Michael Grimley

Learning from Multimedia Materials: The relative impact of individual differences

This paper explores whether the principles of cognitive load and multimedia theory are mediated by cognitive style, gender, and prior knowledge. Participants were 91 children aged 10–11 years (54 boys, 37 girls), each assigned to one of two presentation modes. In Condition 1 children were presented with diagrams supported by printed textual material. In Condition 2 the same diagrams were supported by narrated text. Condition 1 was designed in the conventional manner but Condition 2 was designed to adhere to cognitive load and multimedia theory. Then the children were asked a number of comprehension questions, an outcome measure requiring assimilation of information from both pictures and words. The Cognitive Style Analysis was administered to measure wholist–analytic style and verbal–imagery style. Results from national achievement tests were used as indicators of prior knowledge. Results indicate that outcome is differentiated by style, gender, and prior knowledge, and not just instructional design.

Using Computer Games for Instruction: The Student Experience.

Computer games are fun, exciting and motivational when used as leisure pursuits. But do they have similar attributes when utilized for educational purposes? This article investigates whether learning by computer game can improve student experiences compared with a more formal lecture approach and whether computer games have potential for improving performance. Instruction was split between lectures and computer games, and student experiences were recorded using an Experience Sampling Method to capture real-time experience and feelings of flow. Results indicated that student experiences in the game mode showed increased alertness, increased feelings of being active, increased feelings of involvement and an increased perception of challenge. Flow characteristics revealed boredom during standard lectures but anxiety and flow during game modes. Finally, some evidence of improved attainment was evident. By using contemporary interactive approaches such as computer games, student learning experiences and attainment may be improved. Some practical issues of implementing games are also discussed.

Working memory, cognitive style, and behavioural predictors of GCSE exam success

This study investigates the interplay of working memory, cognitive style, and behaviour. Year 8 (aged 13 years) students (n = 205) at a UK urban secondary school were tested to ascertain predictors of General Certificate of School Education (GCSE) achievement. Assessment included Ridings cognitive style dimensions, working memory capacity, and a profile of school behaviour. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that behaviour, working memory, verbal–imagery style by working memory, wholist–analytic style by working memory, and verbal–imagery style by wholist–analytic style predicted GCSE outcome, accounting for 58% of the variance. Generally, poor GCSE grade points were predicted by low behaviour scores, and by low working memory capacity in analytics and verbalisers. The results are discussed in terms of possible interventions that may improve student GCSE performance.

Assessing the Impact of Positive Feedback in Constraint-Based Tutors

Most existing Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) are built around cognitive learning theories, such as Ohlssons theory of learning from performance errors and Andersons ACT theories of skill acquisition, which focus primarily on providing negative feedback, facilitating learning by correcting errors. Research into the behavior of expert tutors suggest that experienced tutors use positive feedback quite extensively and successfully. This paper investigates positive feedback; learning by capturing and responding to correct behavior, supported by cognitive learning theories. Our aim is to develop and implement a systematic approach to delivering positive feedback in ITSs. We report on an evaluation study done in the context of SQL-Tutor, in which the control group used the original version of the system giving only negative feedback, while the experimental group received both negative and positive feedback. Results show that the experimental group students needed significantly less time to solve the same number of problems, in fewer attempts compared to those in the control group. Students in the experimental group also learn approximately the same number of concepts as students in the control group, but in much less time. This indicates that positive feedback facilitates learning and improves the effectiveness of learning in ITSs.

The Relationship between Anxiety-Stability, Working Memory and Cognitive Style.

While prior research indicates that relationships exist between anxiety‐stability and working memory, and cognitive style and anxiety‐stability, they have not been considered together. The aim of this study was to consider how anxiety‐stability is related to working memory, gender and style in interaction. The sample consisted of 179 12–13‐year‐old Year 8 secondary comprehensive school pupils in the UK. Teachers rated the level of anxiety‐stability of pupils. Pupils completed an assessment of working memory efficiency, the information processing index (IPI). They also did the cognitive styles analysis to determine their positions on the two fundamental cognitive style dimensions, which were indicated by two ratios: the Wholist‐Analytic ratio and the Verbal‐Imagery ratio. Working memory capacity and cognitive style interacted in their relationship with anxiety‐stability, such that higher memory was associated with a greater increased stability for Wholist‐Verbalisers and Analytic‐Imagers than for Analytic‐Verbalisers and Wholist‐Imagers. The results were discussed in terms of the unitary versus complementary nature of style combinations.

Raising Literacy Achievement in Reading: How Principals of 10- to 12-Year-Old Students Are Making This Happen.

Many studies show that school leadership is a key factor in supporting change within schools, but few have specifically considered the impact leadership has on gains in students’ reading outcomes. This article focuses on factors that typify leadership in schools where such gains have been identified and explores the nature and quality of leadership that contribute to a school environment conducive to improving the reading achievement of 10‐ to 12‐year‐old students. Interviews were conducted with principals and other relevant parties at five New Zealand primary schools. Findings showed that the schools’ principals were openly passionate about raising students’ literacy achievement. They provided tangible support for all staff, particularly in the form of whole‐school professional development in literacy. They trusted their staff, worked collaboratively with them and were committed to using summative standardized reading assessment as a means of identifying students’ ongoing literacy needs and tracking the assessment of learning.

Children's fundamental movement skills: are our children ready to play?

Childrens acquisition of fundamental movement skills is essential for childrens participation and success in sport. As part of a larger physical activity study, we assessed 428 (183 baseline, 158 immediately after intervention, 87 after 5 years of intervention) five- to eight-year-old New Zealand children using Ulrichs (1985) Test of Gross Motor Development. This test assessed childrens ability to perform the mature pattern of 12 skills: locomotor (run, gallop, hop, leap, horizontal jump, skip and slide), and object control skills (two-handed strike, stationary ball bounce, catch, kick and overarm throw). At baseline, only 4% of the children (4% boys, 5% girls) were able to perform all the locomotor skills in the mature form. The intervention significantly increased the proportion of children able to complete the mature form of these skills to 28% (boys 25%, girls 32%, p < 0.01), which remained relatively high at 31% after 5 years of intervention (22% boys, 40% girls). Similarly, at baseline, only 1% of children were able to complete the mature form of the object control skills. By the end of the intervention, 15% (20% boys, 5% girls) and 5 years later, 13% of children (20% boys, 5% girls) completed the mature form of these skills (p < 0.01). Unfortunately, the proportion of children able to perform the mature form of all skills (locomotor and object control) remains relatively low (1%, 6%, 7%, for baseline, immediately after and 5 years after intervention, respectively) and therefore the focus for teaching and coaching programmes remains the continued improvement of overall skills.

What are the school-wide strategies that support sustained, regular and effective instructional reading programmes for 10–13-year-old students? A New Zealand experience

There is a significant body of international research indicating that reading instruction does not consistently occur in the final years of primary schooling and progress drops-off as students move through the schooling system. This paper uses case study research to investigate the interactions and the self-perceptions of five literacy leaders, eight teachers of 10–12 year-old students and their principals in five New Zealand primary schools. The schools had been nominated as succeeding in teaching reading in the upper primary school by literacy experts. The article is part of a wider ongoing research project based on a substantial investigation of reading in the final years of primary schooling. All schools had a designated literacy leader who played a key role in supporting literacy development across the school. They were supporting teachers in further developing their knowledge of reading processes and strategies to improve instructional reading at the Year 7 and 8 levels. At all five schools the principals strongly supported the whole school ongoing professional development in reading. The literacy leaders played a significant role in supporting teachers and providing a cohesive alignment within their long-term, school-wide plan to improve reading achievement. Teacher knowledge of literacy processes was evident with teachers planning explicit instruction around text. Vocabulary knowledge and comprehension strategies were recognised as two key areas. School-wide assessment data and in-depth analysis of the implications of the results were discussed amongst staff.

What is happening when teachers of 11–13-year-old students take guided reading: a New Zealand snapshot

This paper focuses on eight teachers nominated as effective in teaching reading to 11–13-year-old students. Data consisted of interviews and unstructured and structured observations of the guided reading lessons. The qualitative data and their analysis explored the research participants’ views to give more detail and filter the quantitative results. The research found although these schools and teachers had been identified as effective in the delivery of reading instruction, there appeared overall to be a need for further development in allowing more student-led dialogue and less teacher dominated discourse. The number of times the majority of these teachers instigated instructional strategies during a guided reading lesson impacted on power relationships countering dialogic discourse.

Supporting school improvement: The development of a scale for assessing pupils' emotional and behavioural development

This paper reports the construction of a teacher rating instrument designed to monitor the social and emotional development of school age children and young people (4–17 years). The instrument was developed by reviewing previously implemented checklists to build an extensive list of behavioural and emotional criteria and through the use of focus groups to establish the views of key stakeholders. The criteria were categorized according to three areas: conduct, emotion and learning. The initial instrument of 21 items was piloted and amended accordingly. The final trial of the instrument was carried out on a sample of 7285 pupils from a cross‐section of UK schools. A principal component factor analysis confirmed the division of the scale into three factors. The instrument was supported by trends showing that the distributions were different for different types of schools and between males and females. The final version of the instrument was amended to include 15 items, five in each category (conduct, emotion, learning), all expressed positively on a six‐point scale. The scale is a useful tool for providing a basis for a strategic discourse between staff in planning approaches to the emotional and behavioural development of students in school.