Scientific reasoninig in elementary school age: The role of interest as a moderator for the relationship between working memory an learning outcome

小学阶段的科学推理：兴趣在工作记忆与学习成果关系中的调节作用

• 批准号: 330307245
• 负责人: Professor Dr. Sebastian Kempert
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Institut für Verhaltenswissenschaften
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2016-12-31 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/330307245?language=en
• 关键词: Scientific; reasoninig; elementary; age; role

Interest represents an important factor in learning processes across various domains. Tasks embedded in subjectively interesting contexts are positively associated with learning outcomes, comprehension, learning strategies, transfer und the quality of learning experiences. Explanations of these effects point to cognitive as well as to affective processes. Empirical studies regarding the underlying cognitive mechanisms, however, are rare and produced inconsistent results.In order to contribute to the clarification of the inconsistent state of research we follow two basic assumptions from which we derive our research hypotheses. 1) We assume that subjectively interesting learning material is always associated with elements of prior knowledge. The related established cognitive representations are assumingly easier accessible compared to elements lacking any connection to prior knowledge. 2) We assume that the eased access is associated with lower demands of working memory in comparison to the case of lacking prior knowledge where new knowledge representations have to be constructed calling for working memory to a higher degree. This is conceptualized as the underlying principle for the positive association between interest and learning. In contrast to former models which describe attentional processes as a mediator between interest and learning we conceptualize interest as a moderator between cognitive resources and learning.With a sample of elementary school students these hypotheses will be tested using a school relevant learning content. With the so called control of variables strategy (being part of scientific reasoning) we want to test whether individually adapted thematic contextualization contribute positively to the learning of this strategy.The study can contribute 1) to the understanding of the interrelations between interest, working memory and learning. 2) It can provide information how to design learning material in such a way that it fits a group of learners varying in their prior knowledge and cognitive abilities. As an extension 3) the role of language proficiency in solving tasks regarding the control of variables strategy will be investigated. The experimental design allows for analyzing whether low language proficiency may partly be compensated by manipulating the content of the task.The approach to adapt learning material individually in terms of context may provide teachers with a strategy to ensure students' understanding of central concepts within cognitively and linguistically heterogeneous groups of learners. Results are therefore of high relevance for inclusive education of children with special needs.

兴趣是各个领域学习过程中的一个重要因素。主观兴趣情境中的任务与学习效果、理解、学习策略、迁移和学习体验质量呈正相关。对这些效应的解释既指向认知过程，也指向情感过程。然而，关于潜在的认知机制的实证研究很少，并且产生了不一致的结果。为了有助于澄清研究的不一致状态，我们遵循两个基本假设，从中我们得出我们的研究假设。1)我们假设主观上感兴趣的学习材料总是与先验知识的元素相关联。与缺乏与先验知识的任何联系的元素相比，相关的既定认知表征更容易获得。2)我们假设，缓解访问与较低的工作记忆的需求相比，缺乏先验知识的情况下，新的知识表示必须构建要求工作记忆到更高的程度。这被概念化为兴趣和学习之间积极联系的基本原则。与以往模型中注意过程在兴趣和学习之间的中介作用不同，本文将兴趣概念化为认知资源和学习之间的中介作用，并以小学生为样本，采用学校相关的学习内容对这些假设进行检验。本文通过变量控制策略（属于科学推理的一部分）来检验个体适应的主题情境化是否对这一策略的学习有积极的促进作用，该研究有助于：（1）理解兴趣、工作记忆和学习之间的相互关系; 2)它可以提供信息，如何设计学习材料，以这样一种方式，它适合一组学习者在他们的先验知识和认知能力的变化。作为扩展3）的作用，语言水平在解决任务的变量控制策略将被调查。实验设计分析了低水平的语言能力是否可以通过操纵任务的内容来部分补偿，根据语境个别调整学习材料的方法可以为教师提供一种策略，以确保学生在认知和语言异质的学习者群体中理解中心概念。因此，研究结果对有特殊需要的儿童的包容性教育具有重要意义。