T. Groenendijk

The effect of observational learning on students’ performance, processes, and motivation in two creative domains

BACKGROUND Previous research has shown that observation can be effective for learning in various domains, for example, argumentative writing and mathematics. The question in this paper is whether observational learning can also be beneficial when learning to perform creative tasks in visual and verbal arts. AIMS We hypothesized that observation has a positive effect on performance, process, and motivation. We expected similarity in competence between the model and the observer to influence the effectiveness of observation. Sample.  A total of 131 Dutch students (10(th) grade, 15 years old) participated. METHOD Two experiments were carried out (one for visual and one for verbal arts). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions; two observational learning conditions and a control condition (learning by practising). The observational learning conditions differed in instructional focus (on the weaker or the more competent model of a pair to be observed). RESULTS We found positive effects of observation on creative products, creative processes, and motivation in the visual domain. In the verbal domain, observation seemed to affect the creative process, but not the other variables. The model similarity hypothesis was not confirmed. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that observation may foster learning in creative domains, especially in the visual arts.

How do secondary school students write poetry? How creative writing processes relate to final products

Do different creative writing processes lead to qualitatively different writing products? In this study we examined how Dutch speaking secondary school students (16-years old, 11 grade) wrote two poems. Students’ on line writing processes were recorded by a keystroke logging program: Inputlog. Text production, pausing, and several types of revision activities were coded. Each poem was holistically rated for quality by seven judges. Next, we examined the relationship between students’ writing processes and the quality of their final text. We found that relatively much text production in the beginning of the writing process and relatively many high level revisions towards the end of the writing process, influenced the final text positively. Pausing and other types of revision were negatively related to the text quality, at least in some of the phases of the writing process.

Improving writing in social studies through professional development : Effects on teachers’ beliefs, classroom practice and students’ writing

Abstract Although academic literacy is an important goal in secondary education, many students struggle with it, particularly with disciplinary writing. There is a need for a closer integration of writing with instruction in subject areas. We designed and implemented a practice-based professional development program aimed at improving teachers’ ability to teach writing within social studies. We distilled five design principles from meta-analyses of effective writing instruction, which teachers (twelve subject- and Dutch Language teachers) used to design lessons in their own classes. Effects of the program on teachers’ beliefs about writing instruction were measured with a questionnaire. Although no changes in beliefs were found, teachers indicated in a learner report that they had learned a lot about integrating writing in their lessons. After six months teachers reported that they felt more able to use the design principles and still used them in their lessons. Three interventions are described in more detail in this paper. Effects on students’ writing and knowledge of writing were measured using pre- and post-writing-tasks. Results showed a significant positive effect for the writing-instruction groups. We conclude that the professional development program enabled teachers to teach disciplinary writing within social studies and to improve students’ writing as well.