published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Includes author's previously published articles. / Bibliography: leaves 215-229. / xvii, 229 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1998?

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Methods of instruction which are intended to facilitate understanding tend to incorporate all of the elements required for understanding in the instructions. Frequently, these types of instructions may overwhelm a learner???s limited working memory and hinder learning. The five experiments reported in this thesis were generated by cognitive load theory. Cognitive load theory is based on the assumption that features of human cognitive architecture have important implications for how we learn and understand. The experiments examined an alternative approach to instructional design which had the goal of promoting schema construction in order to foster understanding. A two phase, isolated-interacting elements learning approach was developed which, in the first phase, artificially reduced the element interactivity of complex material by presenting the material as isolated elements of information that could be processed serially, rather than simultaneously, in working memory. In the second phase of instruction, all the information for understanding was presented. The control group???s instruction was a more conventional approach to promoting understanding where all the information for understanding was presented in both Phase 1 and 2. Although a possible consequence of artificially reducing the element interactivity of material may be an initial decrease in a student???s capacity for understanding, it was hypothesised that over the longer term it would lead to an increase in learners??? understanding. The results reported in this thesis provide powerful evidence that for certain groups of learners, information is better learnt through the isolated-interacting elements instructional method. Evidence is also provided in support of the proposal that schema construction is the mechanism underlying the success of the isolated-interacting elements instructional method. Experiments 1 and 3 demonstrated that when novice students are required to learn complex information, the isolated-interacting elements method of instruction was superior to the control method. In contrast, no evidence was found in Experiments 2 and 4 to suggest a difference between these instructional techniques. These contrasting results can be explained by the different levels of domain knowledge possessed by the participants of each experiment. The results of Experiment 5 were similar to those of Experiments 1 and 3, namely that students performed superiorly if they had studied the isolated elements followed by interacting elements instruction. These results provide significant theoretical support for the claim that expertise is the key factor implicated in the beneficial effects associated with the isolated-interacting elements instructional technique since the participants in Experiment 5 had previously participated in Experiments 2 and 4. The difference in the outcomes of these experiments can be explained by the level of domain specific knowledge the participants of Experiment 5 had in each of the knowledge domains tested by the various experiments.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1977. / Bibliography: leaves 147-156. / Microfiche. / xi, 156 leaves

Methods of instruction which are intended to facilitate understanding tend to incorporate all of the elements required for understanding in the instructions. Frequently, these types of instructions may overwhelm a learner???s limited working memory and hinder learning. The five experiments reported in this thesis were generated by cognitive load theory. Cognitive load theory is based on the assumption that features of human cognitive architecture have important implications for how we learn and understand. The experiments examined an alternative approach to instructional design which had the goal of promoting schema construction in order to foster understanding. A two phase, isolated-interacting elements learning approach was developed which, in the first phase, artificially reduced the element interactivity of complex material by presenting the material as isolated elements of information that could be processed serially, rather than simultaneously, in working memory. In the second phase of instruction, all the information for understanding was presented. The control group???s instruction was a more conventional approach to promoting understanding where all the information for understanding was presented in both Phase 1 and 2. Although a possible consequence of artificially reducing the element interactivity of material may be an initial decrease in a student???s capacity for understanding, it was hypothesised that over the longer term it would lead to an increase in learners??? understanding. The results reported in this thesis provide powerful evidence that for certain groups of learners, information is better learnt through the isolated-interacting elements instructional method. Evidence is also provided in support of the proposal that schema construction is the mechanism underlying the success of the isolated-interacting elements instructional method. Experiments 1 and 3 demonstrated that when novice students are required to learn complex information, the isolated-interacting elements method of instruction was superior to the control method. In contrast, no evidence was found in Experiments 2 and 4 to suggest a difference between these instructional techniques. These contrasting results can be explained by the different levels of domain knowledge possessed by the participants of each experiment. The results of Experiment 5 were similar to those of Experiments 1 and 3, namely that students performed superiorly if they had studied the isolated elements followed by interacting elements instruction. These results provide significant theoretical support for the claim that expertise is the key factor implicated in the beneficial effects associated with the isolated-interacting elements instructional technique since the participants in Experiment 5 had previously participated in Experiments 2 and 4. The difference in the outcomes of these experiments can be explained by the level of domain specific knowledge the participants of Experiment 5 had in each of the knowledge domains tested by the various experiments.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Information technology)- Dept. of Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2008. vii, 131 leaves. / This study aimed to explore the impact of cognitive ability on the understanding of computer programming by students enrolled for a programming course at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The rationale for this study is provided by the general perception held by the academic community that computer programming is a difficult faculty to master. This assertion is corroborated by reports of high failure rates in computer programming courses at tertiary institutes. A literature review was undertaken to investigate the contribution of other factors on the ability to achieve competence in computer programmer. Based on the outcome of the literature review, this study argues that cognitive ability warrants a higher priority relative to the other factors. As a strategy, cognitive science theory was consulted to establish a framework to quantify competency in computer programming. On the basis of this endeavour, two protocols were identified to facilitate the quantification process. The first was the “deep and surface” protocol used in previous studies to ascertain students’ cognitive style of understanding for computer programming. The second was an error analysis framework which was developed as part of the current study. These protocols were used as frameworks to underpin the data collection phase of the study. This study found that at least 50% of the students enrolled in a computer programming course adopt a superficial approach to the understanding of computer programming. In order to explain this phenomenon, a cognitive ability test was administered. Here it was established that at least 39% of these students have not reached a level of cognitive development that will enable the invocation of abstract thought. The study also found that this inability to handle abstractionism, an essential requirement for success in computer programming, is reflected in the severity of errors made in computer programming assessment tasks.

The present study was conducted to clarify and expand knowledge of cognitive functioning in chronic schizophrenia patients (N=21) as compared to a bipolar group (N=20) and a normal group (N=20).

Thesis (M.A (Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2016 / Cognitive assessment tests that were standardised in the US and UK continues to be used to assess South African populations, and those that are standardised in South Africa are standardised using urban populations. These facts draw a question to the validity of the cognitive assessments when administered in rural South African populations. A test battery was conducted, containing WAIS-IVSA, Stroop, Trail Making Test, Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Ray Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Wechsler Card Sorting Test, Logic Memory and One Minutes Maths. Construct validity of South African standardised test (WAIS-IVSA) was therefore assessed with the use of Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and the results stipulated that the WAIS-IVSA structure was not measuring what it is supposed to. Thus further analysis on individually selected measures was done. The effects of Language, Education, Age and gender were also assessed with the use of Spearmen correlation. / MT2017

Thesis (M.Tech.: Information technology)- Dept. of Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2008. vii, 131 leaves. / This study aimed to explore the impact of cognitive ability on the understanding of computer programming by students enrolled for a programming course at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The rationale for this study is provided by the general perception held by the academic community that computer programming is a difficult faculty to master. This assertion is corroborated by reports of high failure rates in computer programming courses at tertiary institutes. A literature review was undertaken to investigate the contribution of other factors on the ability to achieve competence in computer programmer. Based on the outcome of the literature review, this study argues that cognitive ability warrants a higher priority relative to the other factors. As a strategy, cognitive science theory was consulted to establish a framework to quantify competency in computer programming. On the basis of this endeavour, two protocols were identified to facilitate the quantification process. The first was the “deep and surface” protocol used in previous studies to ascertain students’ cognitive style of understanding for computer programming. The second was an error analysis framework which was developed as part of the current study. These protocols were used as frameworks to underpin the data collection phase of the study. This study found that at least 50% of the students enrolled in a computer programming course adopt a superficial approach to the understanding of computer programming. In order to explain this phenomenon, a cognitive ability test was administered. Here it was established that at least 39% of these students have not reached a level of cognitive development that will enable the invocation of abstract thought. The study also found that this inability to handle abstractionism, an essential requirement for success in computer programming, is reflected in the severity of errors made in computer programming assessment tasks.