Educational Psychology Commons^™

A Qualitative Study Of The Dichotomy Between Educational Policy And Educational Research On Learning Theory, Karen Joy Eakes

Theses Digitization Project

This study explores and exposes the dichotomy that currently exists between educational policy and research in learning theory.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Sex-Related Differences In Autonomous Learning Behaviours And Mathematics Achievement, Laura Beahan

Theses : Honours

The autonomous learning behaviour model proposed by Fennema and Peterson (1985a, 1985b) hypothesises that sex- related differences in mathematics are a result of sex-related differences in autonomous learning behaviours. Autonomous learning behaviours include choosing to engage in high-level tasks, preferring to work independently on such tasks and persisting at them. The purpose of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in autonomous learning behaviours and to determine any relationship between the presence of these behaviours and achievement in mathematics. Twelve students studying the Year 1 unit "Foundations of Mathematics" were selected for the study, including two males and two females …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Self-Concept As A Learner: Does A Relationship Exist?, David B. Wood

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Before locus of control (LOC) and self-concept as a learner can be separately used in personality measurement, their construct independence must be established. Randall (1989) and Schmidt (1990) found moderate (.-49 and -.25) overlap between the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (NSLOC) (Nowicki & Strickland, 1973) and Waetjen's (1967) Self-Concept As a Learner Scale (SCAL). Since Randall and Schmidts' data came from differently sized school districts, the exploration of district size as a variable seemed warranted.

Interest in LOC and self-concept has been studied extensively since Rotter's (1966) comprehensive review. Joe (1971) did a comprehensive review. Strickland (1972) …

The Influence Of Brain Hemisphericity On The Composing Process Of Twelfth Graders, Reinholdine Breien-Pierson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Despite the popularization of the concept of brain hemispheric dominance, little serious research has been done in the area of the role of brain hemisphericity in learning and thought. The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of hemisphericity in the area of student composition to test the theory that the composing process and writing of student papers differs relative to the students' hemispheric dominance. A second area of investigation was to test the theory that teachers value papers written by students who share their hemispheric dominance.

The subjects, eight twelfth graders and four (English) teacher evaluators, …

Grammars And Teaching, Elaine Chaika

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Who Can Be Taught?, Elaine Chaika

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Retention As A Function Of Competition In Learning, William Wayne Parker

All Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to add to empirical evidence for use in drawing some sort of conclusions as to the significance of competition as a factor in retention of learning. This is necessary if teachers are to offer optimum learning conditions to their students.

A Study Of Anxiety Relative To Academic Achievement And To Sex, Gerald R. Shulenbarger

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between anxiety and achievement, and anxiety level and sex. The anxiety level was measured by the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing (IPAT) Anxiety Scale Questionnaire. Specifically, this study investigated how assessed anxiety relates to the achievement of students in Junior level Psychology courses. The courses were Human Growth and Development. Further, the difference in anxiety levels between sexes was studied.

A Study Of The Retention Of Five Selected Mathematical Concepts Of Seventh Graders In The Coulee Dam Public School System As Based On The Inductive And Deductive Methods Of Teaching, James Prehm

All Master's Theses

The inductive and deductive methods of teaching for retention were compared in this study. It was also the purpose to determine whether there were significant sex differences in retention when the two methods were compared. Therefore, five hypotheses were tested.

Latent Learning As A Function Of Exploration Time, Gary France

All Master's Theses

The present experiment includes (a) an effort to control extra-goal-box cues--a variable that has been a source of difficulty in certain previous experiments--and (b) raise again the question of whether reinforcement theory adequately explains this type of behavior.

Investigations On Whole-Part Learning From 1930 Through 1939., Agnes Catherine Lemaire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.