Comparative effects of adjunct postquestions and instructions on learning from text.

Two experiments investigated whether instructions to students about how and what to learn can facilitate learning as effectively as adjunct postquestions. In Exp I, 4 groups of 20 undergraduates each were tested: a read-only control group, an adjunct-question group, an instruction group, and an adjunct question plus instruction group. All groups performed significantly better than the control group on a test that required recall of verbatim factual information. Incidental questions were answered somewhat better by instruction Ss than by adjunct-question Ss. The 2nd experiment, with 87 adult males, replicated Exp I, except that the adjunct and test questions were derived by paraphrasing factual information from the text. Instructions on how to study for paraphrase test questions were developed for the instruction groups. All groups performed significantly better than the control group. When adjunct postquestions were repeated on the final test, they were answered somewhat better by the 2 adjunct question groups than by the instruction group. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of a strategy-based intervention on the comprehension and strategy use of struggling adolescent readers.

This study examines the impact of the Learning Strategies Curriculum (LSC), an adolescent reading intervention program, on 6th- and 9th-grade students' reading comprehension and strategy use. Using a randomized treatment–control group design, the study compared student outcomes for these constructs for 365 students who received daily instruction in 6 LSC strategies and 290 students who did not receive intervention instruction. After 1 school year, 6th-grade students who received intervention instruction significantly outperformed students in the control group on a standardized measure of reading comprehension and reported using problem-solving strategies in reading to a greater extent than students in the control group. There were no significant differences between 9th grade intervention and control groups in reading comprehension or strategy use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of generic advance instructions on learning a classification task.

Investigated whether giving students generic advance instructions about how to learn a classification task would be effective in facilitating learning of a specific classification task. The effect of instructions was compared with the effects of adjunct postquestions, simply reading the materials (control group), and both instructions and adjunct postquestions. The experimental task involved learning to classify instances of several different categories. Ss were 72 US Navy enlisted personnel. It was hypothesized that advance instructions to Ss regarding how and what to learn would facilitate learning of classification material. Results show that the instruction group and adjunct questions group did equally well on classifying new and old instances of US Navy call signs. All groups did better than control groups. Results suggest that students can learn a general strategy for processing classification material and that providing students with generic information about how and what to learn is an effective instructional strategy. A text of the instructions used to teach Ss how to learn a classification task is appended. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Text structure and children's comprehension and memory for expository material.

Investigated the effects of instruction focusing on text structure on 90 5th graders' comprehension and memory for expository material. In 2 experiments, instruction in a hierarchical summarization study strategy focusing on the organization of ideas in text was compared with the more conventional classroom procedure of answering questions after reading. In Exp I, the experimental instruction group had short-answer test scores as high as the conventional instruction group and recall and organization scores that were higher. Similar results were not found in Exp II, an attempt to replicate Exp I. Further analyses revealed that the differences between the studies may have been due to differences in Ss' ability to master the study strategy. It is concluded that even though instruction in a study strategy focusing on text structure can enhance elementary school students' memory for expository material, as is typically found in their content area textbooks, it seems that students must be able to perform the study strategy reasonably well before it will markedly improve their recall. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interspersed postpassage questions and reading comprehension achievement.

Examined the effect of interspersed postpassage questions on reading comprehension of 54 2nd graders classified as having top, middle, or lower 3rd entering reading level. Ss were either instructed in the use of questions or taught reading in a regular fashion. Results from the Reading Comprehension subtest of the SRA Achievement Series show that although questioning instruction had little effect on the above average readers, both normal and below average readers made significant gains in comprehension when instructed in the use of postpassage questions. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learner expectations induced by adjunct questions and the retrieval of intentional and incidental information.

150 undergraduates studied a passage with questions interspersed at different locations. 30 different randomized sets of adjunct questions were yoked to Ss across treatments. Answers were written when the reading of a paragraph was completed. Intentional performance in the prequestions treatment was lower than in the postquestions or combined pre/postquestions treatments but higher than performance in the no-question treatment. Incidental performance was lowest in the prequestions treatment and equal in the remaining treatments. Total level of acquisition was highest in those treatments involving the use of postquestions and no questions. The results are attributed to the influence of adjunct questions on learner expectations that affect the selective processing of information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of self-control training on study activity and academic performance: An analysis of self-monitoring, self-reward, and systematic-planning components.

Examined the relative efficacy of training in self-monitoring, self-reward, and planning as aids to self-control. 96 university students who, prior to treatment, did not differ on measures of scholastic achievement or study habits, were assigned to 6 groups, including a control group that received no treatment. Ss in the 5 treatment groups received training in a standard study method (SQ3R) and received different degrees of training in the components of self-control. Dependent measures included time spent studying, number of assigned study tasks completed, and change from pretreatment to posttreatment on quiz scores, GPA, and a standard measure (Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes) of study habits. Results indicate that neither training in self-monitoring alone nor self-monitoring plus self-reward techniques yielded significantly better performance than training in study methods alone. The group that received training in self-monitoring, self-reward, and planning strategies significantly outperformed other groups on nearly all measures. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of structure strategy instruction delivered to fifth-grade children using the Internet with and without the aid of older adult tutors.

The authors assessed the impact of using the structure strategy as a base for an intergenerational Internet tutoring program in which older adults, with strategy training, provided Internet-based tutoring for 5th-grade students learning the strategy through an instructional Web site. Students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: structure strategy with tutors, structure strategy without tutors, and control. Both tutors and children in the structure strategy group with tutors increased strategy use, total and main idea recall, and self-efficacy. Program effects were apparent months after instruction. Posttest performance was related both to careful completion of Web lessons and amount of tutor feedback and content-related questions. Findings have implications for learning from computers, intergenerational tutoring, and reading instruction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mathematics instruction in Korean primary schools: Structures, processes, and a linguistic analysis of questioning.

This article reports results of a collaborative study of mathematics instruction in 1st and 5th grades in 5 schools in Pusan, Korea. The purpose of this collaborative effort was to describe classroom structures and processes in mathematics lessons, using the instruments and methodology developed by Stigler and Stevenson for their studies in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States (H. W. Stevenson et al., 1987; J. W. Stigler, S. -Y. Lee, G. W. Lucker, & H. W. Stevenson, 1982). Classes in Korea were teacher centered and organized in the whole-class structure. Lessons were made up of sequences of highly organized, systematic patterns of instruction dominated by teacher questions that included higher level procedural and conceptual questions. Instructional sequences were followed by short periods of practice and evaluation. Systematic conceptual development of mathematical procedures characterized the lesson content. These observations have implications for educators on both sides of the Pacific interested in why Asian students perform so well on international tests of mathematical achievement compared with students in the United States. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learner control and achievement in science computer-assisted instruction.

Theorists and researchers have suggested that some degree of individual control is an important and necessary instructional component. Students may better learn how to learn through making instructional choices and may feel more intrinsic motivation for learning, which ultimately results in better performance. In this study, learner and program control of content review were provided in science computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The instruction was completed by 98 eighth-grade students. Results indicate that students under learner control scored higher on the posttest than those under program control. Reading ability accounted for the highest proportion of variance in posttest scores. No differences were noted in time to completion between treatment groups. The overall results suggest that students given limited control over instruction can adjust their study behaviors appropriately and achieve greater learning in the same amount of time than can students not given such control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 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)     

Self- versus instructor-pacing: Achievement, evaluations, and retention.

Student procrastination is an important concern in personalized systems of instruction. The present study compared progress made on course work by 2 groups of students—one self-paced (75 Ss) and one instructor-paced (74 Ss)—in a course taught using the personalized system of instruction. Ss were also compared on measures of course achievement and evaluations and a 9-mo content retention test. Results show that even though the self-paced group procrastinated while the instructor-paced group did not, both scored similarly on pre-, post-, and retention tests and were equally satisfied with the course. Moreover, no differences were found in the number of units completed, final grade distributions, or course withdrawal rates. The withdrawal rate data and the tendency for the self-paced group to score better on the retention test are discussed in terms of educational objectives. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Code-oriented instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties: A randomized field trial with paraeducator implementers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of code-oriented supplemental instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties. Paraeducators were trained to provide 18 weeks of explicit instruction in phonemic skills and the alphabetic code. Students identified by their teachers meeting study eligibility criteria were randomly assigned to 2 groups: individual supplemental instruction and control. Students were pretested in December, midtested, and posttested in May-June of kindergarten. At posttest, treatment students significantly outperformed controls on measures of reading accuracy, reading efficiency, oral reading fluency, and developmental spelling. Treatment students had significantly higher linear growth rates in phonemic awareness and alphabetic knowledge during the kindergarten treatment. At a 1-year follow-up, significant group differences remained in reading accuracy and efficiency. Ethical challenges of longitudinal intervention research are discussed. Findings have policy implications for making supplemental instruction in critical early reading skills available. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The clinician as an aberrant actuary: Illusory correlation and the incomplete sentences blank.

20 graduate students in clinical psychology, 20 graduate students in nonclinical areas of psychology, and 20 undergraduates observed 5 completed sentences paired equally frequently with each of 5 statements purporting to describe the major problem of the patient who had completed the paired sentence. All groups reported illusory correlations with paralleled relationships generated by a group of experienced clinical psychologists. The groups differed with regard to the degree of confidence which they displayed in their erroneous choices. The undergraduate group indicated that they were "sure" and "guessing" more often than the other groups. Reasons for the differential use of confidence categories by the 3 groups are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prior knowledge activation: Inducing engagement with informational texts.

Failure to engage with informational texts is a problem frequently noted at the high school level, at which students are expected to read independently. As a means of addressing this issue, a prior knowledge activation strategy (PKA) was taught to ninth-grade students in which they were encouraged to make spontaneous connections between their personal knowledge and informational texts. Students who learned to use the PKA strategy consistently outperformed students in a main idea (MI) treatment group and those in a no-instruction control group on application-level comprehension questions but not literal-level questions. A second study replicated the operations of the first study, with the addition of an MI-PKA treatment designed to combine both strategies. Both the PKA and the MI-PKA combination groups performed higher on application-level comprehension questions and demonstrated more positive attitudes toward reading than the other groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Facilitation of learning and retention of oral instruction using advance and post organizers.

Gave 270 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-grade students oral instruction in social studies (multicultural content). In conjunction with the oral instruction, students were also randomly assigned to 1 of 5 organizer treatment conditions, including a control condition in which no organizer was presented. Treatment conditions consisted of either an advance or a post organizer presented visually or orally; the control condition involved no organizer, but augmented exposure to the oral instruction. Ss in each of these treatment conditions were tested on the oral instruction to measure learning; 2 wks later, Ss were again tested for retention. It is concluded that nonwritten cognitive organizers facilitated both the learning and the retention of oral instruction. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Feasibility and effectiveness of school-based relaxation in lowering blood pressure.

Evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of wide-scale progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) instruction as a public-health promotion strategy aimed at adolescents. 1,400 students in Grades 9 and 10 at 2 large public high schools underwent blood pressure (BP) screening; Ss with BP persistently above the 85th percentile were randomly assigned to (a) 12 wks daily PMR instruction provided in class for academic credit or (b) a control condition. Results demonstrate that 51 treatment Ss enjoyed daily PMR, mastered the technique, and achieved reduced systolic BP at posttest relative to the 59 untrained controls. At follow-up 4 mo later, group BP differences were not significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of misleading questions in promoting nonconservation responses in children and adults.

In three studies we demonstrated that adults as well as children provide nonconservation-of-weight responses to misdirecting questions. The effect was constant over the types of problems studied, did not vary over the grade range tested (third graders through college students), and was resistant to a condition that had earlier proved successful in breaking a set to respond to misleading implications of questions. The results underscore the importance of linguistic pragmatics, conflicts with recent claims that among adults there is a certainty about and a belief in the necessity of certain types of Piagetian logic, and support earlier findings suggesting that contextual cues can alter responses to conservation questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)