The goal of this article is to review work on mind wandering, metacognition and creativity in order to consider their relationship with cognitive flexibility. I introduce a model of the role that mind wandering and metacognition have in the generation and exploration of novel ideas and products in the creative process. I argue that managing the…

We use the framework of cognitive resources to investigate how students construct understanding of a complex physics topic, namely, a photovoltaic cell. By observing students as they learn about how a solar cell functions, we identified over 60 distinct resources that learners may activate while thinking about photovoltaic cells. We classify these…

The visual method in this paper solves linear inequalities in one variable by considering them initially as two competing linear expressions, each of which is then expressed as a linear equation. When the solution of these two linear equations exist, it is viewed as a highlighted area or a line. These linear equations convey the intended visual…

In high school, students extend understanding of linear and exponential functions and explore trigonometric functions. This includes using the unit circle to connect trigonometric functions to their geometric foundation, modeling periodic phenomena, and applying (and proving) trigonometric identities. These ideas are fundamental for trigonometric…

Spatial ability was defined by Lohman (1996) as the ability to create, maintain, retrieve, and change visual pictures. Linn and Peterson (1985) distinguished among spatial perception, mental rotation, and spatial visualization. Spatial perception is the determination of spatial connections with respect to the orientation of the learners' body;…

Critical to constructing and interpreting graphs is an individual's understanding of the underlying coordinate systems, yet coordinate systems are often overlooked or taken-for-granted in both mathematics education research and curricula. In this paper, we foreground coordinate systems and present a distinction between two uses of coordinate…

In this article, we propose a new model of student workload. We conducted an extensive literature review of student workload, its impact on students' lives, factors influencing student workload, objective and subjective measurements. The previous conceptualizations of student workload conflate student work and course workload, two related but…

This paper reports a teaching intervention based on cognitive load theory designed to improve postgraduate business students' understanding of double-entry bookkeeping. In response to learning difficulties, a simplified scaffolded method of learning was introduced involving: simplifying accounting terminology drawing on familiar non-technical…

This paper provides historical insights and educational background of Froebel's Gifts, hands-on materials developed in the early 19th century. Based on an explorative study with 54 German children (aged 5 to 10) in 2016, we first took steps to explore how these materials meet the demands for early mathematics learning of primary children. Starting…

What role does language play in developing the concept of number? This question is at the center of an important current debate. To try to answer it, one must first consider what is needed to learn number words and their meaning. First, the learner has to be able to identify number words as such, that is, to distinguish them from other sorts of…

Geometry is the branch of mathematics that addresses spatial sense and geometric reasoning. Students begin to understand geometry through direct interaction with their physical world. Because it is the study of the physical attributes of the environment, geometry has relevance for every student; the world becomes a big classroom. As students see,…

According to cognitive load theory (CLT), the limitations of working memory (WM) in the learning of new tasks together with its ability to cooperate with an unlimited long-term memory (LTM) for familiar tasks enable human beings to deal effectively with complex problems and acquire highly complex knowledge and skills. With regard to WM, CLT has…

This paper proposes that the acquisition of meta-concepts and thinking skills in order to facilitate scholarly religious thought should be the principal aim of religious education in schools. As a result, the aim of religious education is primarily stated in cognitive terms and religious education is understood as closely related to education…

While maps and globes continue to be an important part of the geography and social studies curricula, there has been some debate about the ability of young children to engage in maps in a meaningful way. Some researchers have argued that children younger than seven do not have the spatial-cognitive abilities to truly understand the perspective and…

The ability to self-regulate is important for students at any level, but is especially valuable to those in college, as they are confronted with a great deal of material in a short span of time. Some studies demonstrate that college students are effective self-regulators, while other studies indicate they are not (Peverly, Brobst, Graham, & Shaw,…