For researchers seeking to improve education, a common goal is to identify teaching practices that have causal benefits in classroom settings. To test whether an instructional practice exerts a causal influence on an outcome measure, the most straightforward and compelling method is to conduct an experiment. While experimentation is common in…

Mathematics education researchers conducting instruction experiments using a design research methodology are challenged with the analysis of often complex and large amounts of qualitative data. In this paper, we present two case studies that show how multimedia analysis software can greatly support video data analysis and theory development in…

The author responds to the recent work of Kaminski, Sloutsky, and Heckler (2008) and advances two major concerns about their research and its applicability to learning mathematics: a confounding variable that arises from the mathematical differences between the generic examples and concrete examples poses a threat to the construct validity of the…

A look at an experiment in which three pilot inquiries relating to non-traditional instructional media "treatments" evidenced only one difference--roommate impact--having statistically significant differences associated with learning as reflected in earned, college-level grade-point averages. (Author)

A presentation of findings from an experiment on six high school psychology classes that experienced 10, 20, or 30 minute programs presented on three screens with audio narration and music. Differences in learning retention were found, but with time passage, differences did not reappear. (Author/HB)

Subjects learned lists of words under conditions of high, medium, or low expectations concerning test-phase cheating and were then tested for recall with cheating precluded. Test performance of subjects expecting to be able to cheat was unexpectedly better, rather than worse, than subjects with low expectations, even when cheating was precluded.…

Focuses on the effect of verbal and pictorial stimuli on paired associate learning. The discussion centers on the traditional finding that learning is easier with pictures than with words as stimuli. Hypothesizes that this effect is caused by differential coding and storing strategies for words and pictures. (Editor/RK)

Differences in levels of subject matter learning at the university level were explored to determine how a learning task is approached between those who are successful and those who are less successful. Students read a selected social science text, (Paul Samuelson's "Economics", for example), related the material learned, answered content…