Capacities for abstract thinking and problem-solving are central to human cognition. Processes of abstraction allow the transfer of experiences and knowledge between contexts helping us make informed decisions in new or changing contexts. While we are often inclined to relate such reasoning capacities to individual minds and brains, they may in…

The construct of static and emergent shape thinking (Moore & Thompson, 2015) characterizes differences in students' reasoning about graphs. In our previous work with middle school students, we found that this construct may also be useful in characterizing students' reasoning about other representations such as simulations and tables. In this…

The ability to reason about how things were made is a pervasive aspect of how humans make sense of physical objects. Such reasoning is useful for a range of everyday tasks, from assembling a piece of furniture to making a sandwich and knitting a sweater. What enables people to reason in this way even about novel objects, and how do people draw…

Clinical judgment is a priority nursing skill to ensure the delivery of safe and effective nursing care. New graduate nurses lack the clinical judgment skills that are necessary for entry-level nursing practice. Nurse educators must therefore implement teaching strategies that foster clinical judgment. This study evaluated the clinical judgment of…

This study aimed to design, develop, and validate the RSiSTEM framework, a robotics-based simulation learning model intended to foster students' problem-solving and systems thinking competencies within STEM education. The research followed a two-phase developmental design. In Phase 1, the framework was constructed through a systematic synthesis of…

This research, following a sequential mixed-methods design, delves into metacognitive control in problem solving among 5- to 6-year-olds, using two floor-robot environments. In an initial qualitative phase, 82 pupils participated in tasks in which they directed a floor robot to one of two targets, with the closer target requiring more cognitive…

The evolution of mathematics coincided with advancements in its teaching. The 19th and 20th centuries marked a pedagogical revolution in mathematics education. This paper argues that Bruner's (1966) model, Gagné's (1985) taxonomy, innovative teaching methods emphasizing research and problem-solving, and the inclusion of data analysis topics have…

Contribution: This research provides insights into the applications of virtual reality (VR) in learning spatial reasoning, which could be utilized and developed in educational frameworks and settings, especially in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), and other aspects. Background: Spatial reasoning and VR are essential…

Background: Sound clinical reasoning is crucial for synthesizing assessment and contextual information into evidence-based and patient-centred management decisions. Whilst clinical reasoning processes and development have been explored in broader health contexts, to date there has been limited evaluation of how clinical reasoning skills are…

Sampling distributions are fundamental for statistical inference, yet their abstract nature poses challenges for students. This research investigates the development of high school students' conceptions of sampling distribution through informal significance tests with the aid of digital technology. The study focuses on how technological tools…

Many education researchers have advocated grounding abstract mathematical and scientific concepts in students' lived experiences, environmental interactions, and perceptions. This dissertation explores the causal effects of various grounding strategies in instructional settings, specifically on the topic of statistical sampling. The first chapter…

Chemistry is considered a difficult subject by most students. Its difficulty lies in Chemistry's complex and abstract nature. This highly abstract nature requires constant interplay and coordination between the macroscopic, particulate, and symbolic representations. Experts can successfully navigate the various representations without overloading…

Teachers routinely observe and interpret student behavior to make judgements about whether and how to support their students' learning. Simulated cases can help pre-service teachers to gain this skill of diagnostic reasoning. With 118 pre-service teachers, we tested whether participants rate simulated cases presented in a serial-cue case format as…

The education system evolves and transforms towards interactive and immersive learning tools in this digital age. Augmented reality has also evolved as a ubiquitous, robust, and effective technology for providing innovative educational tools. In engineering education, many abstract concepts require technological intervention for conceptual…

Model-based instruction offers numerous benefits to students, including increased content knowledge and critical thinking. This study explored the differences in the knowledge outcomes and reasoning processes employed by undergraduate students in an introductory biology lab as they constructed, revised, and simulated a computational model of a…