of SDL in medical education was unique in that it may be the first to look at the relationships of SDLRS/LPA scores with both knowledge-based and performance-based measures as well as with a combination of knowledge-based and performance-based measures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/221949
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Experiential learning, Academic achievement, Psychological aspects, Self-culture, Evaluation, Educational tests and measurements
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Choosing and using tools: type of prior experience and task difficulty influence preschoolers' choices and actions.
- Creator
- Gardiner, Amy K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
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Two and 3 year-old children's understanding of tool affordances was investigated by measuring their tool choice decisions and tool use behaviors. Children attempted six toy retrieval tasks of three different levels of structural complexity. Children were assigned to one of four conditions in which exposure to task materials varied according to the way in which the information was presented: no experience / no observation, experience only, observation only, and experience and observation....
Show moreTwo and 3 year-old children's understanding of tool affordances was investigated by measuring their tool choice decisions and tool use behaviors. Children attempted six toy retrieval tasks of three different levels of structural complexity. Children were assigned to one of four conditions in which exposure to task materials varied according to the way in which the information was presented: no experience / no observation, experience only, observation only, and experience and observation. Three year- olds consistently made more correct choices and used more working tools successfully than 2-year-olds. Tool choice was affected primarily by task difficulty and age. Tool use was influenced by task difficulty, order of task difficulty, age, and condition. The observation condition was most beneficial to children, while experience was least helpful, particularly for tasks at the hard level of difficulty.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/165940
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Developmental psychology, Educational tests and measurements, Constructivism (Education)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Functional constraints on young children's object problem solving.
- Creator
- Bidmead, Sarah, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
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Although some research has suggested that very young children are "immune" to functional fixedness (FF), other work has shown that young children form robust associations between objects and their prescribed functions. Across two studies, I investigated (a) the developmental trajectory of FF and (b) its relationship with executive function components (inhibitory control and working memory) in 3- to 6-year old children. Both older and younger children experience FF, but older children use...
Show moreAlthough some research has suggested that very young children are "immune" to functional fixedness (FF), other work has shown that young children form robust associations between objects and their prescribed functions. Across two studies, I investigated (a) the developmental trajectory of FF and (b) its relationship with executive function components (inhibitory control and working memory) in 3- to 6-year old children. Both older and younger children experience FF, but older children use familiar tools more flexibly than younger children (3- and 4-year olds). Furthermore, inhibitory control was related to overcoming FF, indicating that it may be an important cognitive capacity for creative problem-solving. Finally, in a third study, children were instructed to use mental imagery to help them solve the functional fixedness problems. However, these instructions were ineffective at reducing FF compared to a control condition, underscoring the robust nature of object-function relationships in early childhood.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359286
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Developmental psychology, Cognition in children, Visual perception in chldren
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Preschoolers' use of intentionality in understanding causal structure of objects during imitation learning.
- Creator
- Gardiner, Amy K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
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Object use is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human species, and learning how objects function is a fundamental part of human development. This research examines the role that intentionality plays in children's understanding of causal relationships during imitation learning of object use. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, 2- to 5-year-olds observed demonstrations in which causally irrelevant and causally relevant actions were performed to achieve a desired goal of retrieving toys from within...
Show moreObject use is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human species, and learning how objects function is a fundamental part of human development. This research examines the role that intentionality plays in children's understanding of causal relationships during imitation learning of object use. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, 2- to 5-year-olds observed demonstrations in which causally irrelevant and causally relevant actions were performed to achieve a desired goal of retrieving toys from within containers. Irrelevant actions were performed either intentionally ("There!") or accidentally ("Whoops! I didn't mean to do that!"). Study 1 found that 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, but not 2-year-olds, were less likely to imitate causally irrelevant actions performed accidentally than those performed intentionally. This suggests that older children used intentionality to guide causal inference, perceiving intentional actions as causally effective and accidental actions as causally ineffective. Study 2 foun d that the intentionality of the demonstrator's actions had an enduring effect - after watching a single demonstration, children persisted in performing intentional irrelevant actions and continued to ignore accidental irrelevant actions when given three successive opportunities to complete the task. Study 3 examined how lack of knowledge about the task goal prior to the demonstrations affected imitation and found that children without explicit verbal instruction of the toy-retrieval goal imitated irrelevant actions to a greater degree than children from Study 1, who were informed of the goal throughout the experiment. Study 4 progressed beyond irrelevant actions to investigate the effect of intentionality on 3- to 5-year-olds' imitation of relevant actions., Inconsistency was created between the intentionality with which relevant actions were demonstrated and the causal necessity of these actions for the child's turn. Relevancy emerged as the paramount factor in study 4 - regardless of the intentionality with which relevant actions were demonstrated, children imitated these actions if they remained relevant and largely ignored them if they were rendered irrelevant. Findings are placed within a pedagogical framework and discussed from an evolutionary perspective in relation to the cultural transmission of tool-use knowledge.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3183126
- Subject Headings
- Learning, Psychology of, Developmental psychology, Educational tests and measurements, Constructivism (Education)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE EFFECTS OF D-AMPHETAMINE ON RATS PREVIOUSLY EXPOSED TO INESCAPABLE SHOCK.
- Creator
- WOODHEAD, STEPHEN LEE, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The adequacy of the learned helplessness and motor activation deficit interpretations of the interference effect were tested. Artificially increasing motor activity by administration of several levels of d-amphetamine failed to attenuate the interference effect. No differential effects of drug treatment between naive animals and animals pretreated with inescapable shock were found in an activity task. Both interpretations of the interference effect would adequately explain the results.
- Date Issued
- 1978
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13942
- Subject Headings
- Escape (Psychology), Helplessness (Psychology), Learning--Effect of drugs on, Psychophysiology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of learning-style responsive vs. traditional staff development on community college professors' achievement in and attitudes toward alternative instructional strategies.
- Creator
- Hart, Christina T., Florida Atlantic University, Bryan, Valerie
- Abstract/Description
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This researcher conducted an investigation concerning the effects of learning-style responsive versus traditional staff development on community college professors' achievement in and attitudes toward alternative instructional strategies. This study involved 84 faculty from three community colleges in Florida. Participants were voluntary and experienced both a learning-style responsive workshop and a traditional workshop through a counter balanced, reversed measures design. Objectives for...
Show moreThis researcher conducted an investigation concerning the effects of learning-style responsive versus traditional staff development on community college professors' achievement in and attitudes toward alternative instructional strategies. This study involved 84 faculty from three community colleges in Florida. Participants were voluntary and experienced both a learning-style responsive workshop and a traditional workshop through a counter balanced, reversed measures design. Objectives for each workshop focused on one learning-style method, thereby exposing participants to content about learning styles while using learning-style strategies to deliver the material. The average participant was a Caucasian female between the ages of 40-49 years old who taught in the Arts and Sciences. The Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) (Dunn, Dunn and Price, 1979, 1980, 1990, 1996) was used as the self-report instrument to identify the participants' learning-styles. The Semantic Differential Scale (SDS) (Pizzo, 1981) was used to assess the participants' attitudes toward the two instructional approaches in contrast with each other. A researcher-developed instrument called The T-Hart Achievement Test (THART) served as a pre- and posttest assessment consisting of multiple-choice questions based on the objectives of the staff development workshop. Each group reported a statistically more positive attitude following the learning-styles experimental workshop regardless of the method used. This finding supported the hypothesis that participants receiving staff development through their learning-style preference evidence significantly higher attitudinal test scores than participants receiving traditional staff development. There was no statistical difference in the knowledge or achievement on treatment concepts and practices learned by participants when the Programmed Learning Sequence (PLS) method was used. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in the achievement of the community college faculty when Learning-Style Small Group Techniques (SGT) were applied. This finding supports the experimental hypothesis that participants receiving learning-style responsive staff development will evidence significantly higher mastery of knowledge of workshop concepts and practices as measured by achievement-test scores than participants receiving traditional staff development. There was also a statistical difference in achievement by age when using the Small Group Techniques (SGT) learning-style method than when using the Programmed Learning Sequence (PLS) strategy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12186
- Subject Headings
- Motivation in education, Learning, Psychology of, Community colleges--Florida--Administration, Educational psychology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
