Researchers have determined that concept maps serve as effective tools in the traditional science classroom. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate concept mapping as a tool for student knowledge acquisition in 10th grade science for students in distance learning situations. Research questions were designed to investigate the influence of concept mapping on rate and quality of student knowledge acquisition and retention. This study was a pretest-posttest 2-group comparison study, constructivist in nature and based on the theory of cognitive learning. Participants included 36 students in the 10th grade at an inner-city school in the United States. Control and treatment groups participated in completing pre and posttesting to establish standards for initial understanding and knowledge acquired. Pretest scores were used in a 2-tailed t test to establish equivalence between groups at the beginning of the study. ANOVA was used with test gains to determine differences between treatment and control groups. Cronbach's alpha was conducted to test for concept map interrater reliability. A 2-tailed t test for matched groups was used with concept map scores and treatment group test gains to determine any relationship. No statistically significant relationship between the use of concept maps and distance learning was found. Recommendations for future research include a wider age range for participants and investigations of academic areas such as reading, writing, mathematics, and language acquisition, native and foreign. Implications for positive social change include research with altered parameters to identify an existing tool that may be used by students in the traditional classroom as well as in distance-learning scenarios.

The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, association exists between Thinking Maps® instruction and student achievement in fifth grade students in Reading/Language and Mathematics as reported by the State NCE scores of the criterion referenced portion of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement Test in 3 Title I elementary schools in northeast Tennessee. The association was examined after 2 years of Thinking Maps® implementation and instruction. Using a quantitative design, the quasiexperimental study included fifth grade students' State NCE scores from 2005 and the same students' State NCE scores from 2003. Scores obtained by fifth grade students who received Thinking Maps® instruction were examined for differences in Reading/Language and Mathematics and were also compared with scores obtained by fifth grade students who did not receive Thinking Maps® instruction for the same 2-year period. Paired t-tests and a 3-factor repeated measures design, repeated on 1 factor, were used to investigate differences in achievement as categorized by Thinking Maps® instruction or no Thinking Maps®instruction for 2 years. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant difference for the Reading/Language means for students after 2 years of Thinking Maps implementation but not a significant difference for Mathematics. There was not a significant difference between the two treatment schools in either Reading/Language or Mathematics. The 2 treatment schools had different percentages economically disadvantaged students. The results of the study also indicated that there was a significant 2-way interaction for Year by School in Reading/Language between 1 treatment school and the control school, the 2 schools with similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. The findings of the tests of simple effect for the differences between the 2003 and 2005 Reading/Language means for the treatment school showed the 2005 Reading/Language mean was over 7 points higher than the 2003 Reading/Language mean. The findings of the tests of simple effect for the differences between the 2003 and 2005 Reading/Language means for the control school were also significant with the 2005 Reading/Language mean being 6 points lower than the 2003 Reading/Language mean.

本研究旨在探討網絡圖教學對高中生英文字彙習得的影響。網絡圖已廣泛運用於閱讀教學，且the Frayer model之前的研究都專注在學科領域的單字與閱讀教學。然而在以英語為第二外語的環境中，針對使用the Frayer model於網絡圖教學是否能增進學習者字彙習得(vocabulary acquisition)與記憶保留(word retention)，其相關研究仍顯不足。因此，本研究採用量化研究方法，以探究「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」對高中生英文字彙習得與記憶保留的影響。 研究對象為台灣北部一所公立高中一年級兩個班的六十九位學生，具有相同英文能力的這兩個班級被隨機指定為實驗組與控制組。在歷時六週的實驗教學中，實驗組與控制組分別接受「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」來學習三十二個主要單字。之後，兩組受試者隨即接受包含所有主要單字的研究者自編測驗，以得知兩組受試者的單字習得情形。一個月後，兩組受試者再次接受相同的單字測驗，以進一步得知單字的記憶保留情形。本研究主要發現如下：(1)整體而言，接受「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」的實驗組學生習得大多數的主要單字，但單字保留成效不佳；(2)總括來說，接受「純傳統單字教法」的控制組學生習得並保留大多數的主要單字；(3)在單字習得與記憶保留成效方面，接受「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」的實驗組學生顯著優於接受「純傳統單字教法」的控制組學生；(4)「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」對於高英語學習成就者的單字習得與記憶保留皆有正面影響，但只對低英語學習成就者的單字習得有正面影響；(5)對於高英語學習成就者之單字習得而言，「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」的成效優於「純傳統單字教法」：然而，對於單字記憶保留而言，「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」的成效相同。對於低英語學習成就者之單字習得與記憶保留而言，「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」的成效相同。最後，研究者針對「網絡圖暨傳統單字教法」與「純傳統單字教法」在實際教學上的應用提供建議，以作為教育學者們的參考。 / This study intends to explore the effects of graphic organizer instruction on vocabulary acquisition of senior high school students. Though graphic organizers have been widely employed in reading instruction and previous studies on the Frayer model focus on vocabulary and reading in content areas, little research has been conducted on whether graphic organizer instruction utilizing the adapted Frayer model will facilitate learners’ vocabulary acquisition and word retention in an EFL context. Therefore, this present study adopted a quantitative research method to investigate the effectiveness of two different vocabulary instructions, i.e., “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” and “traditional vocabulary instruction only” on senior high school students’ vocabulary acquisition and word retention. Participants of this study were two classes of 69 first year students in a public senior high school in northern Taiwan. With similar English proficiency on General English Proficiency Test (GEPT), the two classes were randomly assigned as the experimental and control groups. During the six-week instructional experiment, the experimental and control groups received “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” and “traditional vocabulary instruction only” respectively to learn 32 target words selected in this study. After receiving the last vocabulary instructions, both groups took the immediate post-test, a researcher self-designed test, to assess their acquisition of all the target words. One month after the immediate post-test, both groups received the delayed post-test, which was the same as the immediate post-test, to track their word retention. The major findings are summarized as follows. (1) As a whole, learners receiving “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” acquired most of the target words but did not retain them one month after. (2) Overall, learners receiving “traditional vocabulary instruction only” not only acquired the target words but also retained them in a month. (3) In terms of vocabulary acquisition and word retention, learners receiving “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” significantly performed better than those receiving “traditional vocabulary instruction only”. (4) Both “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” and “traditional vocabulary instruction only” promoted high proficiency learners’ vocabulary acquisition and word retention, but were only effective in low proficiency learners’ vocabulary acquisition. (5) High proficiency learners receiving “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” significantly acquired much more target words than those receiving “traditional vocabulary instruction only”, but similarly retained target words as those receiving “traditional vocabulary instruction only”. Low proficiency learners receiving “graphic organizer plus traditional vocabulary instruction” and “traditional vocabulary instruction only” acquired target words as well as retained the words to a similar extent. Pedagogical implications and recommendations for further research were provided at the end of the thesis.

本研究旨在探討字彙圖教學對台灣國中生英文單字學習之成效，以及此教學方式對學生英文單字學習態度的影響。研究對象為六十三位來自中台灣某國中兩班三年級的學生，隨機指派一班為實驗組，而另一班為對照組。實驗組實施字彙圖教學，對照組實施傳統單字教學，每週上課一次，為期八週。兩組均在教學前後接受字彙測驗並施以單字學習態度問卷，實驗組另以問卷詢問對字彙圖教學的看法。研究結果顯示字彙圖教學比傳統單字教學更能顯著提升學生的單字學習，實驗組在字形、字義及用法上的表現均顯著優於對照組。雖然兩組在教學後對單字學習的態度仍未有顯著差異，實驗組在認知方面的學習態度卻在教學後有顯著改變，此外，實驗組普遍認為字彙圖教學有助於記憶新單字，而且表達出繼續使用的意願。本研究結果建議可採用字彙圖做為幫助國中生學習英文單字的教學工具。 / The present study employed an experimental/control group, pretest-posttest design to investigate the effects of vocabulary instruction using graphic organizers on Taiwanese junior high school students’ vocabulary learning. The subjects were 63 ninth graders from two classes in a public junior high school in central Taiwan. One was randomly assigned as the experimental group (N=32), and the other as the control group (N=31). The experimental group received graphic organizer instruction, while the control group received traditional vocabulary instruction once a week. Vocabulary pre-and post-tests and a vocabulary learning attitude questionnaire were administered before and after the 8-week treatment to examine students’ knowledge of the target words and their attitudes toward vocabulary learning. In addition, their perceptions of the graphic organizer instruction were also explored. The results revealed that graphic organizer instruction could significantly improve students’ vocabulary learning more than traditional vocabulary instruction, and it was effective in improving learners’ knowledge of word form, meaning, and use. Although students in the experimental group did not develop significantly more positive attitudes toward vocabulary learning than their counterparts in the control group, they significantly changed their cognitive attitudes after the treatment. Besides, they generally perceived that graphic organizer instruction could effectively help them remember English words and they were willing to use the word map in their future learning. The findings of this study suggest that the graphic organizer can be used as an alternative instructional tool to facilitate junior high school students’ vocabulary learning.

This study investigates the Involvement Load Hypothesis proposed by Laufer and Hulstijn (2001). The involvement load hypothesis posits that vocabulary learning is determined by involvement load or mental effort. Involvement load has three components, need, search, and evaluation and each component is scored for three levels: index 2 for the strongest, index 1 for a moderate degree, and index 0 for none. Each participant learned six words with graphic organizers at the high involvement load (need index 1, search index 1, evaluation index 2, total index 4) and six at the low involvement load (need index 1, search index 1, and evaluation index 0, total index 2). Immediately and one week after completing the graphic organizer task, vocabulary knowledge was measured using three vocabulary tests that tested different levels of vocabulary knowledge: a translation test, a difficult multiple-choice test, and an easy multiple-choice test. Quantitative analyses of data from 291 university and college students in Japan were conducted, and audio-recordings from five pairs were analyzed to examine learning processes. Repeated measures MANOVA and ANOVAs revealed significant differences between the conditions of the two involvement loads in the translation test and the easy multiple-choice test, but not in the difficult multiple-choice test. The effects of Task and Time were statistically significant, but there was no interaction. There were significant differences between the immediate test and delayed test observed in the translation test and the easy multiple-choice test, but not with the difficult multiple-choice test. The current study supports the involvement load hypothesis, but caution is advised. Even though the high involvement load graphic organizers yielded more vocabulary retention than those with less involvement load in two out of the three vocabulary tests, the differences in mean scores were small and extensive differences were not observed in the participants' discussions. Additional statistical analysis indicated that the three vocabulary tests measured three levels of vocabulary knowledge. Determining the effectiveness of graphic organizers for vocabulary learning was only mildly successful as forcing greater involvement load proved to be challenging. / CITE/Language Arts

Over the last decade, the inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) in the general education classroom has increased. Currently, 60% of SWD spend 80% or more of their school day in the general education classroom (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). This includes students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a developmental disability characterized by impairments in behavior, language, and social skills (American Psychological Association, 2013). Many of these SWD struggle with mathematics in the elementary grades; fewer than 20% of SWD are proficient in mathematics when they begin middle school, compared to 45% of their peers without disabilities. Furthermore, 83% of SWD are performing at the basic or below basic level in mathematics in the fourth grade (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). As the rate of ASD continues to increase (Centers for Disease Control, 2013), the number of students with this disability who are included in the general education classroom also continues to rise. These SWD and students with ASD are expected to meet the same rigorous mathematics standards as their peers without disabilities. This study was an attempt to address the unique needs of SWD and students with ASD by combining practices rooted in the literature, strategy instruction and video modeling. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an intervention on the ability of students with and without disabilities in inclusive fourth and fifth grade classrooms to solve word problems in mathematics. The intervention package was comprised of a graphic organizer, the K-N-W-S, video models of the researcher teaching the strategy to a student avatar from a virtual simulated classroom, TeachLivE, and daily word problems for students to practice the strategy. The researcher used a quasi-experimental group design with a treatment and a control group to determine the impact of the intervention. Students were assessed on their performance via a pretest and posttest. Analyses of data were conducted on individual test items to assess patterns in performance by mathematical word problem type. The effects of the intervention on SWD, students with ASD, and students without disabilities varied widely between groups as well as amongst individual students, indicating a need for further studies on the effects of mathematics strategy instruction on students with varying needs and abilities.

The purpose of this study was to determine what difference, if any, exists between the implementation and use of Thinking Maps® and students' academic achievement in Reading and Mathematics as measured over time by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT). Thinking Maps® is a registered trademark of Thinking Maps, Inc. The data were examined after three years of Thinking Maps® implementation and instruction. The design of this study was quantitative, with a nonrandomized control group, pretest-posttest design (Ary, Jacobs, & Razavieh, 2002) that examined the effects on student Reading and Mathematics FCAT scores in one middle school that implemented Thinking Maps® throughout all grade levels and core subjects for three years as compared to student Reading and Mathematics FCAT scores in a second middle school that did not implement the Thinking Maps® program throughout all grade levels and core subjects for three years. MANOVA and Chi-square tests were used to examine student FCAT scores. This study focused on one major question: Do students who have been instructed in the use of Thinking Maps® have higher academic achievement as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT) than those that have not been instructed in the use of Thinking Maps®? Results of this study indicated that students who have been instructed in the use of Thinking Maps® do not have higher academic achievement as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT) than those who have not been instructed in the use of Thinking Maps®. The researcher concluded that other methods of evaluating the implementation of Thinking Maps® and student achievement should be explored.

Many culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) struggle with the writing process. Particularly, they have difficulties developing and expanding ideas, organizing and elaborating sentences, and revising and editing their compositions (Graham, Harris, & Larsen, 2001; Myles, 2002). Computer graphic organizers offer a possible solution to assist them in their writing. This study investigated the effects of a computer graphic organizer on the persuasive writing compositions of Hispanic middle school students with SLD. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to examine its effects on six dependent variables: number of arguments and supporting details, number and percentage of transferred arguments and supporting details, planning time, writing fluency, syntactical maturity (measured by T-units, the shortest grammatical sentence without fragments), and overall organization. Data were collected and analyzed throughout baseline and intervention. Participants were taught persuasive writing and the writing process prior to baseline. During baseline, participants were given a prompt and asked to use paper and pencil to plan their compositions. A computer was used for typing and editing. Intervention required participants to use a computer graphic organizer for planning and then a computer for typing and editing. The planning sheets and written composition were printed and analyzed daily along with the time each participant spent on planning. The use of computer graphic organizers had a positive effect on the planning and persuasive writing compositions. Increases were noted in the number of supporting details planned, percentage of supporting details transferred, planning time, writing fluency, syntactical maturity in number of T-units, and overall organization of the composition. Minimal to negligible increases were noted in the mean number of arguments planned and written. Varying effects were noted in the percent of transferred arguments and there was a decrease in the T-unit mean length. This study extends the limited literature on the effects of computer graphic organizers as a prewriting strategy for Hispanic students with SLD. In order to fully gauge the potential of this intervention, future research should investigate the use of different features of computer graphic organizer programs, its effects with other writing genres, and different populations.