Cognitive psychology in education: Some implications of learning strategies for designing computer-assisted instruction.

摘要

This study had two main purposes: first, develop a synthesis of cognitive learning strategies; second, examine the extent to which current computer-assisted instruction (CAI) packages used the learning strategies. Three research questions were asked: (a) what strategies from the list of cognitive learning strategies are used in current commercially available CAI packages? (b) do CAI packages that have been favorably evaluated by professionals contain more of the identified learning strategies than other CAI packages? and (c) can educational software evaluators be easily trained to identify cognitive learning strategies in CAI packages?;To answer the first research question, the researcher carefully reviewed the software and printed materials of the selected 30 CAI packages. To answer the second question, the researcher compared Group A with Group B. To answer the third question, five people who have had substantial formal training and experience in the field of computers in education reviewed six software packages in which learning strategies were used.;This study synthesized 13 learning strategies divided into three groups: strongly effective learning strategies, weakly effective learning strategies, and strategies that need more research. Strongly effective strategies were (a) adjunct questions, (b) reflective questions, (c) summarization, (d) note taking, (e) the keyword method, (f) the method of loci, and (g) the peg-word method. Weakly effective strategies were (a) advance organizers, and (b) underlining. Strategies that need more research were (a) signaling, (b) concept maps, (c) Vee diagrams, and (d) matrix frames.;This study found that (a) seven learning strategies out of 13 learning strategies were used in at least one CAI package, (b) CAI packages that have been favorably evaluated by professionals contained more of the identified learning strategies than other CAI packages in their software, but not in their printed material, and (c) educational software evaluators could be easily trained to identify learning strategies in CAI packages. (Abstract shortened by UMI.);To accomplish the first purpose, major books and articles on learning strategies were reviewed. To accomplish the second purpose, 30 CAI packages were selected: (a) ten pieces of software that are listed in the The 1990-91 Educational Software Preview Guide (Group A), (b) ten that are not listed in the Preview Guide (Group B), and (c) ten that were published after the Preview Guide was written (Group C).