The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of visual representations and time-compressed instruction on learning and learners' perceptions of cognitive load. Time-compressed instruction refers to instruction that has been increased in speed without sacrificing quality. It was anticipated that learners would be able to gain a conceptual…

Perceived time in complex cognitive functions was studied using college students' estimates of time spent taking a test in relation to examination performance. Significant correlations were found between true scores and students' estimated time. Differences in the perception of time were shown to be consistent with theories of attentional…

Examined process mediating the effect of positive mood on performance of a cognitive task. Positive mood subjects performed significantly worse on a set of syllogisms than control subjects. Results are consistent with accounts arguing that people in positive moods expend less effort. (JBJ)

Undergraduates (n=99) differing in spatial ability were tested on problems involving the mental rotation of familiar alphanumeric stimuli and unfamiliar stimuli drawn from the Primary Mental Abilities Space Test. Individual differences in spatial ability were associated with speed rather than accuracy of mental rotation processes. Ability…

Attaining the insight needed to solve the Mutilated Checkerboard problem, which requires discovery of an effective problem representation (EPR), is described. Performance on insight problems can be predicted from the availability of generators and constraints in the search for an EPR. Data for 23 undergraduates were analyzed. (TJH)

Undergraduate students who were given specific instructions to form mental images while reading a text passage containing spatial information scored significantly higher than the control group on a drawing posttest. Significant correlations also resulted between the test scores and both reading time and use of imagery. The use of imagery…

Investigated relationships among college students (N=76) science achievement, engaged time (observed and perceived), personal characteristics of academic aptitude, reasoning ability, attitude toward science, and locus of control. Among the results reported are significant relationships between engaged time measures and achievement, and between…

This study examined effects of orienting activities, processing opportunity, and varied lesson access times on college students' learning from interactive video. While practice remains dominant influence in effectiveness of interactive video, significant interactions were also found among access times, processing opportunity, and practice, and…

This research project was designed to explore ways of making computer text presentations more readable as a way of compensating for the constraints that computers impose on the display of text as compared with print-on-paper displays, e.g., limited screen resolution and display area. Forty-eight undergraduate teacher education majors enrolled in…

This issue of "Investigations in Mathematics Education" contains: (1) a review of E. Fischbein's book "The Intuitive Sources of Probabilistic Thinking in Children;" (2) nine abstracts of research studies in mathematics education; (3) a list (by EJ number) of mathematics education research studies reported in the January to…

Using the cognitive fit paradigm as a theoretical framework, this study compared the problem-solving performance of users of a hypertext-based learning aid to the performance of users of a computer-based linear text learning aid. Subjects were 103 undergraduate MIS (Management Information Systems) majors enrolled in an information systems analysis…