Computer-based learning of neuroanatomy: A longitudinal study of learning, transfer, and retention.

A longitudinal experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of new methods for learning neuroanatomy with computer-based instruction. Using a three-dimensional graphical model of the human brain and sections derived from the model, tools for exploring neuroanatomy were developed to encourage adaptive exploration. This is an instructional method that incorporates graphical exploration in the context of repeated testing and feedback. With this approach, 72 participants learned either sectional anatomy alone or whole anatomy followed by sectional anatomy. Sectional anatomy was explored either with perceptually continuous navigation through the sections or with discrete navigation (as in the use of an anatomical atlas). Learning was measured longitudinally to a high performance criterion. Subsequent tests examined transfer of learning to the interpretation of biomedical images and long-term retention. There were several clear results of this study. On initial exposure to neuroanatomy, whole anatomy was learned more efficiently than sectional anatomy. After whole anatomy was mastered, learners demonstrated high levels of transfer of learning to sectional anatomy and from sectional anatomy to the interpretation of complex biomedical images. Learning whole anatomy prior to learning sectional anatomy led to substantially fewer errors overall than learning sectional anatomy alone. Use of continuous or discrete navigation through sectional anatomy made little difference to measured outcomes. Efficient learning, good long-term retention, and successful transfer to the interpretation of biomedical images indicated that computer-based learning using adaptive exploration can be a valuable tool in instruction of neuroanatomy and similar disciplines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Helping students soar to success on computers: An investigation of the SOAR study method for computer-based learning.

This study used self-report and observation techniques to investigate how students study computer-based materials. In addition, it examined if a study method called SOAR can facilitate computer-based learning. SOAR is an acronym that stands for the method's 4 theoretically driven and empirically supported components: select (S), organize (O), associate (A), and regulate (R). There were 2 experiments. In Experiment 1, 114 undergraduates completed a questionnaire about how they study computer-based materials. Students reported using more ineffective study strategies than effective SOAR strategies. In Experiment 2, 108 different undergraduates read an online text about wildcats and then created materials that reflected their preferred study method, the full SOAR method, or parts of the SOAR method. Specifically, the control group created their preferred study notes; the S group created a complete set of linear notes; the SO group created graphically organized matrix notes; the SOA group created a matrix and associations; and the SOAR group created a matrix, associations, and practice questions that aid self-regulation. The SOAR materials were also created in line with four theoretical principles for technology design (Mayer, 2009). Students studied their materials in preparation for fact and relationship tests. Results from both tests showed that those using the full SOAR method outscored the control group and most other groups using parts of the SOAR method. In addition, observations of students' preferred study methods confirmed the Experiment 1 self-reports that unaided students use ineffective study strategies. Study limitations, suggestions for future research, and instructional implications are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extended mnemonic instruction with learning disabled students.

Divided 64 learning disabled (LD) 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students into 24 instructional groups that were assigned at random to mnemonic and control conditions. Instructional groups were administered 3 daily lessons on dinosaurs in counterbalanced order. The lessons involved vocabulary on dinosaurs, attributes of dinosaurs, and reasons for dinosaur extinction. Mnemonic groups were taught the information using keyword and pegword techniques. Control instructional groups were taught the same information using the principles of direct instruction, including teacher-directed questioning, choral group responding, fast instructional pacing, and cumulative review. A test was given after each lesson on that lesson's content. On the 4th day, all Ss were given production and identification tests on the content of all 3 lessons. Results indicate that mnemonic groups outperformed control groups on the immediate and delayed tests. In addition, control Ss' responses revealed significantly more intralist intrusions than did those of mnemonic Ss. No meaningful trend across days of instruction was observed for either condition. Findings suggest that mnemonic instruction is a versatile and effective instructional technique for LD students. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adaptive design strategies for selecting number and presentation order of examples in coordinate concept acquisition.

A study using 132 10th–11th graders investigated 2 variables of computer-based adaptive instructional strategies for concept learning. The 1st variable tested the hypothesis that the selection of the number of examples according to on-task information is more efficient than the selection according to pretask information or pretask plus on-task information. Data analysis showed that the on-task information condition needed significantly less instructional time and fewer instructional examples than either of the other 2 conditions. The 2nd variable contrasted a response-sensitive strategy with a response-insensitive strategy to determine the presentation order of examples within rational sets. Results show that Ss in the response-sensitive group not only performed better but also needed less on-task learning time and fewer examples than the response-insensitive group. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subsumption versus educational set: Implications for sequencing of instructional materials.

Compared the implications of educational set and subsumption for sequencing subject-matter presentations. Educational psychology undergraduates were taught in alternating instructional sequences. Sequence CF was a conceptually oriented lecture followed by a factually oriented self-study; Sequence FC was a factual self-study followed by a conceptual lecture. All Ss were taught in each sequence twice. An achievement test followed each sequence. Subsumption literature predicts superior performance in Sequence CF without interaction between instructional sequence and educational set. The educational set literature predicts an interation between sequence and set, in which conceptually set students would perform better in Sequence CF and factually set students in Sequence FC. Results are closer to the predictions derived from the educational set position than from the subsumption position. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparative study of conventional instruction and individual programed instruction in the college classroom.

The traditional college classroom teaching method of lecture and assigned readings was compared with an individual programed instructional method utilizing a programed text. 21 pairs of Ss, matched according to sex, age, intelligence test score, and hours of formal training in the biological sciences, were 1st tested upon completion of the physiological portion of an introductory psychology course. They were then retested 6 wk. later. No significant differences were found in performance on Test 1. However, the level of performance on Test 2 was significantly higher for the program-instructed group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of specificity and position of written instructional objectives on learning from lecture.

Investigated the effects of specificity and position of written instructional objectives on learning from an audiotaped lecture using material from E. Z. Rothkopf and R. Kaplan (see record 1973-07952-001). Undergraduates (N = 160) received either specific or general objectives before or after the 4 sections of the lecture. A control group received no objectives. Vocabulary items used throughout the experiment served as the covariate in analysis. Results indicating a departure from previous findings on the use of objectives with written text show that the before position increased intentional learning more than the after position. Incidental learning was significantly higher than intentional learning for treatment groups combined and particularly for the after groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences and preference for instructional methods.

Administered the Test Anxiety Questionnaire and the Omnibus Personality Inventory to 185 college students taking a psychology course in socialization. Ss were then asked to choose 1 of 3 instructional options: lecture, lecture with discussion, or independent study. Ss preferring each option differed on dimensions such as flexibility, autonomy, preference for abstract thinking, and several variables dealing with academic and personal experience. Other research dealing with individual differences and student behavior is discussed, and recommendations for practical application to the classroom are presented. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When does cooperative learning increase student achievement?

Reviews research on the achievement effects of cooperative learning instructional methods, in which students work in small groups to learn academic materials. Methodologically adequate field experiments of at least 2 wks' duration in regular elementary and secondary schools indicate that among cooperative learning methods in which students study the same material together, only methods that provide group rewards based on group members' individual learning consistently increase student achievement more than control methods. Cooperative learning methods in which each group member has a unique subtask have positive achievement effects only if group rewards are provided. Group rewards and individual accountability are held to be essential to the instructional effectiveness of cooperative learning methods. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When Static Media Promote Active Learning: Annotated Illustrations Versus Narrated Animations in Multimedia Instruction.

In 4 experiments, students received a lesson consisting of computer-based animation and narration or a lesson consisting of paper-based static diagrams and text. The lessons used the same words and graphics in the paper-based and computer-based versions to explain the process of lightning formation (Experiment 1), how a toilet tank works (Experiment 2), how ocean waves work (Experiment 3), and how a car's braking system works (Experiment 4). On subsequent retention and transfer tests, the paper group performed significantly better than the computer group on 4 of 8 comparisons, and there was no significant difference on the rest. These results support the static media hypothesis, in which static illustrations with printed text reduce extraneous processing and promote germane processing as compared with narrated animations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internal-external control as a determinant of the effectiveness of modeling and instructions.

Explored the relationship between locus of control and the issue of modeling and instructional effectiveness. From 132 male and female undergraduates, 24 were designated internals and 21 externals according to scores on Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale which accorded with H. L. Mirels's (1970) factor of personal internality. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of the following conditions: (a) instructional (Ss instructed to be highly concrete in talking about their school, social, and family life experiences); (b) modeling (Ss exposed to a model who discussed each of the above topics in a highly concrete fashion); and (c) control (Ss received only general instructions to talk on the same 3 topics). All Ss then participated in a brief monologue which was scored for concreteness. Results indicate that modeling was an effective procedure. Also, as predicted, internal-modeling Ss were more concrete than the internal-instructions Ss. Findings are discussed in relation to instructional efficacy and response class. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived control, Type A/B behavior, and quality of instruction.

Perceived control can impede achievement by interfering with instruction. College students who suffer temporary loss of control perform no better with an effective instructor than with an ineffective instructor. Type A students, however, may continue to benefit from effective instruction because of their intensified efforts to maintain control over academic outcomes when their control is threatened. Type A and B students received either contingent or noncontingent feedback on an aptitude test and then observed a half-hour lecture from either an unexpressive or expressive instructor. After the aptitude test they completed an attribution questionnaire, and after the lecture they took an achievement test and responded to a test-related questionnaire. Noncontingent feedback lowered both Type A and B students' perceived control and their internal attribution locus. It also reduced the effectiveness of instruction for Type B students but not for Type A students. Unlike those of Type B students, Type A students' self-perceptions were unaffected by instructional quality, which suggests a greater emphasis on self-directed, rather than other-directed, responsibility for achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Microcomputers in education: Motivational and social issues.

Presents a conceptual analysis of four sets of research issues raised by the rapid intrusion of microcomputers into the lives of children. The first involves use of the computer as a vehicle for studying the determinants of intrinsic motivation. The second involves the study of the relationships between intrinsic motivation and instructional effectiveness in educational software. The third involves the empirical examination of contrasting philosophies of instruction embodied in different current approaches to the design of computer-based educational programs. The final set of issues concerns the effects of the widespread introduction of the computer on social equality, the process of social development, and the goals of formal education. It is argued that these issues should be examined before this technology becomes part of daily life. (99 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of learning modules on the acquisition of counseling strategies.

Two studies investigated the effects of learning modules and classroom lecture on the acquisition of 3 counseling strategies. In Exp I, 42 students in introductory counseling courses were assigned randomly to classroom lecture and written self-paced module groups. Results indicate that the latter group performed significantly better than the lecture group on both a post- and retention test. In Exp II, 64 counselor trainees were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 treatment groups: classroom lecture, written module, and slide-tape module. No significant differences were found between treatment groups for acquisition of 2 counseling strategies: problem identification or developing goals. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When problem solving is superior to studying worked examples.

Interactions between levels of learner knowledge in a domain and levels of instructional guidance were investigated. Inexperienced mechanical trade apprentices were presented with either a series of worked examples to study or problems to solve. On subsequent tests, inexperienced trainees benefited most from the worked examples condition, with this group performing better with lower ratings of mental load than similar trainees who solved problems. With more experience in the domain, worked examples became redundant and problem solving proved superior. It is suggested that the relative effectiveness of either worked examples or problem solving depends heavily on levels of learner knowledge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of instructions and modeling on self-disclosure.

Examined the relative effectiveness of modeling and instructional procedures in training college students to self-disclose. 48 male undergraduates were randomly assigned to 1 of the following instructional conditions: specific instructions to discuss personal feelings within specified topic areas, general instructions to discuss personal feelings within the same topics, or no instructions. Half of the Ss also listened to a model discussing his feelings within identical topic areas, and half did not receive a model. All Ss then participated in a brief monologue, which was scored for self-disclosure. Instructions and modeling, alone and in combination, increased the occurrence of self-disclosure, but the performance of the combination condition was not significantly greater than the performance of modeling or instructions alone. A post hoc analysis showed the instructional effect was due to the difference between specific instructions and no instructions. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a Family Literacy Program on Low-Literate Children and Their Parents: Findings From an Evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program.

A randomized experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of Even Start, a federally supported family literacy program providing early childhood education, adult education, parenting education, and joint parent-child literacy activities to children and parents from low-literate families. The evaluation of 18 Even Start projects followed 463 families for 2 years and found no statistically significant or educationally important impacts on Even Start families when they were compared with control families on child literacy outcomes, parent literacy outcomes, or parent-child interactions. The study concludes that Even Start projects were able to properly implement family literacy programs, and the observed lack of effectiveness is attributed to a combination of 2 factors: (a) a lack of full participation on the part of families and (b) instructional services that may be ineffective because of the curriculum content or the instructional approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Calculating the costs of undergraduate medical education in radiology

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The current stringent financial constraints mandate that radiology departments carefully assess the costs involved in undergraduate medical education. We performed a cost-accounting analysis of the radiology department's participation in an introductory clinical medicine course, which could serve as a methodologic model for realistic cost assessment of any new or existing course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each day of the 5-week radiology portion of the second-year course consists of 1 hour of lecture and 5 hours of small-group discussions regarding chest, abdominal, and skeletal radiology; neuroradiology; and nuclear medicine. Marginal cost is defined as the additional real cost involved in creating or conducting a course. Opportunity costs represent alternative use of instructional resources. RESULTS: The marginal cost (additional real cost) of providing the course for the first time was $37,475. Subsequent offerings of the course will cost approximately $24,375. CONCLUSION: Resources expended for any instructional purpose must be weighed in terms of marginal and opportunity costs. It is mandatory that adequate cost analysis for undergraduate education in radiology be developed so that sound choices can be made regarding resource consumption.     

Effect of selected techniques for training resident assistants in human relations skills.

Investigated the effect of 3 instructional techniques on 40 undergraduate resident hall assistants' use of attending behavior, reflection of feeling, and summarization of feeling in a microcounseling session. The 3 techniques combined a tape-recorded lecture on the criterion behaviors with either a discussion, modeling, or role-playing procedure. Ss in all 3 experimental groups maintained eye contact for a significantly longer period of time than did controls. Reflection of feeling responses were recorded a significantly greater proportion of the time for the lecture-discussion and lecture-modeling treatments than for controls. Males in the lecture-modeling treatment summarized feelings a significantly greater proportion of the time than any other group. Need for periodic supervised practice of target behaviors is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)