Reviews the current literature concerning prior knowledge in an attempt to clarify problems with the terminology. Identifies the three main problems: lack of definition or vagueness, nominal versus real definitions, and different names/same constructs or same name/different constructs. Includes a conceptual map of prior knowledge terminology. (MJP)

This research applied evolving conceptions of learning to examine how to represent and evaluate students' and experts' cognitive structures. High school history students completed several tasks. Direct comparisons of the quality of student maps with expert maps showed that experts' concept maps could be used to score students' concept maps…

Explores young children's mark-making in a domestic play setting. Suggests mark-making indicates aspects of the relationship between semiotic and conceptual development. Focuses on contexts in which mark-making occurs and on the authenticity of the learning events in which children participate. (DLH)

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies are becoming increasingly important components of online educational environments (Romiszowski & Mason, 2004). The online discussion forum that is a significant component of many web-based courses is one type of CMC. Instructors and students rely on these asynchronous forums to engage one another…

In general, studies investigating sex differences in mathematics performance have empirically analyzed students' responses from standardized tests. This paper reports a study to extend the investigation of sex differences related to mathematics performance by examining cognitive and motivational factors as well as standardized test scores. Boys…

This paper describes a study of the connections between beliefs about mathematics, autonomy, and knowledge structures in mathematics. Assumptions underlying the study were (1) that students' beliefs and knowledge are constructs of the individual and play a dynamic role in the learning and doing of mathematics; and (2) that autonomy theoretically…

The growth and development of the pedagogical schemata of 16 midwestern preservice teachers in a graduate-level, secondary alternative certification program was studied by examining: (1) pedagogical knowledge comprising the schemata as the program began; (2) pedagogical knowledge comprising the schemata at the end of student teaching; and (3)…

The current period in mathematics education can be characterized as one of reform. Many feel that children in the United States are not learning enough appropriate mathematics; these critics are concerned with the specific areas of problem solving and children's conceptions of the nature and uses of mathematics. A pretest/posttest experimental…

The ideas of the nature, purpose, and scope of mathematics held by students is an issue of interest to the mathematics education community. Movement from a mathematics as discrete operations perspective to a mathematics as problem-solving perspective is a desired change in mathematics education reform. A pretest/posttest experimental design study…

Proponents of mathematics education reform have emphasized both cognitive and attitudinal goals, seeking improvement in children's problem-solving skills and in their attitudes toward mathematics. A pretest/posttest experimental design study examined the effects of SQUARE ONE TV, a television series about mathematics aimed at 8- to 12-year-old…

The term "image" has been employed in various ways to describe the practical knowledge teachers have derived from their own experiences. These images grounded in personal experience are also assumed to guide student teachers' thoughts and actions in the classroom. Adopting a case study method, this study examined two early childhood…

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and degree of differences in expert versus novice knowledge structures, both before and after training, when judging the similarity of multiple-choice test items within a statistics and test theory (STT) domain. Subjects were employees of the Testing Division of the New York State Department of…

The study of consciousness requires a language for exact and precise communication. This research project investigated how workers from different cultural contexts value information that is relevant to their job performance. Thirty-five randomly selected mechanics, from Sweden, England, West Germany, Italy, and the United States, were selected as…

Trends in emphases in the study of clinical reasoning are examined, with attention to three major branches of research: problem-solving, knowledge engineering, and propositional analysis. There has been a general progression from a focus on the generic form of clinical reasoning to an emphasis on medical content that supports the reasoning…

Noting that successful comprehension, problem solving, and decision making are dependent upon activation and appropriate application of relevant schemata of existing knowledge, this report examines the practice of oversimplifying information in the content areas to make teaching and studying easier, and the dangers inherent in doing so. The report…