Conflicting explanations and unrelated information in science classrooms increase cognitive load and decrease efficiency in learning. This reduced efficiency ultimately limits one's ability to solve reasoning problems in the science. In reasoning, it is the ability of students to sift through and identify critical pieces of information that is of…

Creativity has emerged in the focus of neurocognitive research in the past decade. However, a heterogeneous pattern of brain areas has been implicated as underpinning the neural correlates of creativity. One explanation for these divergent findings lies in the fact that creativity is not usually investigated in terms of its many underlying…

We present a developing distributed cognition theory of interdisciplinary collaboration that incorporates concepts from both situated cognition and information processing theory. This theoretical framework is being refined as it is used for analyzing interdisciplinary collaboration within the National Institute of Science Education (NISE). The…

Discusses computational studies of learning in artificial neural networks and findings that may provide insights into the learning abilities of the human brain. Describes efforts to test theories about brain information processing, using artificial neural networks. Vignettes include information concerning how a neural network represents…

Reported is a study of two instructional strategies: (1) the placement of key questions in text materials, and (2) the use of prescriptive feedback to direct students who missed text questions to appropriate remedial work. Learning that resulted from these two techniques was examined relative to achievement, time-on-task, and efficiency.…

Suggests a model of human cognition by describing similarities between human and electronic computers. This model might guide the development of software so that it is sufficiently powerful and flexible to be of value to human computers as they construct new knowledge in chemistry. (JN)

Presented is an analysis of a concept teaching technique that was developed according to a theoretical perspective which emphasizes the importance of a student's existing knowledge in influencing that person's subsequent learning. Significant differences between an experimental group which was exposed to this instructional strategy, and the…

Described is how teachers can use the Concept Structuring Analysis Technique (ConSAT) as a diagnostic, learning, and assessment task in teaching science. In essence, ConSAT assists students in organizing concepts on paper so that they may link what they already know to what they have to learn. The technique thus applies the philosophical notion of…

Experienced Physicists solve simple textbook problems differently from beginning students. This paper describes these differences using a computer-implemented model that "learns." The research is set in the the context of modern computer-processing psychology, and is related to other work relevant to help people know and learn…

Described are the historical uses and research involving the discipline of artifical intelligence. Topics discussed include: symbol manipulation; knowledge engineering; cognitive modeling; and language, vision and robotics. (Author/DS)

This paper discusses the concept of information literacy as the main framework within which the concept of computer literacy may be defined, describes in detail the design of a complete curriculum in information literacy intended for all students in elementary and junior high schools, and provides an example of this design with a specific learning…

Explores the central thesis of cognitive science that the mind is an information processor. Discusses the study of reading as an opportunity to gain insight into how that processor works. Provides several examples that illustrate some of the relationships between eye movement, short-term memory, and long-term memory. (TW)

Among the topics discussed relating to demands on business/industry/education resulting from the "pull" of the information explosion are: frontiers of knowledge, research on educational television, computer-based learning, intelligent videodiscs, quality of learning, science education/cognitive research, misconceptions, motivation,…

Traces the history and function of State, Operator, And Result (SOAR), a general-purpose artificial intelligence program for solving problems. The SOAR can "chunk" the result of a subgoal and learn from previous experiences. The SOAR could be applied to various expert systems. (YP)

Reports on students' study and drawing of five electronic circuit diagrams. Concludes that the success of the students depended upon the amount of detail in the instructional diagrams. (RT)