Idea-mapping (i-mapping), a way of representing ideas from a text in the form of a diagram, is defined and illustrated in this document as a way to help students "see" how the ideas they read are linked to each other. The first portion of the document discusses the fundamental relationships found in texts (A is a characteristic of B, A…

The purpose of this paper is to: (1) explore some possible explanations for the lack of empirical support of advance organizers; (2) suggest a plan for improving the empirical research on advance organizers; and (3) recommend some further investigations needed in the area of advance organizers. Some explanations for this lack of support are…

This exploratory study was aimed at uncovering children's beliefs and ideas about the human circulatory system. Thirty-two subjects, aged 7 to 14 years, were interviewed using a modification of Piaget's clinical method. The data were analyzed by developing a conceptual inventory of beliefs for each of five research questions. It was found that the…

Three arguments are proposed in favor of writing without an audience. The first states that even though ignoring the audience may lead to worse writing at first, it will often lead to better writing in the end. The intimidating nature of the teacher or an unknown as audience supports this. The second argument states that writing without an…

A review of dozens of journal articles and books on the subject of writing across the curriculum reveals the following basic assumptions that seem to characterize most college writing across the curriculum programs: (1) writing is a complex and developmental process; (2) writing should be used to promote learning; (3) the teaching of writing is…

This paper explains recommended procedures for establishing a computer based, multimedia, computer managed system emphasizing self-paced, individualized instruction as an approach to learner controlled education. The basic components or modules of such a system are briefly described, including student information, instructional analysis, learning…

A brief review shows several suggested ways in which cultural historical activity theory has proved valuable to technology supported learning environments. Three of our own design cases are then described (evaluating a peer to peer interface for learning objects, designing an on-line school, and rethinking a public science centre). These are…

Engineering students use spatial thinking when examining diagrams or models to study structure design. It is expected that most engineering students have solidified spatial thinking skills during K-12 schooling. However, according to what we know about geometry learning and teaching, spatial thinking probably needs to be explicitly taught within…

The effectiveness of blended learning is dependent upon the combination of learning activities, complemented by information communication technologies and the availability of opportunities for face-to-face communication. This paper proposes a filtering approach to assist lecturers in combining learning activities within a blended learning…

Our teaching and learning habits are useful but they can also be deadly. They are useful when the conditions in which they work are predictable and stable. But what happens if and when the bottom falls out of the stable social world in and for which we learn? Is it possible that learning itself--learning as we have come to enact it habitually--may…

Sometimes the term independent study is used to denote distance education or, specifically, correspondence education. However, traditional correspondence study does not cover the general meaning of independent study. Also, it does not fit in with the two recent movements of open learning and dialogue pedagogics which are close to the discovery…

The growth model of intelligence; i.e. intelligence is the product of genetics plus environment (I.Q.=G+E), is discussed and questioned. If the growth model is discarded, formulating the problem of the development of intelligence in different ways and thinking of different possible technologies for changing intelligence can begin. The child…

It has been claimed that error analysis (EA) has two broad aims and two levels of application: pedagogical (relevant to syllabus design and second language teaching) and psycholinguistic (relevant to language learning studies). At the moment, EA's pedagogical claims are stronger than its psycholinguistic ones. In its early days, EA defined its…

Part III of a 3-part report. See also AA 501 768, AA 501 769, and AA 501 771, and AA 501 772.

This document reviews current literature, and contains the following section titles: General background; Current position in New Zealand and trends; Cross-cultural studies; Spatial visualization and problem solving; Achievement; Attitudes; Attitudes and Achievement; Mathematics as useful; Confidence in mathematics ability; Socialization/sex…