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Articles 1 - 30 of 38
Full-Text Articles in Education
The Role Of Awareness Of Repetition During The Development Of Automaticity, Emma Shadbolt
The Role Of Awareness Of Repetition During The Development Of Automaticity, Emma Shadbolt
Theses : Honours
Investigation into the influence of contextual information on performance of an automatic task has found inconsistent results. The majority of studies have investigated whether changing the context of a simple cognitive task can inhibit an automatic response, but do not review whether context can help the development of automatic responding. The current study examined whether bringing awareness to the context of a simple numerosity task could aid the development of automaticity. It also examined whether participants were aware of when automaticity developed for them via a post-test interview. The numerosity task used in this study was a simple counting task …
Coping With The Demands Of Mature Age Student Life, Jenny E.M. Cowell
Coping With The Demands Of Mature Age Student Life, Jenny E.M. Cowell
Theses : Honours
In Australia, mature age students are 20 years of age and above in the year that they commence study and comprise approximately 65 per cent of students enrolled in Australian universities (EIM Support, 201 0). There are many reasons why they may choose to commence tertiary education (Hoskins, Newstead, & Dennis, 1997) with their transition into university likely to require them to make changes across many life domains (Gall, Evans, & Bellerose, 2000). There is much evidence to suggest that mature age students are capable of completing their undergraduate degrees, however they have a relatively low retention rate, especially in …
Determining The Point Of Optimum Transferability Of Skill, Amanda Puchar
Determining The Point Of Optimum Transferability Of Skill, Amanda Puchar
Theses : Honours
Cognitive research assumes that practice on a task can lead to improved performance, most often resulting in the attainment of automatic performance and possibly the transfer of this learning to another task. This study examined all of these questions through the use of a computer generated counting task that required participants, consisting of 60 randomly selected university students and friends and family of the researcher, to count stars on a display screen and determine if the number of stars presented was an odd or even number. Coefficient of variation (CV) measures that calculated the variability for a given level of …
Automaticity As A Predictor Of Skill Transfer, Jana Melis
Automaticity As A Predictor Of Skill Transfer, Jana Melis
Theses : Honours
Research into the effect of automaticity on skill transfer has resulted in conflicting conclusions about how automatic processes act on the transferability of skill. The research in this study was designed to investigate the existence and nature of the relationship between automaticity in skill acquisition and the ability to transfer that skill to a different task. Using a quantitative research design, a simple counting exercise was used to train participants in a skill, with the amount of training manipulated between groups. Accuracy rates and reaction times were recorded and analysed to determine the variance within and between the groups between …
The Relationship Between Amount Of Training And Performance On A New Task, Jacinta Avril Tan
The Relationship Between Amount Of Training And Performance On A New Task, Jacinta Avril Tan
Theses : Honours
This paper was designed to examine the relationship between training and transfer tasks and performance on these tasks whereby training can be used to predict transfer. Previous research has assumed that performance of an established task should extrapolate the power function of learning. That is, performance of an established skill in a new domain will continue to improve at the same rate with practice as if there was no change in the domain. 60 participants were recruited from the University of Edith Cowan and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions; I 0 block condition, 20 block condition, or …
Educating Secondary School Students With Learning Difficulties: The Teacher's Perspective, Christine Potter
Educating Secondary School Students With Learning Difficulties: The Teacher's Perspective, Christine Potter
Theses : Honours
Educating students with learning difficulties in mainstream classrooms has been a major concern for educators (Elkins, 2007). This paper reviews the research relating to the issues teachers' experience when teaching students with learning difficulties (LD) in secondary schools. The review initially provides an overview of the definition of LD and the academic, social, and behavioural characteristics experienced by students with LD. The review explores student, teacher, and school environment factors that impact on the teachers' role when students with LD are educated in mainstream classrooms. The analysis of the research in this area showed that teacher's attitudes, views, and concerns …
Mathematical Skill Acquisition: Transfer Effects Of A Computer Game Based On The Components Theory Of Skill Acquisition, Jenny Kessell
Mathematical Skill Acquisition: Transfer Effects Of A Computer Game Based On The Components Theory Of Skill Acquisition, Jenny Kessell
Theses : Honours
Research within the field of mathematical learning has often focused on the extent to which knowledge of particular mathematical skills can facilitate the learning of new and unpracticed mathematical skills. Additionally, it has examined the influence of context on learning and the amount of practice necessary for complex skill acquisition to result. This paper provides a review of the research examining mathematical learning, skill acquisition and transfer of skills in a mathematical context. Pertinent theories in the field of cognitive skill acquisition are examined for their ability to explain transfer of skill. The review focuses on factors that influence the …
Contextual Effects On A Well Learned Task: Isolated Or Broad?, Matthew J. Parkinson
Contextual Effects On A Well Learned Task: Isolated Or Broad?, Matthew J. Parkinson
Theses : Honours
Skill transfer is a fundamental feature in the domain of skill acquisition, however different theories present conflicting ideas regarding prediction of transfer. Anderson's (1982) Adaptive Control of Thought theory posits that the amount of transfer is proportional to the number of shared productions. Logan's (1988) Instance theory in contrast, posits that complete transfer will only occur on tasks which have been experienced before. However, work by Speelman and Kirsner (1997), Speelman, Forbes and Giesen (2004) and Johnson (2005) have produced results that counter the implicit assumptions of these theories. More specifically a disruption from the predicted learning curve was found …
Academic Adjustment And Resilience In Mature Age And School Leaver University Students : A Review Of The Literature & Differences In Resilience And University Adjustment Between School Leaver And Mature Age University Students, Brent Munro
Theses : Honours
This paper reviews the literature related to the transition and adjustment of school leaver and mature age students to university. It is suggested that the transition to university is a major life transition and thus is a period of great stress (Larose, Bernier, & Tarabulsy, 2005). For mature age students and school leaver students, the impacts upon adjustment to university are varied during the transition to university study (Cantwell, Archer, & Bourke, 2001; Challis, 1976; Justice & Dornan, 2001). First this review defines who mature age and school leaver students are in the context of universities. Second, the resilience literature …
Teachers Experiences With Teaching Children With Learning Difficulties: A Qualitative Study, Aleesha Morton
Teachers Experiences With Teaching Children With Learning Difficulties: A Qualitative Study, Aleesha Morton
Theses : Honours
It is estimated that 16% of Australian primary school students suffer from a learning difficulty (LD) (Rivalland, 2000). Teachers are expected to provide these students with the specialised education they need. However, teachers have reported that they face numerous challenges to provide LD students with the support needed, which may result in them experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety. These challenges include problems with identification of the specific difficulty and the most appropriate intervention programs to implement, a lack of pre service education and training, insufficient resources and funding specific to students with LD. Awareness and understanding of these …
The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy And Sense Of Belonging In Young Adolescents At School, Elisabeth Freeman
The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy And Sense Of Belonging In Young Adolescents At School, Elisabeth Freeman
Theses : Honours
Research emphasises the importance of adolescents' psychological sense of belonging in relation to academic, motivational, psychosocial, developmental, and behavioural outcomes, particularly during transition to high school. However, adolescents' adjustment during transition period does not occur in isolation, it occurs in conjunction with normative biopsychosocial change-related effects. As most of adolescents biopsychosocial needs are negotiated in high school, the school's social context assumes a fundamental role in facilitating successful adolescent adjustment, and school belonging. Features of the high school context such as perceived peer, parent, and teacher support have an influence on adolescents' perceived belonging. Similarly, the educational values, in terms …
The Role Of Strategy Choice And Working Memory Capacity In Arithmetic Acquisition In Third Grade Primary School Children, Dijana Mirkovic
The Role Of Strategy Choice And Working Memory Capacity In Arithmetic Acquisition In Third Grade Primary School Children, Dijana Mirkovic
Theses : Honours
This review examines the question of what determines arithmetic ability in primary school children. It has been suggested that arithmetic ability is mediated by many factors such as developmental factors, exposure to arithmetic facts, selection and utilisation of various strategies when solving arithmetic problems, and individual differences in working memory capacity. Some theories suggest that factors such as the complexity of a problem affect the selection of strategies when solving simple arithmetic problems such as addition, whereas other theories propose that individual differences in working memory capacity play a prominent role in arithmetic ability. Research is discussed that provides support …
Skill Acquisition And Transfer To Contextually Different Tasks: Complete, Partial Or Zero Transfer?, Lois E. Johnson
Skill Acquisition And Transfer To Contextually Different Tasks: Complete, Partial Or Zero Transfer?, Lois E. Johnson
Theses : Honours
There are differing opinions as to whether skills learned in one situation can be transferred and used in new situations. Anderson's (1982, 1993) Adaptive Control of Thought theory states that complete transfer of skills from one situation to another will occur when the processes used in training are the same as those required in transfer. Logan's (1988) Instance theory posits that complete transfer will occur only if the problems used in training are identical to those used in transfer, and that partial transfer should not occur in any transfer situation. However research by Speelman and Kirsner (2001), and Speelman, Forbes …
Skill Acquisition And Transfer In A Simple Algebraic Task, Charan J. Singh
Skill Acquisition And Transfer In A Simple Algebraic Task, Charan J. Singh
Theses : Honours
Speelman's (\999) finding that performance of a skill is based to some extent on the conter.t in which it is performed, rather than simply on the acquired skill itself, is not accounted for by the basic skill acquisition theories like ACT -R Theory or Instance Theory. The purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether the degree of change in context influences the degree of reduction in transfer. Forty participants were trained on an algebraic task and then tested in two different transfer conditions. Condition one included one new item and condition two included two new items in the …
The Importance Of The Emotional Climate In Schools : Linking Teachers' Sense Of Belonging To School Community With Student Outcomes, Linda Rogerson
The Importance Of The Emotional Climate In Schools : Linking Teachers' Sense Of Belonging To School Community With Student Outcomes, Linda Rogerson
Theses : Honours
The way that children feel about school is important to their continued engagement with education. This review examines the issues that impact on the school environment and therefore influence students' school experience. A decline in educational standards in America prompted school reform research which has identified that the emotional climate in schools was impacting on students in that they felt alienated and disenfranchised from the school community. The emotional climate of a school stems from the nature of the relationship that exists between the students and staff of the school. A movement to establish caring community schools that promote the …
Effect Of The Specificity Of Training Delivery On Skill Acquisition And Transfer, Suzanne Mary Matthews
Effect Of The Specificity Of Training Delivery On Skill Acquisition And Transfer, Suzanne Mary Matthews
Theses : Honours
Past research (e.g., Brewer, 1998) has shown that when people learn to solve simple formulae where elements are repeated over and over again, the greater the degree of repetition, the less transferable the skill. The current study tested one explanation for this observation; that training conditions involving little stimulus variation encourage the development of specific skills with low transferability. These habit-encouraging conditions were compared with a habit-breaking manipulation that involved presentation of unfamiliar stimuli throughout training. Participants were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups, the habit-encouraging and habit-breaking groups. The groups had 22 and 20 participants respectively. Participants were …
Phonological And Syntactic Processing, And The Role Of Working Memory In Reading Comprehension Among High School Students, John V. Holsgrove
Phonological And Syntactic Processing, And The Role Of Working Memory In Reading Comprehension Among High School Students, John V. Holsgrove
Theses : Honours
The performance of 60 year8 students was examined on tasks measuring phonological processing, syntactic processing, and reading comprehension. The students were also administered several measures of working memory relating to the phonological loop and the central executive. A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that phonological processing and syntactic processing were both predictors of reading comprehension, and that the presence or absence of the latter distinguished good and poor comprehenders respectively. The phonological loop was found to play a small but significant role in the processes involved in reading comprehension, but not the central executive. Gender differences suggested that boys …
The Effects Of Sleep On The Acquisition Of Skill, Peter G. Croy
The Effects Of Sleep On The Acquisition Of Skill, Peter G. Croy
Theses : Honours
The current research was designed to evaluate the effect of sleep on memory for the declarative and procedural knowledge components of a cognitive skill. In a training phase, 17 participants in a no-sleep control group practised 120 repetitions of a simple algebra equation at Sam and 22 participants in a sleep group practised the task at 8pm. Novel task inputs were introduced withh1 the same task structure in a transfer phase conducted 12 hours after training for each group. Overnight sleep conferred a 29% performance deficit on the transfer tusk compared to no-sleep controls. The results support the hypothesis that …
Sense Of Belonging And Self-Esteem : What Are The Implications For Educational Outcomes Of Secondary School Students? : A Literature Review, Lynne Strudwicke
Sense Of Belonging And Self-Esteem : What Are The Implications For Educational Outcomes Of Secondary School Students? : A Literature Review, Lynne Strudwicke
Theses : Honours
In this technological era a complete secondary education is more important than ever. Therefore, this review examines the issues surrounding students' at risk of dropping out of school. School factors such as the relevance of the curriculum, support. and also methods of assessment have each been associated with the dropout issue. These factors may also impact on students' sense of belonging, self-concept and self-esteem in negative or positive ways. Sense of belonging is a fundamental need. In schools it has been found to relate directly to achievement, indicating that mainly higher achieving students benefit from having this need fulfilled. Sense …
The Effects Of Conceptual Change On The Transfer Of Established Skills, John Forbes
The Effects Of Conceptual Change On The Transfer Of Established Skills, John Forbes
Theses : Honours
When people practice a task, their performance in terms of speed and accuracy normally improves in a smooth manner that follows a power function. The consistency with which the performance of a wide range of skills conforms to this power function relationship is known as the Power Law of Learning, and has been an important assumption of many of the dominant theories of skill acquisition and transfer. As such, the form of the power function that is derived from the training process has been used to predict performance when task conditions remain constant. However, Speelman and Kirsner (under review) have …
Case Studies Of Children's Social And Emotional Adjustment At School After The Permanent Separation Of Their Parents, Gillian Kirk
Case Studies Of Children's Social And Emotional Adjustment At School After The Permanent Separation Of Their Parents, Gillian Kirk
Theses : Honours
The number of children who have experienced the separation of their parents is constantly rising. An increasing amount of children arc entering classrooms contending with their day-to-day stressors as well as the stress originating from then home lives. Many of these children are not prepared with the knowledge or understanding of their stressor, nor are they equipped with strategies that would help them deal with stress. Observations and interviews were conducted with four children who had experienced the separation and divorce of their parents over a period of six months. As the data for this study needed to be rich …
The Pleasure Of Text - Where Does It Come From? : Children's Responses To Literature, Sharon Cooney
The Pleasure Of Text - Where Does It Come From? : Children's Responses To Literature, Sharon Cooney
Theses : Honours
Too often, literature is viewed, presented and used as a mere tool for conveying information in the primary school classroom. A 'functional' approach to literature is not sufficient as it denies students opportunities to experience the range of responses evoked by literature and the element of pleasure that can be derived from the reading experience. This study examines reader response theory as a means for building enjoyment of literature for its own sake. The literary responses of four primary school children were interpreted to ascertain the pleasure derived from the literary experience and will be presented in case study form. …
A Study Of Teacher Behaviours As Interpreted By Low Achieving Passive Students, Carolyn Crook
A Study Of Teacher Behaviours As Interpreted By Low Achieving Passive Students, Carolyn Crook
Theses : Honours
This study explores the nature of low achieving, passive students' interpretations of teacher behaviour towards them, how these interpretations cluster into specific categories and the possibility of a mis-match existing between a teacher's intended behaviour and the student's interpretations of that behaviour. The sample consisted of four year five students, one female and three male students, who were selected from two Perth metropolitan schools. Ethnographic-case study methods were used to conduct the investigation which included fieldnotes, observations, video-taped observations, student interviews and informal teacher interviews. The study revealed that low achieving, passive students have varying interpretations of teacher behaviour. As …
The Specificity Of Skill Acquisition: Is It Task Related?, Dawn Darlaston-Jones
The Specificity Of Skill Acquisition: Is It Task Related?, Dawn Darlaston-Jones
Theses : Honours
The plethora of research into the area of skill acquisition and transfer has resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the nature of transfer. Some researchers have found skill transfer to be specific to the items experienced during training (Logan, I 988, alphabet-arithmetic task; Masson, 1986, reverse reading task). Others have found transfer to be general (Speelman & Kirsner, I 997, syllogism task) or both general and specific in the same task (Greig & Speelman, 1999, algebra task). This study investigated the assumption that the task involved dictates the specific nature of skill acquisition and transfer. Sixty participants drawn from the Edith …
The Effects Of Context And Number Of Presentations On Repetition Priming, Terry A. Simpson
The Effects Of Context And Number Of Presentations On Repetition Priming, Terry A. Simpson
Theses : Honours
When a stimulus such as a word is presented twice, the identification of the word on the second presentation is usually facilitated, reflecting repetition priming. This facilitation can occur without a person's awareness and is often referred to as reflecting implicit memory. The present study investigated the effects of number of presentations of words and the context in which words were presented on repetition priming. The study measured reaction times on a lexical decision task in which the participants decided whether a string of letters constituted a word or a non-word. Repetition priming on this task was determined by comparing …
Children's Perceptions Of Tasks, Structure, Routines And Roles In Two Multi-Age (P-1) Classrooms, Anne Yeoward
Children's Perceptions Of Tasks, Structure, Routines And Roles In Two Multi-Age (P-1) Classrooms, Anne Yeoward
Theses : Honours
In Western Australia, multi-age grouping is being explored as a means of providing a rich learning environment which helps children to learn, caters for individual differences and recognises the child's social and cognitive development (Rice & Basich. 1994 ). To date no study on the child's perceptions, expectations and experience of school within this organisational framework has been conducted. The purpose of this study is to find out about young children's perceptions of tasks, structure, routines and roles in a multi-age class. What are children's perceptions of the class grouping and task content in a multi-age class? What are children's …
Conceptions Of Learning Held By Students In The Lower, Middle And Upper Grades Of Primary School, Carole Noelle Steketee
Conceptions Of Learning Held By Students In The Lower, Middle And Upper Grades Of Primary School, Carole Noelle Steketee
Theses : Honours
Conceptions of learning are the fundamental beliefs and ideas people hold about their own learning. To a large extent, these understandings determine the way in which learning tasks are tackled and, ultimately, the outcome of learning experiences. Using a phenomenographic approach, this study explored the conceptions of teaming held by six students in the lower, middle and upper grades of primary school. Data collected from a series of individual in-depth interviews resulted in the identification of six distinctly different conceptions of learning. At the most basic level, the students articulated their understanding of learning in a very general sense. This …
Determining The Validity And Reliability Of An Instrument Designed To Measure Metacognitive Behaviours, Anne L. Martin
Determining The Validity And Reliability Of An Instrument Designed To Measure Metacognitive Behaviours, Anne L. Martin
Theses : Honours
This project was designed to study the role of metacognition in mathematical problem solving. More specifically, it was designed to determine the validity and reliability of an instrument proposed to identify metacognitive behaviours in Year 7 children solving problems. The instrument was used to analyse audio tapes of pairs of students working on a non-routine problem (i.e., a problem that cannot be solved solely by the direct application of the basic operations). Analysis of the audio tapes involved categorizing metacognitive decisions as: orientation, organization, execution, and verification behaviours. A "cognitive-metacognitive" framework (Garofalo & Lester, 1985) was used as a basis …
High School Girls Motivation Toward Mathematics: Effects Of Perceived Instrumentality And Attitude Toward The Future, Bruce D. Watt
High School Girls Motivation Toward Mathematics: Effects Of Perceived Instrumentality And Attitude Toward The Future, Bruce D. Watt
Theses : Honours
Research in the area of future time perspective has suggested that academic motivation is associated with the perceived instrumentality of academic pursuits, and affective attitude toward personal future (Van Calster, Lens & Nuttin, 1987). Motivation tends to be higher when perceived instrumentality is high, but only when one has a positive attitude toward personal future. The present study tested these findings in regard to motivation toward mathematics in a sample of 119 13- year-old high school girls. Main effects for affective attitude and perceived instrumentality on motivation were found. Students who had a positive affective attitude were more motivated than …
Word Reading Strategies: A Replication And Follow Up Intervention, Andrew Davoll
Word Reading Strategies: A Replication And Follow Up Intervention, Andrew Davoll
Theses : Honours
The first stage of this study involved a replication of the cluster analysts procedures used by Freebody and Byrne (1988) to classify Year 2 readers according to their word reading strategies based on lists of irregular and pseudowords. A four-cluster-solution produced three groups similar to those reported by Freebody and Byrne (1988), and a fourth group which could not be classified using their criteria. A three-cluster-solution produced a more parsimonious interpretation, with these groups meeting the criteria for "LB" (low on both Irregular and pseudowords), "HB" (high on both), and "Phoenician" readers (average or above on pseudoword, low on irregular …