The present research focused on the transfer of information from a learning situation to a problem solving task. In particular, the effect of relational processing upon the transfer of information to the solution of insight problems was considered.The design of the study was a five by two factorial design. Within this design the independent variables were five levels of relational processing, ranging from full relational processing (essay) to individual item processing (deleted letter list) and two levels of instruction, informed and uninformed. The dependent measure was the number of insight problems correctly solved. The problems consisted of ten statements which did not make sense unless one part of the sentence was modified. The subject's task was to supply the necessary information needed to make sense of the sentence.The results showed no effect for type of instruction and there was no interaction between the type of instruction and level of relational processing. There was a significant effect due to level of relational processing. More specifically, the essay condition lead to the greatest amount and individually processed items lead to the lowest amount of information transfer. Further, it was suggested that the relationship between relational processing and the transfer of information was linear. These findings were interpreted as indicating that relational processing was a significant factor in explaining the transfer of information. / Department of Educational Psychology

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This paper is the second of two parts exploring a study that was undertaken to investigate the role of the tutor in facilitating problem-based learning (PBL). The first part focussed on the methodological underpinnings of the study. This paper aims to focus on the findings of the study and their implications for the facilitation of PBL. Six essential themes emerged from the findings that described the facilitation role. The tutors believed that their facilitation role was essentially structured around the decision of when to intervene and how to intervene in the PBL process. Modelling and non-verbal communication were seen as essential strategies for the facilitator. Underpinning these decisions was the need to trust in the philosophy of PBL. However, within many of the themes, there was a divergence of opinion as to how the role should actually be undertaken. Despite this, these findings have implications for the future role of PBL facilitators in Health Professional Education.

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Problem posing is commonly perceived as a cognitive activity that emerges in the process solving a problem but appears less commonly in the process of classroom instruction. The creation and reformulation of mathematics problems engages students’ thinking and their inquisitiveness in mathematical learning. This dissertation consists of three articles that explore the potential of problem posing for improving the teaching and learning of mathematics. This dissertation study begins with a meta-analytic study of research findings on classroom instruction based on problem posing activities. The Hedges’ g effect size is utilized to measure the effect of the problem posing instruction from 13 published studies. Four learning outcomes are identified from the studies: mathematics achievement, problem solving skills, levels of problems posed, and attitudes toward mathematics. The second article focuses on finding the relationship between problem posing and problem solving. Fifty one middle school preservice teachers participated in this study and completed two tasks related to problem posing and problem solving. Rubrics were developed to assess the written responses that revealed participants’ abilities in solving and posing mathematical problems. A fully mixed methods research design is utilized in article three for examining the effect of a fraction instruction on the level of elementary preservice teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and attitudes towards fractions. The instruction focused on using concrete models, problem solving, and problem posing activities for developing elementary preservice teachers’ knowledge of teaching fractions. The results from these studies revealed that problem posing is an effective approach as an inquiry-based instruction for improving students’ learning in mathematics. Research efforts are needed to further the type of studies that can provide teachers with specific approaches in developing and using problem posing strategies in the mathematics classroom.

The current study empirically examined the relations between several risk and protective variables associated with adolescent gambling. More specifically, the relations among self-reported familial, emotional, social, and behavioral variables and youth gambling problems were investigated. The current study also sought to identify risk factors that may be related to youth problem gambling. Participants consisted of 2,336 students in grades 7 to 13 (ages 12 to 19) recruited from various elementary and high schools in the Province of Ontario. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding gambling activities (GAQ), gambling severity (DSM-IV-MR-J), perceived social support (PSS Friend and Family), drug and alcohol dependence (PESQ), and various social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and attentional problems (CASS:L). With respect to gambling severity as assessed by the DSM-IV-MR-J gambling screen, 4.9% of adolescents were found to be probable pathological gamblers, and 8.0% at-risk gamblers. The results identified a multitude of problems experienced by problem gamblers. These risk factors for problem gambling include academic difficulties, poor perceived familial and peer social support, cognitive problems, emotional problems, substance use problems, conduct problems, family problems, parental involvement in gambling and substances, and ADHD and related symptoms, particularly inattention. The magnitude of problems and psychopathology that are reported by probable pathological gamblers and at-risk problem gamblers demonstrates that these individuals are experiencing difficulties and are likely using their gambling to escape their problems. The current study also enabled the identification of a set of predictor variables which lead to problem gambling, including having family problems, conduct problems, being addicted to drugs or alcohol, and being male. These findings are interpreted with respect to their implications for the development of risk reduction prevent