Yuri Uesaka

Elucidating the mechanism of spontaneous diagram use in explanations: how cognitive processing of text and diagrammatic representations are influenced by individual and task-related factors

Although diagrams are considered effective tools for communication, students have been reported as lacking sufficient spontaneity in using diagrams when explaining what they have learned. This study examined the possible mechanism that relates text to diagram production in the process of providing written explanations. It puts forward the hypothesis that the production of text and diagrammatic representations shares the same cognitive processing resources, the allocation of which is influenced by individual factors like language ability and task-related factors like imageability of what needs to be explained. This hypothesis was tested on Japanese university students who were administered a passage (two versions varying in imageability) to read and subsequently explain in English or Japanese. A significant correlation was found between diagram use and English language competence (measured by TOEIC scores) - but only among students asked to explain the passage with lower imageability, and in English, providing support for the hypothesis.

Science and engineering students' use of diagrams during note taking versus explanation

The use of diagrams in learning and communication is generally considered efficacious and an important skill to cultivate, especially among science students. At the same time, previous research has revealed many problems in student diagram use, including a lack of spontaneity in such use, but the extent to which these problems persist into the tertiary level had not been investigated. The present study examined science and engineering university students’ use of diagrams in note taking to learn information from a written passage, and in a subsequent task of constructing an explanation of that information for another person. The results showed that the students used significantly fewer diagrams in explaining compared to when they were note taking, suggesting that many students may lack awareness of the usefulness of diagrams in effectively communicating information to others. The results also revealed that the students used significantly more diagrams in taking notes from and explaining a passage with higher imageability (i.e. easier to visually imagine) compared to one with lower imageability. Educational implications of the findings are discussed.

Students’ Spontaneous Use of Diagrams in Written Communication: Understanding Variations According to Purpose and Cognitive Cost Entailed

This study examined the amounts of information that students represented in diagrams compared to text when taking notes (self-directed communication) and when constructing explanations for others (others-directed communication). The participants were 98 Japanese university students who read one of two passages (differing in imageability) in Japanese (L1) and in English (L2). While reading, they could take notes, and were subsequently requested to produce an explanation of the passage using L1 or L2. The students represented more information in diagrams in notes they took from the passage of higher imageability in L1. However, in their explanation of that same passage for others – still using L1 – they represented more information in text. This finding suggests perceptual differences about the functions of diagrams in self- and others-directed communication. Results also confirmed that passage imageability and students’ language proficiency affect cognitive processing cost, which in turn influences the extent to which diagrams are used.

How Communicative Learning Situations Influence Students’ Use of Diagrams: Focusing on Spontaneous Diagram Construction and Protocols during Explanation

Although diagrams have been shown to be effective tools for promoting understanding and successful problem solving, students’ poor diagram use has been identified as a serious issue in educational practice-related reports. To enhance students’ diagram construction skills and to address problems in diagram use, creating learning situations that make it inevitable for students to use diagrams would likely be helpful. To realize this, communicative learning situations can be considered a viable option, as students would feel a greater necessity to use diagrams as a consequence of feedback they receive while explaining. Thus, this study examined the hypothesis that an interactive peer instructional learning situation would better promote students’ spontaneous diagram use compared to a non-interactive situation. Eighty-eight university students were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: interactive and non-interactive. After reading a passage relating to the science and engineering area, participants in the interactive condition were requested to explain the content of the passage to another participant next to them. In contrast, participants in the non-interactive condition were asked to record an explanation using an IC recorder by imagining that they were explaining to another person. A sheet of paper was provided to participants during the explanation, and diagram use on the paper was analyzed. The results revealed that students’ diagram use in the interactive condition was higher than in the non-interactive condition. This indicates that teachers’ provision of interactive communication situations can effectively promote students’ likelihood of using diagrams spontaneously.

Cross-cultural examination of beliefs about the causes of bulimia nervosa among Australian and Japanese females

OBJECTIVE To identify similarities and differences in beliefs about the causes of Bulimia Nervosa (BN) held by Asian (Japanese) women and Western (Australian) women, and hence, to examine the applicability of belief models of eating disorders (ED) across different cultures. METHOD Four hundred three Japanese and 256 Australian female university students (aged 17-35 years) completed a questionnaire that gauged beliefs about the causes of BN. RESULTS Among the Australian women, the four-component structure of perceived causes (dieting and eating practices, family dynamics, socio-cultural pressure, and psychological vulnerability) found in Dryer et al. (2012) was replicated. Among the Japanese women, however, a three-component structure (without the psychological vulnerability component) was obtained. The groups also differed in the causal component they most strongly endorsed, that being socio-cultural pressure for the Australian women, and dieting and eating practices for the Japanese women. DISCUSSION The Japanese participants were found to endorse three out of the four Western-based causal explanations for BN, but the relative importance they placed on those explanations differed from that of the Australian participants. Further research is needed, particularly to establish whether Japanese women simply fail to see psychological vulnerability as a viable cause of BN, or there are in fact cultural differences in the extent to which such vulnerability causes BN.

How Could Education Psychology Contribute to the Formation of a “Team of School”?

湯澤正通 2017 年,学習指導要領改正の告知が公示され,新し い学習指導要領の解説が出された。それまで「審議の まとめ」(2016 年)等の中で改正の方向性が示されてき たが,以下の 3 点が繰り返し強調されてきた。(a)「主 体的・対話的で深い学び」の実現に向けた授業改善。 (b)学校全体としてのカリキュラムマネジメント。(c) (特別な配慮を必要とする)児童の発達の支援,家庭や地域 との連携・協働。これらの 3 点はまた,教育心理学が これまで理論的,実証的に研究を行ってきたテーマであ り,まさに教育心理学が教育に貢献すべき側面である。 2 年前の 2015 年 12 月,中央教育審議会では「チー ムとしての学校の在り方と今後の改善方策について(答 申)」を取りまとめた。そこでは,これらの 3 点が 「チーム学校」という用語で的確にまとめられている。 「学校が,複雑化・多様化した課題を解決し,子供に 必要な資質・能力を育んでいくためには,学校のマネ ジメントを強化し,組織として教育活動に取り組む体 制を創り上げるとともに,必要な指導体制を整備する ことが必要である。その上で,生徒指導や特別支援教 育等を充実していくために,学校や教員が心理や福祉 等の専門スタッフ等と連携・分担する体制を整備し, 学校の機能を強化していくことが重要である」。 第 1 に,「複雑化・多様化した課題を解決し,子供に 必要な資質・能力」とは,以前から,「生きる力」,「活 用力」,「PISA 型能力」などと表現されている教育の目 研究委員会シンポジウム 2

Using a tutoring scenario to assess the spontaneous use of knowledge for teaching

ABSTRACT This research used a tutoring scenario to examine the spontaneous use of knowledge for teaching, which was measured from four perspectives: assessment, explanation, comprehension checking, and strategy instruction. The objective was: (1) to investigate whether student teachers could spontaneously utilise adequate knowledge for teaching, and (2) to compare the responses described by student teachers in a mathematical educational course to those in other educational courses to examine the influence of subject proficiency on the spontaneous use of knowledge for teaching. In two studies, participants described how they would respond to a hypothetical teaching situation in which a young pupil incorrectly solved a fraction problem. In their descriptions, nearly half of the participants failed to mention effective assessment or explanation techniques; a large majority did not mention checking pupil comprehension or providing instruction on learning strategies. No differences were found between participants who majored in mathematical education and those who did not. The study revealed the weaknesses of student teachers from a new perspective: a lack of spontaneity in using knowledge for teaching, which was seen even in students enrolled in a mathematical education course.

Hint, Instruction, and Practice: The Necessary Components for Promoting Spontaneous Diagram Use in Students’ Written Work?

This study investigated the efficacy of providing a hint, instruction, and practice in promoting spontaneous diagram use in the written work of 21 students undertaking an undergraduate course in education. The course required the students to regularly produce for homework a one-page explanation of what they had learned. In the first few weeks of the course, they rarely included diagrams in their explanations. Following a hint to use diagrams (provided as comment/feedback on their homework), diagram use significantly increased. When instruction in effective use of diagrams was provided, the level of diagram use maintained but did not increase. However, when practice in using diagrams was additionally provided, further significant increases in diagram use followed, which maintained over the ensuing weeks of the course. These findings suggest that to spontaneously use diagrams in their written work, students need to be provided a combination of advice, instruction, and practice in such use.

Promoting Multi-perspective Integration as a 21st Century Skill: The Effects of Instructional Methods Encouraging Students’ Spontaneous Use of Tables for Organizing Information

Integrating multiple perspectives when constructing an argumentation about a topic which has both arguments and counter-arguments is a very important 21st Century skill. In this study, we examined whether using tables for organizing information would be supportive of this argumentation process. Participants were 56 8th-grade students participating in a 5-day summer course. Pre- and post- assessments were administered at the beginning and end, and participants made oral presentations, which were video recorded for analysis. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions. In two of the conditions, participants were encouraged to use tables for organizing information and, in one of those conditions, participants were additionally provided exercises that required identification of problems in videos showing bad examples of argumentation. Results showed that participants encouraged to use tables spontaneously used more diagrams and constructed more argumentation in which multiple perspectives were integrated than others without such encouragement. Participants provided the exercise in problem identification also showed higher recognition of the value of using diagrams.

Providing Effective Mental Health Support to Japanese University Students: The Use of a Typological Approach at a University Mental Health Support Center~!2009-10-06~!2009-11-24~!2010-03-09~!

In line with the many unique facets of the Japanese culture and social environment, there are some unique mental health problems among the Japanese. One example is “student apathy”, a mental health condition that is not commonly discussed outside of Japan, particularly in Western countries like the US. This paper discusses how such problems, when experienced by students, are dealt with by the university health support system in Japan. To tangibly illustrate the strategies that are employed, specific aspects of the support provisions of a mental health center in one Japanese university are used as examples. In this center, students with mental health problems are categorized into three types. The first category comprises students who have primary complaints that are concrete in nature, and have remained comparatively healthy in their mental states. For these students, a solution-focused approach is used. The second category is of students who have a more vague primary complaint, and who are not as mentally healthy as those in the first category, but are not yet at the level that requires clinical care. Students suffering from student apathy are included in this group. For these students, a combination of the psychoanalytic approach and the solution-focused approach is used. The third category is of students who have the most serious mental health problems: for many, the severity of their problem is such that they cannot visit the health support center by themselves. For students who are placed in this category, a support network approach is used, as well as medical support from a doctor when required. By categorizing and clarifying appropriate strategies, effective support can be put into practice with the use of the limited human resources available within the university’s mental support center.