The Role of Cognitive Learning Strategies and Intellectual Abilities in Mental Model Building Processes

摘要

Learning and training tasks have become more complex in recent years, thus we need to observe the processes which constitute them in more detail and with more care. Cognitive learning strategies and intellectual abilities play a major role in model-centered learning and instruction, which provides a good working basis for fully or partially self-guided learning situations. Focusing on the individual learner, we investigated the effect of cognitive learning strategies and intellectual abilities on the quality of model building processes. However, our data on both 9th and 10th graders from secondary schools and undergraduate students indicate only a few significant effects between the mental model building process and cognitive learning strategies and intellectual abilities. We conclude with a discussion of the impact of these findings on how we think about building environments for model-centered learning and instruction.