Computer technology has been introduced into the field of language education for more than three decades. However, how individual learners interact with language learning multimedia programmes in different ways is not yet understood. A possible explanation is related to the learners� variables. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of cognitive style, one of these variables, on the language learning process. The participants of this study were a group of ESL university students from Malaysia, who interacted with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study focuses on investigating the interaction process from the students� perspective. Riding�s Cognitive Style Analysis, a computer software that measures individual�s cognitive style, was used to assist in identifying and categorizing students� cognitive style. Thirty students� cognitive style was measured before each student spent an average of three hours interacting with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study adopts the case study approach. The primary method of collecting data involved semi-structured interviews with students that focused on their experiences and preferences while interacting with language instruction CD-ROM. Factors that affected the interaction process were then examined to detect whether they were linked to the differences of students� cognitive orientation. The findings of this study reflect the mixed results that previous researchers have found regarding the effect of cognitive style on students� language learning experiences. Although responses toward the content, graphics and vocabulary items did partially reflect their cognitive orientation, cognitive style was not the only factor that influenced these students� behaviours or preferences as they interacted with the language instruction CD-ROM. The study found factors that were not linked to the students� cognitive styles, yet these also influenced the interaction process. These non-cognitive-style factors consisted of students� language learning motivation, social presence, and their conception of language learning and cultural influence, which resulted in teacher-centeredness. As a result of these findings, theoretical, research and pedagogical implications are discussed. Recommendations and limitations of the study are also presented.

A longitudinal study of the effects of instructional technology on learning and knowledge retention was conducted in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. Instructional technology has been promoted as a means of improving knowledge retention among engineering students. The practical, long-term effects of such technology use were assessed at numerous times over a period of twenty-five weeks. Students in various sections of an undergraduate mechanics course used two different software titles, a structural analysis tool and an electronic textbook, in their studies of trusses and truss analysis. Two other sections of the same course used no software in their classes but spent class time solving problems by hand in teams. All sections were taught truss analysis by the same guest lecturer who also facilitated in the intervention. Demographic data, including gender, ethnicity, grade point average, and course load, were gathered from each of the sections and compared to assure group equality. Pretests were completed by students in each of the sections and also compared among treatment groups to assure that all sections had equivalent levels of prior knowledge. All students were tested immediately after the intervention to assess their learning of the material. Students were again tested ten and twenty-five weeks after the intervention to assess their long-term retention of the material. Results indicated that technology use increased students’ problem solving efficiency. The results of the assessments further indicated that all students had high levels of knowledge retention, but that there were no differential levels of learning or retention among the different groups. It was thus concluded that instructional technology can make the educational process more efficient without hindering long-term knowledge retention. It was further concluded that solving problems by hand in teams was just as effective at leading to high levels of performance over time as using instructional technology.

Computer technology has been introduced into the field of language education for more than three decades. However, how individual learners interact with language learning multimedia programmes in different ways is not yet understood. A possible explanation is related to the learners� variables. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of cognitive style, one of these variables, on the language learning process. The participants of this study were a group of ESL university students from Malaysia, who interacted with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study focuses on investigating the interaction process from the students� perspective. Riding�s Cognitive Style Analysis, a computer software that measures individual�s cognitive style, was used to assist in identifying and categorizing students� cognitive style. Thirty students� cognitive style was measured before each student spent an average of three hours interacting with a language instruction CD-ROM. This study adopts the case study approach. The primary method of collecting data involved semi-structured interviews with students that focused on their experiences and preferences while interacting with language instruction CD-ROM. Factors that affected the interaction process were then examined to detect whether they were linked to the differences of students� cognitive orientation. The findings of this study reflect the mixed results that previous researchers have found regarding the effect of cognitive style on students� language learning experiences. Although responses toward the content, graphics and vocabulary items did partially reflect their cognitive orientation, cognitive style was not the only factor that influenced these students� behaviours or preferences as they interacted with the language instruction CD-ROM. The study found factors that were not linked to the students� cognitive styles, yet these also influenced the interaction process. These non-cognitive-style factors consisted of students� language learning motivation, social presence, and their conception of language learning and cultural influence, which resulted in teacher-centeredness. As a result of these findings, theoretical, research and pedagogical implications are discussed. Recommendations and limitations of the study are also presented.

The role of discourse in the construction of institutional and academic knowledge is now recognised within a wide variety of theoretical perspectives, including social constructionism, the sociology of scientific knowledge, the rhetoric of inquiry and discursive psychology. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which such discursive knowledge construction practices occur in relation to psychological phenomena. The site of this investigation was the highly contentious debate surrounding the reality of repressed/recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. Ten 'popular' psychology texts (five supporting the concept of recovered memories and five questioning it) were discursively and rhetorically analysed in order to gain an understanding of how the authors of these texts deployed arguments to support their own positions and undermine those of their opponents. Five broad rhetorical resources were identified as being prominent in the texts, each of which was examined in detail to determine more specifically the source of their persuasive power. The five resources included authorial credibility, definitions, science, history and personal experience. Despite the meta-rhetoric surrounding the debate, which suggests that it is essentially an argument between researchers (drawing on scientific evidence) and clinicians (drawing on clinical experience), what was apparent was that all of these resources were utilised to varying degrees to support both pro- and anti- recovered memory positions. This analysis suggested that a reasonably structured set of discursive resources were available for making arguments about the nature of psychological phenomena. Furthermore, when given the opportunity, rhetors utilised as many of these resources as possible in order to produce a convincing argument, even when this resulted in inconsistencies within their texts. It was concluded that in the memory debate, the demands of the rhetorical imperative (to persuade the audience) often appear to be paramount, and should not be discounted by those seeking to understand this difficult and often distressing topic.

Thesis (Ed.D.) -- Teachers College, Columbia University, 1991. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: William Yakowicz. Dissertation Committee: Jack D. Mezirow. Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 169-191).

É cada vez maior o número de crianças que apresentam dificuldades de aprendizagem. Atento a este fato, o presente trabalho de dissertação estuda esse fenômeno sob a ótica da psicologia atendo-se, mais especificamente, à família ou dinâmica familiar como fator promotor das dificuldades de aprendizagem, no intuito de compreender que dinâmica familiar é a que produz essas dificuldades em seus componentes; que padrões estão sendo adotados nas novas famílias que promovem esta sensação de incapacidade; que medidas corretivas e preventivas podem e/ ou devem ser tomadas. Para responder a este objetivo foi utilizada uma metodologia de natureza qualitativa O instrumento de coleta de dados foi a entrevista semidirigida e o cenário da pesquisa foi a cidade de Maceió, capital do Estado de Alagoas. Foram entrevistados os pais de crianças, com dificuldades de aprendizagem, oriundas de escola particular. Os resultados reafirmam a densa gama de aspectos sociais, culturais, pedagógicos e cognitivos envolvidos nestas questões, bem como destacam a relevância da dinâmica familiar na gênese e manutenção das mesmas / The number of children who present problems in learning has been increasing. Analyzing this fact, the task of this dissertation points the phenomenon above the psychology view focalizing the family or the dynamic family as the main reason to children when they have problems in learning; to understand the dynamic family that make difficulties in each of its components. Have the standards been adopted in new families that promote this sensation of incapacity? What are the measurements corrections and preventions ones that can be done or not? To answer these questions was used a methodology of background knowledge and the main idea from this indirect interview was the research done in Maceió city, in the state of Alagoas with three mothers who have children having difficulties in learning. All of them studying in a private school. The results confirm the complexity involving social, cultural and educational aspects shown in this task and the importance of a dynamic family as a path to manage these families

M. Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The aim of this study is to investigate some aspects of the validity of the LASSI as a gauge of the learning strategies of first year students, specifically those at the Rand Afrikaans Univeristy. This study consists of two parts. Firstly, a literature survey to provide an educational and psychological framework and to indicate the cohesion between learning strategies and related concepts, as well as to demonstrate the important role of validity pertaining to valid measurement of the learning strategies of a student. Secondly an empirical, statistical and quantitative evaluation was used to depict the content and construct validity as important priorities in the design or the LASSI as a gauge of the learning strategies of the students mentioned.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:09:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jacy Cristina.pdf: 3211104 bytes, checksum: e625f647552af480ffc6f837f3caab3a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-29 / The number of children who present problems in learning has been increasing. Analyzing this fact, the task of this dissertation points the phenomenon above the psychology view focalizing the family or the dynamic family as the main reason to children when they have problems in learning; to understand the dynamic family that make difficulties in each of its components. Have the standards been adopted in new families that promote this sensation of incapacity? What are the measurements corrections and preventions ones that can be done or not? To answer these questions was used a methodology of background knowledge and the main idea from this indirect interview was the research done in Maceió city, in the state of Alagoas with three mothers who have children having difficulties in learning. All of them studying in a private school. The results confirm the complexity involving social, cultural and educational aspects shown in this task and the importance of a dynamic family as a path to manage these families / É cada vez maior o número de crianças que apresentam dificuldades de aprendizagem. Atento a este fato, o presente trabalho de dissertação estuda esse fenômeno sob a ótica da psicologia atendo-se, mais especificamente, à família ou dinâmica familiar como fator promotor das dificuldades de aprendizagem, no intuito de compreender que dinâmica familiar é a que produz essas dificuldades em seus componentes; que padrões estão sendo adotados nas novas famílias que promovem esta sensação de incapacidade; que medidas corretivas e preventivas podem e/ ou devem ser tomadas. Para responder a este objetivo foi utilizada uma metodologia de natureza qualitativa O instrumento de coleta de dados foi a entrevista semidirigida e o cenário da pesquisa foi a cidade de Maceió, capital do Estado de Alagoas. Foram entrevistados os pais de crianças, com dificuldades de aprendizagem, oriundas de escola particular. Os resultados reafirmam a densa gama de aspectos sociais, culturais, pedagógicos e cognitivos envolvidos nestas questões, bem como destacam a relevância da dinâmica familiar na gênese e manutenção das mesmas

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