<!--{{{-->
<link rel='alternate' type='application/rss+xml' title='RSS' href='index.xml' />
<!--}}}-->
Background: #fff
Foreground: #000
PrimaryPale: #8cf
PrimaryLight: #18f
PrimaryMid: #04b
PrimaryDark: #014
SecondaryPale: #ffc
SecondaryLight: #fe8
SecondaryMid: #db4
SecondaryDark: #841
TertiaryPale: #eee
TertiaryLight: #ccc
TertiaryMid: #999
TertiaryDark: #666
Error: #f88
/*{{{*/
body {background:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}

a {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
a:hover {background-color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
a img {border:0;}

h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]]; background:transparent;}
h1 {border-bottom:2px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}
h2,h3 {border-bottom:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}

.button {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.button:hover {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; border-color:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]];}
.button:active {color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]];}

.header {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
.headerShadow {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
.headerShadow a {font-weight:normal; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
.headerForeground {color:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.headerForeground a {font-weight:normal; color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]];}

.tabSelected{color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]];
	background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]];
	border-left:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];
	border-top:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];
	border-right:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];
}
.tabUnselected {color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
.tabContents {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}
.tabContents .button {border:0;}

#sidebar {}
#sidebarOptions input {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]];}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel a {border:none;color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel a:hover {color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel a:active {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]]; background:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}

.wizard {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
.wizard h1 {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; border:none;}
.wizard h2 {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border:none;}
.wizardStep {background:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];
	border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
.wizardStep.wizardStepDone {background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}
.wizardFooter {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]];}
.wizardFooter .status {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.wizard .button {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; border: 1px solid;
	border-color:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]] [[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]] [[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]] [[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]];}
.wizard .button:hover {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; background:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.wizard .button:active {color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; background:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border: 1px solid;
	border-color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]] [[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]] [[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]] [[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]];}

.wizard .notChanged {background:transparent;}
.wizard .changedLocally {background:#80ff80;}
.wizard .changedServer {background:#8080ff;}
.wizard .changedBoth {background:#ff8080;}
.wizard .notFound {background:#ffff80;}
.wizard .putToServer {background:#ff80ff;}
.wizard .gotFromServer {background:#80ffff;}

#messageArea {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
#messageArea .button {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]]; border:none;}

.popupTiddler {background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]]; border:2px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}

.popup {background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]]; color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]]; border-left:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]]; border-top:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]]; border-right:2px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]]; border-bottom:2px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}
.popup hr {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]]; border-bottom:1px;}
.popup li.disabled {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
.popup li a, .popup li a:visited {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border: none;}
.popup li a:hover {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border: none;}
.popup li a:active {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border: none;}
.popupHighlight {background:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
.listBreak div {border-bottom:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.tiddler .defaultCommand {font-weight:bold;}

.shadow .title {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.title {color:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]];}
.subtitle {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.toolbar {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
.toolbar a {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}
.selected .toolbar a {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
.selected .toolbar a:hover {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}

.tagging, .tagged {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]]; background-color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]];}
.selected .tagging, .selected .tagged {background-color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
.tagging .listTitle, .tagged .listTitle {color:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]];}
.tagging .button, .tagged .button {border:none;}

.footer {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}
.selected .footer {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}

.sparkline {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryPale]]; border:0;}
.sparktick {background:[[ColorPalette::PrimaryDark]];}

.error, .errorButton {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; background:[[ColorPalette::Error]];}
.warning {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]];}
.lowlight {background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryLight]];}

.zoomer {background:none; color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]]; border:3px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}

.imageLink, #displayArea .imageLink {background:transparent;}

.annotation {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; border:2px solid [[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]];}

.viewer .listTitle {list-style-type:none; margin-left:-2em;}
.viewer .button {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]];}
.viewer blockquote {border-left:3px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.viewer table, table.twtable {border:2px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}
.viewer th, .viewer thead td, .twtable th, .twtable thead td {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryMid]]; border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.viewer td, .viewer tr, .twtable td, .twtable tr {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.viewer pre {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryPale]];}
.viewer code {color:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryDark]];}
.viewer hr {border:0; border-top:dashed 1px [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]]; color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}

.highlight, .marked {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]];}

.editor input {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]];}
.editor textarea {border:1px solid [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]]; width:100%;}
.editorFooter {color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
.readOnly {background:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryPale]];}

#backstageArea {background:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; color:[[ColorPalette::TertiaryMid]];}
#backstageArea a {background:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; border:none;}
#backstageArea a:hover {background:[[ColorPalette::SecondaryLight]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; }
#backstageArea a.backstageSelTab {background:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
#backstageButton a {background:none; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; border:none;}
#backstageButton a:hover {background:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; border:none;}
#backstagePanel {background:[[ColorPalette::Background]]; border-color: [[ColorPalette::Background]] [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]] [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]] [[ColorPalette::TertiaryDark]];}
.backstagePanelFooter .button {border:none; color:[[ColorPalette::Background]];}
.backstagePanelFooter .button:hover {color:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]];}
#backstageCloak {background:[[ColorPalette::Foreground]]; opacity:0.6; filter:'alpha(opacity=60)';}
/*}}}*/
/*{{{*/
* html .tiddler {height:1%;}

body {font-size:.75em; font-family:arial,helvetica; margin:0; padding:0;}

h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none;}
h1,h2,h3 {padding-bottom:1px; margin-top:1.2em;margin-bottom:0.3em;}
h4,h5,h6 {margin-top:1em;}
h1 {font-size:1.35em;}
h2 {font-size:1.25em;}
h3 {font-size:1.1em;}
h4 {font-size:1em;}
h5 {font-size:.9em;}

hr {height:1px;}

a {text-decoration:none;}

dt {font-weight:bold;}

ol {list-style-type:decimal;}
ol ol {list-style-type:lower-alpha;}
ol ol ol {list-style-type:lower-roman;}
ol ol ol ol {list-style-type:decimal;}
ol ol ol ol ol {list-style-type:lower-alpha;}
ol ol ol ol ol ol {list-style-type:lower-roman;}
ol ol ol ol ol ol ol {list-style-type:decimal;}

.txtOptionInput {width:11em;}

#contentWrapper .chkOptionInput {border:0;}

.externalLink {text-decoration:underline;}

.indent {margin-left:3em;}
.outdent {margin-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;}
code.escaped {white-space:nowrap;}

.tiddlyLinkExisting {font-weight:bold;}
.tiddlyLinkNonExisting {font-style:italic;}

/* the 'a' is required for IE, otherwise it renders the whole tiddler in bold */
a.tiddlyLinkNonExisting.shadow {font-weight:bold;}

#mainMenu .tiddlyLinkExisting,
	#mainMenu .tiddlyLinkNonExisting,
	#sidebarTabs .tiddlyLinkNonExisting {font-weight:normal; font-style:normal;}
#sidebarTabs .tiddlyLinkExisting {font-weight:bold; font-style:normal;}

.header {position:relative;}
.header a:hover {background:transparent;}
.headerShadow {position:relative; padding:4.5em 0 1em 1em; left:-1px; top:-1px;}
.headerForeground {position:absolute; padding:4.5em 0 1em 1em; left:0px; top:0px;}

.siteTitle {font-size:3em;}
.siteSubtitle {font-size:1.2em;}

#mainMenu {position:absolute; left:0; width:10em; text-align:right; line-height:1.6em; padding:1.5em 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em; font-size:1.1em;}

#sidebar {position:absolute; right:3px; width:16em; font-size:.9em;}
#sidebarOptions {padding-top:0.3em;}
#sidebarOptions a {margin:0 0.2em; padding:0.2em 0.3em; display:block;}
#sidebarOptions input {margin:0.4em 0.5em;}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel {margin-left:1em; padding:0.5em; font-size:.85em;}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel a {font-weight:bold; display:inline; padding:0;}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel input {margin:0 0 0.3em 0;}
#sidebarTabs .tabContents {width:15em; overflow:hidden;}

.wizard {padding:0.1em 1em 0 2em;}
.wizard h1 {font-size:2em; font-weight:bold; background:none; padding:0; margin:0.4em 0 0.2em;}
.wizard h2 {font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold; background:none; padding:0; margin:0.4em 0 0.2em;}
.wizardStep {padding:1em 1em 1em 1em;}
.wizard .button {margin:0.5em 0 0; font-size:1.2em;}
.wizardFooter {padding:0.8em 0.4em 0.8em 0;}
.wizardFooter .status {padding:0 0.4em; margin-left:1em;}
.wizard .button {padding:0.1em 0.2em;}

#messageArea {position:fixed; top:2em; right:0; margin:0.5em; padding:0.5em; z-index:2000; _position:absolute;}
.messageToolbar {display:block; text-align:right; padding:0.2em;}
#messageArea a {text-decoration:underline;}

.tiddlerPopupButton {padding:0.2em;}
.popupTiddler {position: absolute; z-index:300; padding:1em; margin:0;}

.popup {position:absolute; z-index:300; font-size:.9em; padding:0; list-style:none; margin:0;}
.popup .popupMessage {padding:0.4em;}
.popup hr {display:block; height:1px; width:auto; padding:0; margin:0.2em 0;}
.popup li.disabled {padding:0.4em;}
.popup li a {display:block; padding:0.4em; font-weight:normal; cursor:pointer;}
.listBreak {font-size:1px; line-height:1px;}
.listBreak div {margin:2px 0;}

.tabset {padding:1em 0 0 0.5em;}
.tab {margin:0 0 0 0.25em; padding:2px;}
.tabContents {padding:0.5em;}
.tabContents ul, .tabContents ol {margin:0; padding:0;}
.txtMainTab .tabContents li {list-style:none;}
.tabContents li.listLink { margin-left:.75em;}

#contentWrapper {display:block;}
#splashScreen {display:none;}

#displayArea {margin:1em 17em 0 14em;}

.toolbar {text-align:right; font-size:.9em;}

.tiddler {padding:1em 1em 0;}

.missing .viewer,.missing .title {font-style:italic;}

.title {font-size:1.6em; font-weight:bold;}

.missing .subtitle {display:none;}
.subtitle {font-size:1.1em;}

.tiddler .button {padding:0.2em 0.4em;}

.tagging {margin:0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 0; float:left; display:none;}
.isTag .tagging {display:block;}
.tagged {margin:0.5em; float:right;}
.tagging, .tagged {font-size:0.9em; padding:0.25em;}
.tagging ul, .tagged ul {list-style:none; margin:0.25em; padding:0;}
.tagClear {clear:both;}

.footer {font-size:.9em;}
.footer li {display:inline;}

.annotation {padding:0.5em; margin:0.5em;}

* html .viewer pre {width:99%; padding:0 0 1em 0;}
.viewer {line-height:1.4em; padding-top:0.5em;}
.viewer .button {margin:0 0.25em; padding:0 0.25em;}
.viewer blockquote {line-height:1.5em; padding-left:0.8em;margin-left:2.5em;}
.viewer ul, .viewer ol {margin-left:0.5em; padding-left:1.5em;}

.viewer table, table.twtable {border-collapse:collapse; margin:0.8em 1.0em;}
.viewer th, .viewer td, .viewer tr,.viewer caption,.twtable th, .twtable td, .twtable tr,.twtable caption {padding:3px;}
table.listView {font-size:0.85em; margin:0.8em 1.0em;}
table.listView th, table.listView td, table.listView tr {padding:0px 3px 0px 3px;}

.viewer pre {padding:0.5em; margin-left:0.5em; font-size:1.2em; line-height:1.4em; overflow:auto;}
.viewer code {font-size:1.2em; line-height:1.4em;}

.editor {font-size:1.1em;}
.editor input, .editor textarea {display:block; width:100%; font:inherit;}
.editorFooter {padding:0.25em 0; font-size:.9em;}
.editorFooter .button {padding-top:0px; padding-bottom:0px;}

.fieldsetFix {border:0; padding:0; margin:1px 0px;}

.sparkline {line-height:1em;}
.sparktick {outline:0;}

.zoomer {font-size:1.1em; position:absolute; overflow:hidden;}
.zoomer div {padding:1em;}

* html #backstage {width:99%;}
* html #backstageArea {width:99%;}
#backstageArea {display:none; position:relative; overflow: hidden; z-index:150; padding:0.3em 0.5em;}
#backstageToolbar {position:relative;}
#backstageArea a {font-weight:bold; margin-left:0.5em; padding:0.3em 0.5em;}
#backstageButton {display:none; position:absolute; z-index:175; top:0; right:0;}
#backstageButton a {padding:0.1em 0.4em; margin:0.1em;}
#backstage {position:relative; width:100%; z-index:50;}
#backstagePanel {display:none; z-index:100; position:absolute; width:90%; margin-left:3em; padding:1em;}
.backstagePanelFooter {padding-top:0.2em; float:right;}
.backstagePanelFooter a {padding:0.2em 0.4em;}
#backstageCloak {display:none; z-index:20; position:absolute; width:100%; height:100px;}

.whenBackstage {display:none;}
.backstageVisible .whenBackstage {display:block;}
/*}}}*/
/***
StyleSheet for use when a translation requires any css style changes.
This StyleSheet can be used directly by languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean which need larger font sizes.
***/
/*{{{*/
body {font-size:0.8em;}
#sidebarOptions {font-size:1.05em;}
#sidebarOptions a {font-style:normal;}
#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel {font-size:0.95em;}
.subtitle {font-size:0.8em;}
.viewer table.listView {font-size:0.95em;}
/*}}}*/
/*{{{*/
@media print {
#mainMenu, #sidebar, #messageArea, .toolbar, #backstageButton, #backstageArea {display: none !important;}
#displayArea {margin: 1em 1em 0em;}
noscript {display:none;} /* Fixes a feature in Firefox 1.5.0.2 where print preview displays the noscript content */
}
/*}}}*/
<!--{{{-->
<div class='header' macro='gradient vert [[ColorPalette::PrimaryLight]] [[ColorPalette::PrimaryMid]]'>
<div class='headerShadow'>
<span class='siteTitle' refresh='content' tiddler='SiteTitle'></span>&nbsp;
<span class='siteSubtitle' refresh='content' tiddler='SiteSubtitle'></span>
</div>
<div class='headerForeground'>
<span class='siteTitle' refresh='content' tiddler='SiteTitle'></span>&nbsp;
<span class='siteSubtitle' refresh='content' tiddler='SiteSubtitle'></span>
</div>
</div>
<div id='mainMenu' refresh='content' tiddler='MainMenu'></div>
<div id='sidebar'>
<div id='sidebarOptions' refresh='content' tiddler='SideBarOptions'></div>
<div id='sidebarTabs' refresh='content' force='true' tiddler='SideBarTabs'></div>
</div>
<div id='displayArea'>
<div id='messageArea'></div>
<div id='tiddlerDisplay'></div>
</div>
<!--}}}-->
<!--{{{-->
<div class='toolbar' macro='toolbar [[ToolbarCommands::ViewToolbar]]'></div>
<div class='title' macro='view title'></div>
<div class='subtitle'><span macro='view modifier link'></span>, <span macro='view modified date'></span> (<span macro='message views.wikified.createdPrompt'></span> <span macro='view created date'></span>)</div>
<div class='tagging' macro='tagging'></div>
<div class='tagged' macro='tags'></div>
<div class='viewer' macro='view text wikified'></div>
<div class='tagClear'></div>
<!--}}}-->
<!--{{{-->
<div class='toolbar' macro='toolbar [[ToolbarCommands::EditToolbar]]'></div>
<div class='title' macro='view title'></div>
<div class='editor' macro='edit title'></div>
<div macro='annotations'></div>
<div class='editor' macro='edit text'></div>
<div class='editor' macro='edit tags'></div><div class='editorFooter'><span macro='message views.editor.tagPrompt'></span><span macro='tagChooser excludeLists'></span></div>
<!--}}}-->
To get started with this blank [[TiddlyWiki]], you'll need to modify the following tiddlers:
* [[SiteTitle]] & [[SiteSubtitle]]: The title and subtitle of the site, as shown above (after saving, they will also appear in the browser title bar)
* [[MainMenu]]: The menu (usually on the left)
* [[DefaultTiddlers]]: Contains the names of the tiddlers that you want to appear when the TiddlyWiki is opened
You'll also need to enter your username for signing your edits: <<option txtUserName>>
These [[InterfaceOptions]] for customising [[TiddlyWiki]] are saved in your browser

Your username for signing your edits. Write it as a [[WikiWord]] (eg [[JoeBloggs]])

<<option txtUserName>>
<<option chkSaveBackups>> [[SaveBackups]]
<<option chkAutoSave>> [[AutoSave]]
<<option chkRegExpSearch>> [[RegExpSearch]]
<<option chkCaseSensitiveSearch>> [[CaseSensitiveSearch]]
<<option chkAnimate>> [[EnableAnimations]]

----
Also see [[AdvancedOptions]]
<<importTiddlers>>
 Abstract
This research examines students’ ability to integrate algebraic variables with arithmetic operations and symbols as a result of the type of instruction they received, and places their work on scales that illustrate its location on the continuum from arithmetic to algebraic reasoning. It presents data from pre and post instruction clinical interviews administered to a sample of middle school students experiencing their first exposure to formal pre-algebra. Roughly half of the sample (n = 15) was taught with a standards-based curriculum emphasizing representation skills, while a comparable group (n = 12) of students received traditional instruction. Analysis of the pre and post interviews indicated that participants receiving a standards-based curriculum demonstrated more frequent and sophisticated usage of variables when writing equations to model word problems of varying complexity. This advantage was attenuated on problems that provided more representational support in which a diagram with a variable was presented with the request that an expression be written to represent the perimeter and area. Differences in strategies used by the two groups suggest that the traditional curriculum encouraged students to continue using arithmetic conventions, such as focusing on finding specific values, when asked to model relations with algebraic notation.

Keywords  Curriculum - Mathematics education - Problem solving - Cognition - Constructivism - Schema integration
 Abstract
This experimental study examined students’ comprehension of challenging, ecologically valid, history text. We examined the benefits of the elaborative interrogation (EI) comprehension strategy and the main idea (MI) strategy when compared to an independent study (IS) control. This work extended previous research and explored the ecological validity, generalizability, and utility of EI as an effective comprehension strategy. Dependent measures included a matching test, text-explicit recognition items, text-implicit recognition items, and a situational interest measure. Demographic data were collected for descriptive purposes and prior domain knowledge was used as a control variable. Findings indicated few differences between the MI and EI comprehension strategies in learning outcomes. Additional results, however, suggested potential for the EI strategy to increase interest when students have prior knowledge of the text topic.

Keywords  Comprehension strategies - Elaborative interrogation - Main idea - Text comprehension - Situational interest
 Abstract
This paper is concerned with an innovative approach to teaching Chinese characters. Traditionally, pupils learn Chinese characters by repeatedly copying them until they can reproduce their form and pronunciation from memory. Most of the characters pupils are required to learn are selected on the basis of their frequency in adult written communications rather in everyday child usage. The process takes many years and is perceived by pupils as laborious and boring. The writers of the paper developed an approach based on the phenomenographic approach to learning and on various pioneering ways of teaching Chinese characters. Learning starts with the pupils’ own language and characters are introduced and used in contexts meaningful to the pupil, attention being drawn systematically to structural features, written form and pronunciation. Characters are learnt in relational clusters, similarities and variations among related characters in the clusters being used by teachers to highlight and emphasise crucial aspects of Chinese characters and words. The learning mastered serves as a foundation for subsequent learning. After an in-depth discussion of theory and pedagogy, the writers report an investigation in four primary schools in Hong Kong that yields strong support for the efficacy of the approach.

Keywords  Chinese characters - integrative perceptual approach - mental lexicon - pedagogy - phenomenographic theory - structural awareness
 Abstract
This article describes an exploratory study of question prompts and online mentoring (specifically a lateral or peer mentoring experience) in a field-based practicum that focused on teaching ill-structured problem solving of classroom discipline. Data were gathered on 26 in-service practicum teachers through online observations, online journal reports, questionnaires, and reflection logs. Results showed that the practicum teachers were successful in using the approach to plan and implement effective interventions for their students and that they perceived the online mentoring approach as being very beneficial in supporting their learning. A more detail analysis of seven practicum teachers and their mentors indicated that their mentors engaged in eight types of online mentoring functions; the most frequently used were asking practicum teachers to elaborate, and valuing the practicum teachers’ contributions. The influence of the mentoring functions on the seven practicum teachers’ ill-structured problem solving is also discussed. The study offers evidence that asynchronous online mentoring and question prompts can enhance the professional development of both practicum teachers and mentors by helping them learn about and apply intervention strategies in solving real-world teaching problems.

Keywords  Online mentoring - question prompts - problem solving - teacher practicum
 Abstract
Effective instructional explanations help the students to construct coherent mental representations. To do so, one condition is that they must be tailored to students’ needs. It is hypothesized that explanations are more helpful if they also explicitly aid the students to detect problems in their mental representations, as this provokes an impasse that motivates students to process the explanation deeply. Participants were provided with a computer-based material on plate tectonics and then with explanatory support in the form of either a tailored explanation preceded by an impasse-trigger (I + E group) or an identical explanation without the impasse-trigger (noI + E group). After the reading of the materials they solved retention and transfer tests; their flawed ideas were also counted. Participants in the I + E group recalled more correct information, generated more transfer solutions, and showed fewer flawed ideas than those in the noI + E group. This indicates that tailored explanations combined with impasse-triggers that make explicit conflicts between the text model and the students′ models can indeed foster deep learning.

Keywords  Instructional explanations - Self-explanations - Mental model repair - Students’ mental models - Impasses - Impasse-triggers
 Abstract
Learning with multiple representations is usually employed in order to foster understanding. However, it also imposes high demands on the learners and often does not lead to the expected results, especially because the learners do not integrate the different representations. Thus, it is necessary to support the learners’ self-explanation activity, which concerns the integration and understanding of multiple representations. In the present experiment, we employed multi-representational worked-out examples and tested the effects of two types of self-explanation prompts as help procedures for integrating and understanding multiple representations. The participants (N = 62) learned about probability theory under three conditions: (a) open self-explanation prompts, (b) self-explanation prompts in an assistance-giving-assistance-withholding procedure (assisting self-explanation prompts), or (c) no prompts (control group). Both types of self-explanation prompts fostered procedural knowledge. This effect was mediated by self-explanations directed to domain principles. Conceptual knowledge was particularly fostered by assisting self-explanation prompts which was mediated by self-explanations on the rationale of a principle. Thus, for enhancing high-quality self-explanations and both procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding, we conclude that assisting self-explanation prompts should be provided. We call this the assisting self-explanation prompt effect which refers to the elicitation of high-quality self-explanations and the acquisition of deep understanding.

Keywords  Open self-explanation prompts - Assisting self-explanation prompts - Self-explanations - Multiple representations - Mathematics learning
 Abstract
In this study, we compared a traditional teaching sequence (four distinct lessons) with a block schedule dealing with the ecological adaptations of the water lily. The educational unit contained original plant material and both experimental groups received the same tasks and working sheets. Pupils worked together in groups of three to four pupils in a self-regulated manner, carrying out hands-on experiments. However, both groups differed in their time schedule (four distinct lessons of 45 min versus one block of 180 min). Pupils from the traditionally scheduled education performed significantly better in the immediate post-test while these differences merged in retention.

Keywords  Achievement - Biology teaching - Block scheduling - Gender - Weekly 
 Abstract
This paper reports on a study that employed a theory-based approach in the form of a learning study to enhance a domain-specific generic capability, financial literacy, of Grade 12 students to empower them to make informed and independent financial decisions. Financial literacy is seen in this study as a function of student understanding of a limited set of interrelated economic concepts that can be used as tools to assess financial situations and make sound financial decisions. Twelve teachers participated in the study. Six worked together in a learning study group and drew on a particular theory of learning in planning and carrying out lessons designed to serve the learning aims, whereas the other six worked collaboratively in a lesson study group. To evaluate the effectiveness of the two learning conditions created by the two groups, 193 students answered questions on complex, everyday financial situations in four tests: a pretest, a posttest following the research lessons, and delayed posttests 6 weeks and 6 months after instruction. The results showed that students in the learning study group outperformed their counterparts in the lesson study group in all three post-lesson tests, and that the inter-group performance gap was maintained or widened over time.

Keywords  Learning study - Variation theory - Phenomenography - Student learning - Financial literacy
 Abstract
Historical time and chronological sequence are usually conveyed to pupils via the presentation of semantic information on printed worksheets, events being rote-memorised according to date. We explored the use of virtual environments in which successive historical events were depicted as “places” in time–space, encountered sequentially in a fly-through. Testing was via “Which came first, X or Y?” questions and picture-ordering. University undergraduates experiencing the history of an imaginary planet performed better after a VE than after viewing a “washing line” of sequential images, or captions alone, especially for items in intermediate list positions. However, secondary children 11–14 years remembered no more about successive events in feudal England when they were presented virtually compared with either paper picture or 2-D computer graphic conditions. Primary children 7–9 years learned more about historical sequence after studying a series of paper images, compared with either VE or computer graphic conditions, remembering more in early/intermediate list positions. Reasons for the discrepant results are discussed and future possible uses of VEs in the teaching of chronology assessed.

Keywords  Chronology teaching - Virtual environments - Primacy and recency effects
 Abstract
Within the cognitive load theory framework, we designed and compared three alternative instructional solution formats that can be derived from a common static hierarchical network representation depicting problem structure. The interactive-solution format permitted students to search in self-controlled manner for solution steps, static-solution format displayed all solutions steps, and no-solution format did not have solution steps. When we matched instructional time across the formats, in relation to the complex molarity problems rather than the dilution problems, differential transfer performance existed between the static-solution or no-solution formats and the interactive-solution format, but not between the static-solution format and no-solution format. The manner in which learners interact with the static-solution and no-solution formats depends on their level of expertise in the chemistry domain. With considerable learner expertise, provision of solution steps may be redundant incurring extraneous cognitive load. Absence of the solution steps may not have left sufficient cognitive capacity for germane cognitive load as some beginning learners lacked the prior knowledge to deduce the solution steps. Searching for solution steps presumably incurred extraneous cognitive load which interfered with learning and hence, in the interactive-solution format, it outweighed the benefit of engaging in self-regulated interaction with the content. Hence, cognitive load theory is a promising tool to predict the mental load associated with learning from the three alternative computer-based instructional formats.

Keywords  Cognitive load theory - Interactive solution - Chemistry problem solving - Computer-based format - Problem structure - Germane cognitive load - Graphic network problem representation
 Abstract
Animations have become a ubiquitous component of computer-based instruction. Despite their widespread use, however, the evidence concerning their effects on learning is rather ambiguous, suggesting that one needs to have a closer look at the conditions under which animations will aid learning. Accordingly, three sets of moderating variables were identified: (1) the degree of processing support that is used to enhance learning with animation, (2) the context in which the animation is being used (e.g., laboratory setting versus classroom), and (3) the domain that is illustrated by the animation. On the one hand, the studies reported in the current special issue investigate manipulations of these variables. On the other hand, the studies vary among each other with respect to these factors, thereby reflecting the enlarged range of current animation research.

Keywords  Dynamic visualization - Animation - Instructional effectiveness - Moderators
 Abstract
Cognitive load is a theoretical notion with an increasingly central role in the educational research literature. The basic idea of cognitive load theory is that cognitive capacity in working memory is limited, so that if a learning task requires too much capacity, learning will be hampered. The recommended remedy is to design instructional systems that optimize the use of working memory capacity and avoid cognitive overload. Cognitive load theory has advanced educational research considerably and has been used to explain a large set of experimental findings. This article sets out to explore the open questions and the boundaries of cognitive load theory by identifying a number of problematic conceptual, methodological and application-related issues. It concludes by presenting a research agenda for future studies of cognitive load.

Keyword  Cognitive load theory
Introduction

A scientific theory is an explanation of a set of related observations, phenomena, or events based upon one or more hypotheses and verified multiple times by the evidence of detached groups of researchers. Cognitive load theory (CLT) was designed “to provide guidelines intended to assist in the presentation of information in a manner that encourages learner activities that optimize intellectual performance (Sweller et al. 1998 p. 25).” The theory proved successful in inspiring many experimental studies aimed at testing the CL effects of instructional design for over 20 years (Clark et al. 2006). On the other hand, a growing number of educational psychologists and researchers has identified many conceptual, methodological, and practical limitations of the theory (Bannert 2002; Brünken et al. 2009; Horz and Schnotz 2009; Moreno 2006; Schnotz and Kürschner 2007). The concerns voiced by de Jong (this issue) resonate with those critiques and suggest the need to reflect carefully on the scientific value of the theory.

Does CLT meet the rigor of scientific theories? In this article, I comment and expand on Jong’s criticisms from the perspective of a cognitive-affective theory of learning and discuss the implications of CLT’s challenges for advancing the science of learning and nurturing a scientific culture in educational research. 
 Abstract
This study examined the effects of external strategy use on the comprehension of relations among controversial texts. About 80 undergraduates read six controversial texts for the purpose of either finding intertextual relations or forming their opinion about the controversial issue. Half of them were permitted to use external strategies, the other half were not. Results indicated that only when given a purpose of relation-finding did external strategy users perform better than non-users in the comprehension of intertextual relations. Readers with a purpose of relation-finding also outperformed readers with a purpose of opinion-forming when permitted to use external strategies. The use of external strategies had no influence on the recall of intratextual arguments, regardless of reading purpose. These results were discussed in terms of readers’ use of external strategies to serve their reading purposes.

Keywords  Controversial texts - External strategies - Reading purposes - Comprehension of intertextual relations - Recall of intratextual arguments - Undergraduate students
 Abstract
Concept maps consist of nodes that represent concepts and links that represent relationships between concepts. Various studies have shown that concept mapping fosters meaningful learning. However, little is known about the specific cognitive processes that are responsible for such mapping effects. In a thinking-aloud study, we analyzed the relations between cognitive processes during concept mapping as well as the characteristics of the concept maps that the learners produced and learning outcomes (38 university students). To test whether differences in learning outcome are due to differences in general abilities, verbal and spatial abilities were also assessed. In a cluster-analysis two types of ineffective learners were identified: ‘non-labeling mappers’ and ‘non-planning mappers’. Effective learners, in contrast, showed much effort in planning their mapping process and constructing a coherent concept map. These strategies were more evident in students with prior concept-mapping experience (‘advanced beginners’) than in those who had not used this learning strategy before (‘successful beginners’). Based on the present findings, suggestions for a direct training approach (i.e., strategy training with worked-out examples) and an indirect training approach (i.e., supporting the learners with strategy prompts) were developed.

Keywords  Concept map - Mapping - Learning strategy - Training - Learning from texts - Thinking aloud
 Abstract
Recent research on principles of best practice for designing effective multimedia instruction has rarely taken into account students’ alternative conceptions, which are known to strongly influence learning. The goal of this study was to determine how well students of quantum mechanics could learn ‘vicariously’ by watching a student-tutor dialogue based on alternative conceptions. Two video treatments were created to summarize key aspects of quantum tunneling, a fundamental quantum mechanical phenomenon. One video depicted a student-tutor dialogue, incorporating many of the common alternative conceptions on the topic, and resolving inconsistencies in reasoning through discussion. The other presented the same correct physics material in an expository style without alternative conceptions. Second year physics students were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments and were tested before and after watching the video during a lecture. Results show a statistically significant (p < .01) advantage for the learners in the dialogue treatment (d = 0.71). Follow-up interviews of students yielded insight into the affective and cognitive benefits of the dialogue video.

Keywords  Conceptual change - Physics education research - Educational dialogue - Multimedia - Socratic dialogue - Vicarious learning
First of all, we would like to thank Alexander Renkl for taking the time to read and comment on our special issue on the effects of constructivist learning environments. Such responses indicate that our special issue has been successful in at least one of its goals: It has stimulated further debate about the nature and characteristics of constructivist learning (environments).

We find it difficult to disagree with several of the points made by Renkl (2009), given that we share the same view to a large extent. However, in this commentary we will explain that in our view, there is not necessarily a paradox when constructivists talk about constructivist learning environments. In our opinion, it all depends on how one views and approaches constructivism and we will argue that three perspectives can emerge in this respect: A theory of learning, a philosophical position, and a theory of instruction.

At the same time, we agree that the term “constructivist learning environment” might raise some false expectations. Other labels to refer to what we have called “constructivist learning environments” might be helpful in this respect, e.g., new learning environments or learning environments that foster meaningful learning.

In our introductory article for the special issue, we clearly distinguished between constructivism as a learning theory and educational applications of this theory, i.e., constructivist learning environments (Loyens and Gijbels 2008, pp. 351–352). By making this distinction, we tried to keep theory and pedagogy apart. We concur with Renkl that educational applications such as the use of meaningful problems do not belong to the epistemological core of constructivism. In our view, however, introducing epistemology when discussing constructivism is adding a third perspective besides a theory of learning and a theory of instruction. 
 Abstract
Recent research shows that, as students interpret the demands of the assessment tasks, they vary their approaches to learning in order to cope with the assessment tasks. Three research questions are central in the present paper: (1) Do students who participate in a constructivist learning environment change their perception of assessment demands towards more deep level demands? (2) Do students in a constructivist learning environment change their approaches to learning towards a more deep approach to learning? (3) Is there a relation between change in approaches to learning and change in the perceptions of the assessment demands? Students following the course ‘Education and psychology’ of the teacher training program at the University of Antwerp completed questionnaires during the first, the second and the final lesson of the course. One questionnaire measured their approaches to learning and the other their general perceptions of the assessment demands. The course ‘Education and psychology’ can be labelled as a ‘constructivist learning environment’ with congruent assessment methods. Results of the paired sampled t-tests indicated that students indeed do change their perceptions of assessment demands towards more deep level demands. However, the results also indicated that students did not change their approach to learning towards a more deep approach. On the contrary, students seem to develop more surface approaches to learning during the course. Correlation analyses indicated that only changes of perceptions of assessment demands towards less surface levels are significantly related to changes in approaches to learning, towards a more surface approach. Results of the stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that students’ approach to learning at the beginning of the course seems to have a higher impact on the extent to which they change their approach to learning than how students perceive the demands of the assessment within the course. These results point us to the complexity of the relationship between the learning environment, the students’ perceptions of assessment demands, and students’ approaches to learning.

Keywords  Constructivism - Assessment demands - Approaches to learning - Perceptions
 Abstract
The study explored English as a Second Language (ESL) learner development. In particular, it focused on investigating learners’ understanding of reading and their willingness to be engaged in strategic reading in participatory classroom activities. It also examined possible effects of such pedagogy on reading performance. The context was a two-month strategy-based reading instruction program, set within a constructivist framework. The program emphasized developing students’ academic reading proficiency. The study, quasi-experimental in design, involved a control group and an experimental group, both of whom were ESL students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The students were expected to satisfy an intensive English communication skills requirement in order to be successfully matriculated into English-medium universities in Singapore. The results showed that the teacher’s strategy-based instructional intervention evolving around participatory activities affected changes in the ESL students’ use of reading strategies and improvement in comprehension. These findings are discussed in relation to PRC students in study-abroad contexts, especially the cultures of learning that they bring along with them. Recommendations for further research are also made.

Keywords  Constructivist pedagogy - Strategy-based reading instruction - Chinese cultures of learning - Reading strategies - Chinese ESL learners - China - Singapore 
 Abstract
This study explores cross-age peers’ tutoring behavior to support freshmen collaborating online. The study fits in with the need to inquire into the process of peer facilitation in CSCL-environments and focuses on types of peer support and on the evolution over time. The study was conducted with 19 pairs of fourth-year students, each tutoring one asynchronous discussion group of about 10 freshmen during one semester. A content analysis scheme was developed to analyze tutors’ contributions [Weinberger & Fisher (2006). Computers & Education, 46, 71–95; Garrison et al. (2000). The Internet and Higher Education, 2, 87–105]. Full transcripts were coded and units of meaning were chosen as units of analysis. As to the types of peer support, the results reveal a variety of tutoring interventions. Most often tutors provide organizational and social support. Further, they facilitate knowledge construction and concentrate on elucidating learning contents. Only exceptionally tutors engage in off-task talk. As to the evolution over time, the results show a gradual decline in the amount of tutor contributions. Further, multinomial logistic regressions reveal variation in the occurrence of different types of support. Peer tutors did however not evolve from modeling high-quality discussion behavior to eliciting this in the tutees (coaching). At all times tutors preferred addressing their interventions to the entire group.

Keywords  Computer-supported collaborative learning - Higher education - Peer tutoring - Peer facilitation
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[[GettingStarted]]
 Abstract
In on-demand education, students often experience problems with directing their own learning processes. A Structured Task Evaluation and Planning Portfolio (STEPP) was designed to help students develop 3 basic self-directed learning skills: Assessing the quality of own performance, formulating learning needs, and selecting future learning tasks. A case study with 10 first-year students in the domain of hairdressing was conducted to evaluate STEPP’s use, usability, and perceived effectiveness. Results from student interviews show that usability and use are influenced by several factors. Students with low prior hairdressing skills, a weakly developed personal approach to direct their own learning, and an inclination to update STEPP as part of their weekly routine, use STEPP more frequently than students without these characteristics. Both the supervisor and students who frequently used STEPP perceived its use as a positive contribution to the development of self-directed learning skills. Furthermore, this study provides guidelines for the design of development portfolios in on-demand education.

Keywords  Development portfolio - On-demand education - Self-directed learning - Secondary vocational education
 Abstract
Many pupils have difficulties with the abstract verbal information in history lessons. In this study we assessed the value of active construction of multimodal representations of historical phenomena. In an experimental study we compared the learning outcomes of pupils who co-constructed textual representations, visual-textual representations, or visual-textual representations integrated in a timeline. 85 pupils in pre-vocational secondary education, aged 12–13, worked in dyads on a series of four history tasks. All pupils took a pre-test, post-test and retention test. Results show that working on visual-textual representations integrated in a timeline leads to higher short-term results than co-constructing textual representations. Dialogue analyses for two dyads working in the condition with visual-textual representations integrated in a timeline indicate that the extent to which pupils verbally integrate textual and visual information differs for the four different tasks.

Keywords  Visual representations - Multimodal representations - Collaboration - History learning
 Abstract
“I believe that he/she is telling the truth”, “I know about the solar system”: what epistemic criteria do students use to distinguish between knowledge and beliefs? If knowing and believing are conceptually distinguishable, do students of different grade levels use the same criteria to differentiate the two constructs? How do students understand the relationship between the two constructs? This study involved 219 students (116 girls and 103 boys); 114 were in 8th grade and 105 in 13th grade. Students had to (a) choose which of 5 graphic representations outlined better the relationship between the two constructs and to justify their choice; (b) rate a list of factual/validated, non-factual/non-validated and ambiguous statements as either knowledge or belief, and indicate for each statement their degree of truthfulness, acceptance and on which sources their views were based. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed. The data showed how students distinguish knowledge from belief conceptually and justify their understanding of the relationship between the two constructs. Although most students assigned a higher epistemic status to knowledge, school grade significantly differentiated the epistemic criteria used to distinguish the two constructs. The study indicates the educational importance of considering the notions of knowledge and belief that students bring into the learning situation.

Keywords  Knowledge - Beliefs - Epistemic criteria - Epistemological thinking - Epistemological beliefs
 Abstract
Acquiring research skills is considered to be a highly challenging aspect of developing expertise in the social sciences. Because instruction and mentoring in these skills are typically grounded in the self-report of researchers, difficulties in learning the material may be due to the content and accuracy of these explanations. Using a mixed-method, microgenetic design, this study examines the explanations of problem-solving processes by researchers along a continuum of expertise during simulated experiment design and subsequent data analysis. Findings indicate that participants’ self-explanations are largely inaccurate. Further, frequency of inaccurate statements is positively associated with the frequency of abstract cognitive processes, such as mental modeling and situation assessment. Implications of these findings for instruction and future research directions are discussed.

Keywords  Expertise - Research methodology - Automaticity - Self-report - Scientific problem solving
 Abstract
In a retrospective study, we compared school performance of 53 children practicing music (group 1) with 67 controls not practicing music (group 2). Overall average marks as well as average marks of all school subjects except sports were significantly higher in children who do (group 1) than in those who do not practice music (group 2). In a multiple regression analysis, musical training, parent’s income, and educational level (grades) correlated significantly with overall average marks. A slight decrease of overall average marks over 4 years from grades 3 to 6 was found in the control group only. Musical training evidently correlates with children’s better performance at school, but is obviously part of a multifactorial dependence. Continuous musical training appears to help achieve and maintain school performance at a high level over time.

Keywords  Music - Musical training - School performance - Mark - Marks - Grade - Grades
 Abstract
The present study examines how changes in the amount of on-screen text will influence student learning from a multimedia instructional unit on basic concepts of coordinate geometry. The relative effectiveness of two different versions (short-text and whole-text) of the instructional unit was examined for students who differed in terms of their ability to remember symbolic units, symbolic systems and symbolic interpretations. A total of 101 seventh graders were randomly assigned to work with either the whole-text or the short-text version. Student gains were analyzed using pre-test, post-test and retention test scores. Memory ability was assessed by the sub-tests of the Structure of Intellect-Learning Abilities Test. Results indicated no significant differences between groups who worked with short-text and whole-text versions. However retention scores of high and low memory groups who worked with the whole-text version showed significant differences. The whole-text version was observed to favor students with high memory for symbolic implications. Results suggest that workability of design principles for multimedia instruction may depend on the nature of the task and characteristics of the learner.

Keywords  Multimedia instruction - Cognitive demand - Cognitive load - On-screen text - Coordinate geometry
 Abstract
Due to the complexity of the legal domain, reasoning about law cases is a very complex skill. For novices in law school, legal reasoning is even more complex because they have not yet acquired the conceptual knowledge needed for distilling the relevant information from cases, determining applicable rules, and searching for rules and exceptions in external information sources such as lawbooks. This study investigated the role of conceptual knowledge in solving legal cases when no information sources can be used. Under such ‘unsupported’ circumstances, novice and advanced students performed less well than domain experts, but even experts’ performance was rather low. The second question addressed was whether novices even benefit from the availability of information sources (i.e., lawbook), because conceptual knowledge is prerequisite for effective use of such sources. Indeed availability of the lawbook positively affected performance only for advanced students but not for novice students. Implications for learning and instruction in the domain of law are discussed.

Keywords  Higher eduction - Conceptual knowledge - Information sources - Reasoning - Novices - Experts - Cognitive load
 Abstract
Two studies examined the effects of four types of teachers’ evaluative feedback on Chinese students’ self-efficacy in English vocabulary acquisition. In Study 1, a random sample of Grade 8 students (N = 79) learned prefixes and received either formative or summative feedback after failure in test. The results showed that students who received summative feedback showed a larger decrease in their self-efficacy than those who received formative feedback. In Study 2, a random sample of Grade 7 students (N = 77) went through similar procedures as in Study 1 except that students received either self-referenced or norm-referenced feedback. The results showed that self-referenced feedback was more beneficial to students’ self-efficacy than norm-referenced feedback. The influences of teachers’ evaluation and feedback on students’ self-efficacy are discussed.

Keywords  Self-efficacy - Control - Teacher feedback - Evaluation - Goal theory 
 Abstract
The study investigates immediate and delayed effects of different hypermedia glosses on incidental vocabulary learning and reading comprehension of advanced foreign language learners. Sixty-nine freshman TEFL students studying at a Turkish university were randomly assigned to three types of annotations: (a) definitions of words, (b) definitions coupled with associated pictures, and (c) definitions coupled with associated short videos. Subjects were asked to read an annotated text with the intention of comprehension. The data were collected through a vocabulary pre-test, a vocabulary post-test, a delayed vocabulary test as well as a reading comprehension test. In order to measure incidental vocabulary learning, subjects were not told that they were going to be given vocabulary tests. Results showed that the groups that had access to definitions along with both types of visuals had significantly higher vocabulary scores on both immediate and delayed post-tests than the definition only group. However, no differences were observed on the reading comprehension test. Finally, the qualitative data revealed that hypermedia reading had positive impact on participants’ attitudes towards foreign language reading and vocabulary learning.

Keywords  Multimedia/hypermedia systems - Media in education - Generative Theory of multimedia learning - Second/foreign language learning - Incidental vocabulary learning - Reading comprehension 
 Abstract
This research investigates the role of representational guidance by comparing the effects of two different representational tools. We used a design with two different groups defined by the type of argumentative diagram students co-constructed while working in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The Graphical Debate-tool offered different representational guidance than the Textual Debate-tool. The results show that groups that worked with the Graphical Debate-tool constructed representations of higher quality and wrote essays that were better in terms of grounds quality. Furthermore, working with the Graphical Debate-tool was found to have a positive effect on students’ learning as measured by a knowledge post-test. In contrast to our expectations however, there was little difference between the two conditions regarding the online collaboration process. It can be concluded that representational guidance has an impact on group and individual performance and should therefore be taken into account during instructional design.

Keywords  Computer-supported collaborative learning - Representational tools - Argumentative tasks - Visualizations - Secondary education
 Abstract
This paper reports on a study that examined the cumulative effects on students’ learning of science, and perceptions of the role of writing in learning, when the students engaged in multiple writing tasks with planning strategy support. The study was conducted with Year 10 biology students who completed two consecutive units on Cells and Molecular Biology. A mixed method study was implemented using a pre-/post-test design with a focus on student performance on higher order conceptual questions, and semi-structured interviews with treatment students after the completion of each unit of study. Results from the quantitative component indicated that multiple, non-conventional writing had a significant benefit in helping students learn Molecular Biology. The results for the Cell unit were not so conclusive suggesting the strategies are most useful for novel content. The interviews with students demonstrated that they understood and engaged successfully with both the conceptual and linguistic demands of the tasks. These findings, taken as a whole, confirm that multiple writing tasks can support effective student learning, provided various pedagogical conditions are met.

Keywords  biology - conceptual change - mixed-method - science - writing
The formulation of robust and empirically-funded instructional principles is one of the major goals of instructional science. Research on aptitude-treatment interactions (ATIs) have, however, shown that instructional principles usually do not apply to any type of learner. As learners’ prior knowledge is the most important learning pre-requisite, it is clear that instructional principles should take prior knowledge into account: What could be beneficial for beginning learners might get detrimental for advanced learners. In recent years, the concept of the expertise reversal effect—developed within the framework of cognitive load theory—has inspired a renewed interest on the interactions between levels of learner prior knowledge and effectiveness of different instructional techniques and procedures.
 Abstract
The reported study compared the instructional effectiveness of Modern English explanatory interpretations of Shakespearean play extracts integrated line by line into original Elizabethan English text, with a conventional unguided original text condition. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the explanatory notes group reported a lower cognitive load and performed better in a comprehension test than the control group when students had no prior knowledge of the text. In Experiment 2, a reverse effect occurred when the same material was presented to a group of Shakespearean experts. Experiment 3 replicated the results of Experiment 1 using a different Shakespearean play. The study demonstrated that the relative effectiveness of instructional conditions depended on learner levels of expertise. In accordance with the expertise reversal effect, the benefits of guided instruction reversed and became detrimental for learners with high prior knowledge levels. Retrospective verbal protocols indicated that the explanations were redundant for expert readers.

Keywords  Cognitive load theory - Expertise reversal effect - Redundancy effect - Shakespearean texts - Explanatory notes
 Abstract
This article presents two longitudinal studies that investigated expertise reversal effects in journal writing. In Experiment 1, students wrote regular journal entries over a whole term. The experimental group received a combination of cognitive and metacognitive prompts. The control group received no prompts. In the first half of the term, the experimental group applied more cognitive and metacognitive strategies in their journals and showed higher learning outcomes than the control group. Towards the end of the term, the amount of cognitive and metacognitive strategies elicited by the experimental group decreased while the number of cognitive strategies applied by the control group increased. Accordingly, the experimental group lost its superiority on learning outcomes. In order to avoid these negative long-term effects of prompts, a gradual and adaptive fading-out of the prompts was introduced in the experimental group in Experiment 2 while a control group received permanent prompts. The results showed that, over the course of the term, the fading group applied increasingly more cognitive strategies while the control group applied fewer and fewer cognitive strategies. Accordingly, at the end of the term, the permanent prompts group showed substantially lower learning outcomes than the fading group. Together, these results provide evidence for an expertise reversal effect in writing-to-learn. The more the students became skilled in journal writing and internalized the desired strategies, the more the external guidance by prompts became a redundant stimulus that interfered with the students’ internal tendency to apply the strategies and, thus, induced extraneous cognitive load. Accordingly, a gradual fading-out of the prompts in line with the learners’ growing competencies proved to be effective in mitigating the negative side-effects of the provided instructional support.

Keywords  Journal writing - Cognitive and metacognitive strategies - Expertise-reversal effect - Writing-to-learn - Prompts - Fading-procedures - Instructional design
 Abstract
The influence of prior knowledge and cognitive development on the effectiveness of iconic representations in science visualizations was examined. Middle and high school students (N = 186) were given narrated visualizations of two chemistry topics: Kinetic Molecular Theory (Day 1) and Ideal Gas Laws (Day 2). For half of the visualizations, iconic representations of key information were added. Results indicated a main effect of prior knowledge on learning in Day 1. In Day 2, a three-way interaction was found between prior knowledge, age group and icons: icons were effective for all middle school students and for high school students with low prior knowledge, but were not effective for high school students with high prior knowledge. These findings indicate that the expertise reversal effect can be mediated by cognitive development and other factors, not just domain specific prior knowledge.

Keywords  Simulation - Expertise reversal - Science visualization - Multimedia learning - Cognitive development - Cognitive load
 Abstract
Research in the area of educational technology has claimed that Web technology has driven online pedagogy such that teachers need to know how to use Web technology to assist their teaching. This study provides a framework for understanding teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge-Web (TPCK-W), while integrating Web technology into their pedagogical practice. Furthermore, contemporary educational researchers have highlighted the significance of teachers’ self-efficacy, conceptualized as the teachers’ perceptions of their own competence at teaching, and related to instructional strategies as well as teaching effectiveness. The major purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in terms of their TPCK-W. This study aimed to develop a new questionnaire, namely the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge-Web (TPCK-W) Survey to explore teachers’ self-efficacy in terms of their TPCK-W, and additionally to assess their attitudes toward Web-based instruction. The participants in this study were 558 teachers from elementary school to high school level in Taiwan. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the TPCK-W survey developed in this study has satisfactory validity and reliability characteristics. The results indicate a lack of general knowledge about Web-related pedagogy amongst the teachers surveyed. The correlations between teachers’ self-efficacy in terms of their TPCK-W, their attitudes regarding Web-based instruction, and their background variables were also examined. Correlations were found between self-efficacy and positive attitudes to web-based instruction. Older and more experienced teachers were found to have lower levels of self-efficacy with respect to TPCK-W, though teachers with more experience of using the web (including for instruction) had higher levels of self-efficacy with respect to TPCK-W.

Keywords  Self-efficacy - Technological pedagogical content knowledge - Teacher - Web teaching - Questionnaire
 Abstract
This paper tested the deep-level reasoning questions effect in the domains of computer literacy between eighth and tenth graders and Newtonian physics for ninth and eleventh graders. This effect claims that learning is facilitated when the materials are organized around questions that invite deep-reasoning. The literature indicates that vicarious learners in college student populations show greater pretest to posttest learning gains when presented with deep-level reasoning questions before each content sentence, than when deep-level questions are omitted, or when learners interact with an intelligent tutoring system. This effect holds for vicarious learners across grade levels and domains.

Keywords  Vicarious learning - Deep-level reasoning questions - Questions and learning - Randomized classroom research - Physics - Computer literacy
 Abstract
We collected think-aloud, pre-test, post-test, and motivation data from 43 undergraduates to examine the impact of conceptual scaffolds on the fluctuation of certain motivation constructs and use of self-regulatory processes during learning with hypermedia. Participants were randomly assigned to either the No Scaffolding (NS) or Conceptual Scaffolding (CS) condition. During the experimental session, each participant individually completed a pre-test on the circulatory system, a pre-task motivation questionnaire, one 30-min hypermedia learning task during which they learned about the circulatory system, a motivation questionnaire at three regular intervals during this learning task, a post-test on the circulatory system, and a post-task motivation questionnaire. Results indicated that while participants in both conditions gained declarative knowledge, participants who received conceptual scaffolds during learning demonstrated deeper understanding of the circulatory system on the post-test. In terms of self-regulatory processes, the results indicated that participants in the CS condition used significantly more planning processes during learning than participants in the NS condition. Additionally, participants in both conditions significantly decreased their use of strategies as they progressed through the learning task. Regarding motivation while learning with hypermedia, results indicated that participants in both conditions reported significantly increased levels of interest as they progressed through the learning task. Furthermore, participants in the CS condition reported the task as being easier and putting forth less effort than participants in the NS condition.

Keywords  Self-regulated learning - Hypermedia - Motivation - Science - Scaffold - Mixed methods
 Abstract
This article investigates whether different formats of visualizing information result in different mental models constructed in learning from pictures, whether the different mental models lead to different patterns of performance in subsequently presented tasks, and how these visualization effects can be modified by further external representations during task performance. A total of 80 university students learned from an illustrated text different day times and different dates exist simultaneously on the earth. One half of the participants received the text combined with pictures visualizing the earth as a kind of carpet (carpet pictures), whereas the other half received the text combined with pictures visualizing the earth surface as a circle (circle pictures). After learning, the participants received a test including different kinds of tasks. In both visualization groups, one half of the participants solved the tasks with an additional external representation, whereas the other half solved the tasks without an external representation. The findings indicate that the form of visualization affects the structure of mental models. Different structures of mental models result in different patterns of performance, when individuals solve tasks based only on their mental representations acquired during their previous learning. However, these effects decrease, when further external representations are made available to the learners. The findings are discussed within a broader framework of learning with multiple external representations.

Keywords  Picture comprehension - External representations - Mental representations - Visualization
 Abstract
The paper introduces a framework concerning conceptions of teaching and learning of advanced graduate students and the trajectory of change in their conceptions following a formal course on course design and teaching. Students were enrolled in six sections of this graduate course, two offered in a 6-week format and 4 in a 13-week format. The courses were taught by three different instructors. Data were obtained from 88 doctoral students before and after the course using four questions pertaining to the meaning of effective teaching, effective learning, role of the teacher, and role of the learner. Using an open coding procedure, four conceptions were identified. These were transmitting knowledge, preparing context/managing instruction, promoting course learning, and promoting life-long learning. The generalized linear model procedure was used to conduct within and between group pre and post course comparisons. Overall, there was a significant change in response frequency ratios in all four categories across all courses, indicating a decrease in the responses in the first two categories and an increase in the frequency of responses in the last two categories. No significant differences were attributed to course type or instructor.

Keywords  Teaching conceptions - Higher education - Change in conceptions - Thinking about teaching and learning - Graduate teaching development
 Abstract
This article presents the design and evaluation of a tool for inspecting conceptual models of system behaviour. The basis for this research is the Garp framework for qualitative simulation. This framework includes modelling primitives, such as entities, quantities and causal dependencies, which are combined into model fragments and scenarios. Given a library of model fragments and a scenario describing an initial situation, the qualitative simulation engine generates predictions in the form of a state–transition graph. This rich knowledge representation has potential for educational purposes. However, communicating the contents of simulation models effectively to learners is not trivial. The predicate logic format used by Garp is not easy for non-experts to understand, and a simulation often contains so much information that it is difficult to get an overview while still having access to detailed information. To address these problems, a tool has been developed that generates graphical representations of the information contained in a qualitative simulation. This tool, named VisiGarp, incorporates a vocabulary of graphical elements for model ingredients and relationships, and combines these into interactive diagrams. VisiGarp has been evaluated by thirty students, with promising results, using a setup which included simulation results and exercises about Brazilian Cerrado ecology.

Keywords  Qualitative simulation - Qualitative reasoning and modelling - Conceptual models of system behaviour - Diagrammatic visualization - Simulation-based learning environments
 Abstract
The relationships between heuristic literacy development and mathematical achievements of middle school students were explored during a 5-month classroom experiment in two 8th grade classes (N = 37). By heuristic literacy we refer to an individual’s capacity to use heuristic vocabulary in problem-solving discourse and to approach scholastic mathematical problems by using a variety of heuristics. During the experiment the heuristic constituent of curriculum-determined topics in algebra and geometry was gradually revealed and promoted by means of incorporating heuristic vocabulary in classroom discourse and seizing opportunities to use the same heuristics in different mathematical contexts. Students’ heuristic literacy development was indicated by means of individual thinking-aloud interviews and their mathematical achievements – by means of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. We found that heuristic literacy development and changes in mathematical achievements are correlated yet distributed unequally among the students. In particular, the same students, who progressed with respect to SAT scores, progressed also with respect to their heuristic literacy. Those students, who were weaker with respect to SAT scores at the beginning of the intervention, demonstrated more significant progress regarding both measures.

Keywords  classroom experiment - heuristics - heuristic literacy - mathematical problem solving - mathematical achievements - thinking-aloud interviews
 Abstract
More and more educators and researchers use ICT-tools to support collaborative learning. Research has shown that, for collaborative learning to be more effective than individual learning, individual learners have to achieve a sufficiently common cognitive frame of reference, or common ground. This common ground does not appear by itself, but rather often needs to be negotiated. This negotiation is seen as an important aspect of collaborative learning. This article presents a study with NTool, an ICT-tool to support the negotiation of common ground. NTool supports learners in making their individual perspectives explicit to others so that common ground can be negotiated. Two versions of the tool differing in the extent to which users were coerced into adhering to embedded support principles were used in a secondary vocational education setting. Coercion, as expected, increased negotiation of common ground in both settings. However, results were contradictory with regard to the extent to which common ground was achieved. Overall, it can be concluded that NTool and its underlying framework affect negotiation of common ground, and that adding some coercion increases this effect. However, when learners have no prior experience in collaborative complex problem-solving, NTool may only affect surface aspects of communication.

Keywords  Common ground - Negotiation - ICT-tools - Coercion - Secondary vocational education - Complex problem-solving
 Abstract
This study, the purpose of which is to determine an efficient instructional design for different levels of spatial abilities, investigates: (1) the main effects of visual treatments in simulation environments on comprehension and the transfer of chemistry knowledge and (2) the interaction effects of the visual treatments and the learners’ spatial abilities. Two hundred and fifty-seven middle school students were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions. The results indicated: (1) a significant main effect of the treatment condition for both comprehension (p < 0.001) and transfer (p < 0.005) tests, where the treatment group performed better than the control group and (2) a significant interaction effect (p  < 0.05) between the instructional treatment conditions and level of spatial ability for the comprehension test: Low spatial ability learners performed better in the treatment group than in the control group, whereas high spatial ability learners performed similarly regardless of the instructional conditions.

Keywords  instructional design - multimedia learning - spatial ability
 Abstract
This study investigates instructors’ attitudes about student ratings of instruction. The sample consisted of 357 instructors at a major Canadian university, where student evaluation is carried out in all courses at the end of each term. Instructors tend to agree that the student rating practice is an acceptable means of assessing institutional integrity, and is useful to administrators in making summative decisions. However, they consider the student evaluations only marginally valuable in their impact on enhancing instruction. Implications for the development of student ratings are discussed.

Keywords  Student evaluation - Student ratings - Teaching instruction
 Abstract
The Direct-instruction Model favors the use of teacher explanations and modeling combined with student practice and feedback to teach thinking skills. Using this paradigm, this study incorporates e-learning during an 18-week experimental instruction period that includes 48 preservice teachers. The instructional design in this study emphasizes scaffolding, observational learning, mastery of critical-thinking skills, guided practices, cooperative learning, providing feedback, self-reflection, online discussions, and active participation in an online learning community. This study employs 2 critical-thinking tests, 2 inventories, and 1 open-ended reflection questionnaire; and students’ scores on the pretest and posttest are compared via the Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance. The primary findings are as follows: (a) all participants preferred the instructional design in this study; (b) the experimental instruction effectively improved the preservice teachers’ critical-thinking ability as well as their professional knowledge and personal teaching efficacy concerning critical-thinking instruction; (c) the mechanisms contributing to the effectiveness of the experimental instruction mainly included discussing and sharing, observational learning, self-reflection, guided practice, and the learning community.

Keywords  E-learning - Direct-instruction Model - Critical thinking - Learning community - Online discussion - Guided practice - Preservice teacher
 Abstract
This study investigated interactions between the isolated–interactive elements effect and levels of learner expertise with first year undergraduate university accounting students. The isolated–interactive elements effect occurs when learning is facilitated by initially presenting elements of information sequentially in an isolated form rather than in a fully interactive form. The expertise reversal effect occurs when the relevant advantage of one instructional technique over another reverses depending on the learner’s level of expertise. The results provided support for the predicted interaction with lower expertise students benefitting from the isolated elements instructional method, while students with more expertise learned more from the interacting elements format.

Keywords  Cognitive load theory - Expertise reversal effect - Isolated–interactive elements effect - Accountancy training
 Abstract
Although prior research has shown that experts tend to overestimate or underestimate what laypersons actually know, little is known about the specific consequences of biased estimations for communication. To investigate the impact of biased estimations of a layperson’s knowledge on the effectiveness of experts’ explanations, we conducted a web-based dialog experiment with 45 pairs of experts and laypersons. We manipulated the experts’ mental model of the layperson by presenting them either valid information about the layperson’s knowledge or information that was biased towards overestimation or underestimation. Results showed that the experts adopted the biased estimations and adapted their explanations accordingly. Consequently, the laypersons’ learning from the experts’ explanations was impaired when the experts overestimated or underestimated the layperson’s knowledge. In addition, laypersons whose knowledge was overestimated more often generated questions that reflected comprehension problems. Laypersons whose knowledge was underestimated asked mainly for additional information previously not addressed in the explanations. The results suggest that underestimating a learner during the instructional dialog is as detrimental to learning as is the overestimation of a learner’s knowledge. Thus, the provision of effective explanations presupposes an accurate mental model of the learner’s knowledge prerequisites.

Keywords  Adaptive instruction - Advice giving - Computer-mediated communication - Expert-layperson communication - Informal learning - Learning from instructional texts - Question asking
 Abstract
This paper reports on a study designed to investigate (a) whether peer review is an effective pedagogical activity with adult Chinese students in the teaching of second language (L2) academic writing and (b) how factors such as perceptions of the influence of peer reviewers’ L2 proficiency, previous experience with peer review, feedback preferences, and culturally-based beliefs and practices relate to the effectiveness of the pedagogical activity. Participants were 20 English-as-an-L2 learners from China who were enrolled in an academic writing class for postgraduate students at a Singaporean university. Data included first drafts of an academic writing assignment, written peer comments, revised drafts of the assignment, responses to a questionnaire, and interviews. Quantitative analyses of the peer comments and revisions to the drafts show that significant improvement in the revised drafts was linked to peer feedback. Further statistical analyses indicate that the learner variables of interest did not affect the effectiveness of the peer review activity. In addition, qualitative analyses of the questionnaire data and the interviews reveal a general acceptance of peer review as a socioculturally appropriate pedagogical activity for Chinese students. The results of the study are interpreted with an understanding of its limitations, and directions for further research are also discussed.

Keywords  Second language academic writing - Chinese ESL learners - Feedback on student writing - Peer review - Process-oriented writing instruction - Revision in second language writing
 Abstract
Productive knowledge work and high-level literacy are essential for engagement in a Knowledge society. In the research reported in this article, students were engaged in sustained collaborative knowledge building in science and social studies. The vocabulary growth of 22 students over Grades 3 and 4 was traced, based on their entries to Knowledge Forum—a knowledge building environment used as an integral part of classroom work. It is the communal space where knowledge work–ideas, reference material, results of experiments, and so forth–is entered and continually improved. Analysis of lexical frequency profiles indicated significant growth in productive written vocabulary, including academic words. In a Grade 4 inquiry, students incorporated almost all the domain-specific terms at and below their current grade level, and most of those expected for upper grade levels (5–8) based on the curriculum guidelines. Domain-specific and academic words were correlated with depth of understanding. High correlations between student engagement in knowledge building and vocabulary growth suggest that productive vocabulary can be developed through sustained knowledge building in subject areas.

Keywords  Knowledge building - Literacy - Vocabulary learning - Online discourse - Lexical frequency profiles
 Abstract
This paper operationalized the notion of knowledge convergence and assessed quantitatively how much knowledge convergence occurred during collaborative learning. Knowledge convergence was defined as an increase in common knowledge where common knowledge referred to the knowledge that all collaborating partners had. Twenty pairs of college students collaborated to learn a science text about the human circulatory system. Comparisons of individual pre-test and post-test performance revealed that students shared more knowledge pieces and mental models after collaboration. Although the amount of convergence was modest, analyses showed that collaborative interaction was responsible for the increase in common knowledge. The increase in common knowledge was observed in knowledge that was never stated in the learning text as well as in knowledge that was explicitly presented in the text. The amount of convergence was related to interaction such that real pairs shared more knowledge than nominal pairs, and more interactive pairs shared more inferred knowledge than less interactive pairs. Collaborative dialogues and learning artifacts (e.g., drawings) also indicated that common knowledge was constructed during collaboration. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between the impression of strong convergence assumed in the literature and the results of this study are discussed along with the need to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the notion that includes its process, outcome, and sources of convergence.

Keywords  Collaborative learning - common knowledge - knowledge convergence - shared cognition - text comprehension
 Abstract
The interactivity principle in multimedia learning states that giving learners control over pace and order of instructions decreases cognitive load and increases transfer performance. We tested this guideline by comparing a learner-paced instruction with a system-paced instruction. Time-on-task and interactive behavior were logged, and were also related to interest, prior knowledge, and cognitive involvement. We successfully replicated the interactivity principle in terms of better transfer. However, this coincided with a large increase in time-on-task. Also, large individual differences existed in the use of learner control options, which were mostly unrelated to the other variables. Thus, the benefits of introducing learner control in multimedia learning are at the expense of learning efficiency, and it remains unclear for whom the interactivity principle works best.

Keywords  Multimedia learning - Cognitive load - Learner control - Interactivity principle
 Abstract
Animated graphics are extensively used in multimedia instructions explaining how natural or artificial dynamic systems work. As animation directly depicts spatial changes over time, it is legitimate to believe that animated graphics will improve comprehension over static graphics. However, the research failed to find clear evidence in favour of animation. Animation may also be used to promote interactions in computer-supported collaborative learning. In this setting as well, the empirical studies have not confirmed the benefits that one could intuitively expect from the use of animation. One explanation is that multimedia, including animated graphics, challenges human processing capacities, and in particular imposes a substantial working memory load. We designed an experimental study involving three between-subjects factors: the type of multimedia instruction (with static or animated graphics), the presence of snapshots of critical steps of the system (with or without snapshots) and the learning setting (individual or collaborative). The findings indicate that animation was overall beneficial to retention, while for transfer, only learners studying collaboratively benefited from animated over static graphics. Contrary to our expectations, the snapshots were marginally beneficial to learners studying individually and significantly detrimental to learners studying in dyads. The results are discussed within the multimedia comprehension framework in order to propose the conditions under which animation can benefit to learning.

Keywords  Multimedia - Animation - Learning - Collaboration - Dynamic mental model
 Abstract
This goal of this study was to examine the differences between lecturers and students’ perceptions of the accessibility of instructional materials. The perceptions of 12 mature computing distance education students and 12 computing lecturers were examined using the knowledge elicitation techniques of card sorting and laddering. The study showed that lecturers had pedagogical views while students tended to concentrate on surface attributes such as appearance. Students perceived instructional materials containing visual representations as most accessible. This has two implications for the professional development of computing lecturers designing instructional materials. First, lecturers need to appreciate the differences between expert and novice views of accessibility and how students will engage with the materials. Second, lecturers need to understand that learners perceive instructional materials containing visual representations as more accessible compared to ‘text only’ versions. Hence greater use of these may enable students to engage more readily in learning. Given that print is the ubiquitous teaching medium this is likely to have implications for students and lecturers in other disciplines.

Key words  Instructional materials - visual representations - teacher–student differences - deep and surface learning - dual coding theory
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[[使用說明|GettingStarted]]


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 Abstract
Posing questions about an article might improve one’s knowledge—a cognitive function, or monitor one’s thought processes—a metacognitive function. This study focuses on guided question posing while using a metacognitive strategy by 12th grade honors chemistry students. We investigated the ways by which the metacognitive strategy affected students’ skills to pose complex questions and to analyze them according to a specially designed taxonomy. Our learning unit, Case-based computerized laboratories, emphasizes learning through chemical case studies, accompanied by tasks, that call for posing questions to which the answer cannot be found in the text. Teachers equipped their students with a metacognitive strategy for assessing the quality of their own questions and characterizing them according to a three-component taxonomy: content, thinking level, and chemistry understanding levels. The participants were 793 experimental and 138 comparison chemistry students. Research instruments included interviews and case-based-questionnaires. Interviews with students revealed that using the metacognitive strategy the students had been taught, they were capable of analyzing the questions they generated with the taxonomy. The questionnaires showed that students significantly improved their question posing skill, as well as the complexity level of the questions they posed. A significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group students. Stimulating students to generate complex questions with a metacognitive strategy in mind enabled them to be aware of their own cognitive process and to self-regulate it with respect to the learning task.

Keywords  Question posing skill - Metacognitive strategy - Case studies - Higher order thinking skills - Chemistry understanding levels
 Abstract
Animated models explicating how a problem is solved and why a particular method is chosen are expected to be effective learning tools for novices, especially when abstract cognitive processes or concepts are involved. Cognitive load theory was used to investigate how learners could be stimulated to engage in genuine learning activities. It was hypothesized that illusion of control would impede transfer performance compared to a condition without illusion of control. Moreover, we hypothesized that learners who first studied an animated model and then solved the same problem would perform better on transfer than learners who studied the same animated model twice or who first solved the problem and then studied the animated model. In a 2 × 3 factorial experiment (N = 90) with the factors illusion of control (yes vs. no) and instruction method (study–practice, practice–study, study–study) only the first hypothesis was confirmed. Implications for the design of animated models are discussed.

Keywords  Modeling - Animations - Cognitive load theory - Perceived control 
 Abstract
There is not yet a great deal of research in formal online learning environments focusing on the seemingly “off-topic” conversations that small groups engage in as they complete learning tasks together. This study uses the theory of common ground as a framework to explore what participants are talking about when not discussing the concepts to be learned and how participants negotiate common ground in distance learning environments, including their use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. The e-mail, discussion forum, and chat transcripts of 10 small groups comprised of experienced distance learners were investigated using computer-mediated discourse analysis (CMDA), particularly attending to functional moves exchanged while completing tasks. Findings were as follows. First, groups talked more about off-topic issues such as logistics, social and technology concerns than they did the concepts to be learned. Second, they used the discussion forum more than chat or e-mail, but they did not vary much in their choice of mode for talking about particular topics. Finally, the groups established common ground through being explicitly responsive, responsible, and relational. Implications are that highly structured learning tasks should be balanced with more open-ended discussions that require less attention to logistic detail, students should be encouraged to attend to grounding strategies, and students should remain in the same groups long enough to develop such strategies.

Keywords  Online discussion - Online learning - Collaborative learning - Distance learning - Common ground - Computer-mediated communication
 Abstract
Using cluster analysis this study investigated the characteristics of learning strategies learners use in online courses with one-on-one mentoring. Three distinct approaches were identified: “Mastery oriented”, “Task focused” and “Minimalist in effort”. Despite the widespread concern that students will have difficulty managing their time in online courses with high level of student freedom, this study found that the vast majority of learners were very effective in their learning strategies. The findings speak well for the potential of distance education environments to provide high quality self-paced learning, accommodating different learning strategies, which is difficult to do in group-paced courses. We further explored how these approaches relate to and interact with, participants’ background and their levels of satisfaction and self reported learning.

Keywords  Learning strategies - Online learning - Online professional development - Distance education - Learner characteristics - Cluster analysis - Problem based learning
 Abstract
The aim of this paper is to study the online teaching styles of two teachers who each tutor a networked learning community (NLC), within the same workshop. The study is undertaking empirical work using a multi-method approach in order to triangulate and contextualise our findings and enrich our understanding of the teacher participation in these NLCs. We apply social network analysis (SNA) to visualise the social structure of the NLC, content analysis (CA) to identify learning and teaching processes, critical event recall (CER) to gather the teacher’s personal experiences and intentions. This paper reports some of the current findings of our work and discusses future prospects. This study is part of a continuing international study that is investigating networked collaborative learning as a way to develop a rich descriptive body of evidence of tutoring and learning processes in e-learning.

Keywords  computer-mediated-communication - CSCL - learning communities - multi-method - networked learning - online teaching - online tutoring - timeline analysis - triangulation
 Abstract
Teachers routinely make decisions regarding the best pedagogical methods for altering students’ understandings about academic content. Such practices are at the root of teaching as persuasion, and have been shown to be related to academic achievement. Yet very little research has investigated the extent to which individuals learning to be teachers (i.e., preservice teachers) feel they are capable of performing the practices underlying teaching as persuasion. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preservice teachers see themselves as capable of performing persuasive pedagogical practices compared to more general teaching practices as operationalized on well-researched measures of teacher efficacy. Results indicated that undergraduates enrolled in preservice teacher education courses perceived themselves as less capable of performing persuasive pedagogical practices than more generally accepted practices. In addition, preservice teachers perceived they were more capable of altering students’ knowledge about content than at modifying their beliefs about content. Implications for research and practice are forwarded.

Keywords  Teaching as persuasion - Teacher efficacy - Pedagogical practices
 Abstract
Two experiments investigated the effects of characteristic features of concept mapping used for prior knowledge activation. Characteristic demands of concept mapping include connecting lines representing the relationships between concepts and labeling these lines, specifying the type of the semantic relationships. In the first experiment, employing a within-subjects design, 20 psychology students completed a label-provided-lines economics mapping task and then a create-and-label-lines meteorology mapping task or vice versa. The analysis of 40 think-aloud protocols indicated more elaboration processes for the label-provided-lines task than for the create-and-label-lines task. On the other hand, the protocols indicated more model-construction and organization processes in the create-and-label-lines task. The second experiment used the same variation but focused on learning outcomes and perceived self-efficacy as dependent measures. Forty-two psychology students were randomly assigned to either a label-provided-lines mapping task or a create-and-label-lines mapping task. Subsequently, both groups completed a learning phase in a hypertext environment and a posttest. Results showed substantial differences in learning outcomes and perceived self-efficacy in favor of the label-provided-lines prior knowledge activation task. The findings are congruent with coherence effects found in text-comprehension research and support the position that concept mapping should not be seen as a unitary method but be differentiated according to the specific tasks to be completed.

Keywords  Prior knowledge activation - Concept mapping - Coherence - Mental set - Hypertext
 Abstract
This paper reports on a quasi-experimental study comparing a “productive failure” instructional design (Kapur in Cognition and Instruction 26(3):379–424, 2008) with a traditional “lecture and practice” instructional design for a 2-week curricular unit on rate and speed. Seventy-five, 7th-grade mathematics students from a mainstream secondary school in Singapore participated in the study. Students experienced either a traditional lecture and practice teaching cycle or a productive failure cycle, where they solved complex problems in small groups without the provision of any support or scaffolds up until a consolidation lecture by their teacher during the last lesson for the unit. Findings suggest that students from the productive failure condition produced a diversity of linked problem representations and methods for solving the problems but were ultimately unsuccessful in their efforts, be it in groups or individually. Expectedly, they reported low confidence in their solutions. Despite seemingly failing in their collective and individual problem-solving efforts, students from the productive failure condition significantly outperformed their counterparts from the lecture and practice condition on both well-structured and higher-order application problems on the post-tests. After the post-test, they also demonstrated significantly better performance in using structured-response scaffolds to solve problems on relative speed—a higher-level concept not even covered during instruction. Findings and implications of productive failure for instructional design and future research are discussed.

Keywords  Ill-structured problems - Failure in problem solving - Persistence - Classroom-based research - Mathematical problem solving
Finding the best match between learners’ expertise and instruction is a central issue in educational psychology. The idea that different learners might need different instruction gave rise to the concept of aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) launched by Cronbach and Snow (1977). The expertise reversal effect is a variant of an ATI effect. It occurs, when an instructional format that is beneficial for novices compared to other formats looses its advantage with increasing expertise of the learners and finally becomes disadvantageous for individuals with higher expertise (Kalyuga et al. 2003).

Expertise reversal effects have been found for example by Kalyuga et al. (1998, 2000, 2001a, b, 2003), Leahy et al. (2003). The contributions of this special issue further elaborate these findings. Oksa, Kalyuga, and Chandler (this issue) demonstrate that the expertise reversal effect can be found not only in well-structured, but also in ill-structured domains such as the interpretation of literacy. Nückles, Hübner, Dümer, and Renkl (this issue) show that the expertise reversal effect has also motivational aspects and applies to the use of strategies. The article of Homer and Plass (this issue) indicates that the effect is not only related to domain-specific prior knowledge, but also to the general developmental level of learners. The findings of Blayney, Kalyuga, and Sweller (this issue) argue for the importance of adapting learning environments to the changing levels of learner expertise in the use of spreadsheets. Finally, Salden, Aleven, Schwonke, and Renkl (this issue) address the question of balance between providing sufficient instructional assistance on the one hand and self-regulated generative learning on the other hand in the case of worked examples, and they demonstrate that adaptive fading of instructional assistance is crucial for effective learning.

There are some fundamental assumptions that can be found throughout the contributions of this special issue and in other papers on cognitive load theory. One assumption is that cognitive load is contingent to the limited capacity and duration of working memory. Another assumption refers to the concept of redundancy. It implies that information that is necessary for novices may become redundant for more advanced learners and may overload working memory. The following comments will analyze these assumptions more closely. It will be pointed out that some “silent” changes have taken place in cognitive load theory that are directly related to the expertise reversal effect. 
 Abstract
In order to fulfill social responsibility, one of the goals in science education is to equip students with the competence of scientific reasoning. Nevertheless, psychological studies have found that people in general do not have adequate ability to make scientific arguments in everyday situations. Later studies found that the inadequate ability was associated with the development of personal epistemology. However, the conclusion is drawn mostly from research with adults or adolescents. This study attempted to examine the relation between scientific reasoning in informal contexts and the epistemological perspectives demonstrated by elementary school pupils. Participants of the study were 62 sixth graders who were interviewed to criticize two science-related uncertain issues. Content analysis showed that most children had developed the absolutist form of personal epistemology. Chi-square analyses suggested that the more multiplist view toward the certainty of knowledge and the process of knowing, the better coordination of theory and evidence as well as reflective reasoning. In addition, children’s beliefs about the certainty of knowledge, source of knowledge and concept of justification were seemingly consistent across different issues. Nevertheless, content analysis showed that the criteria used to make judgments varied with problem contexts.

Keywords  Personal epistemology - Epistemological development - Informal reasoning - Scientific reasoning
 Abstract
Previous research and development with cognitive tools has been limited by an inadequate conceptualization of the complexity underlying their nature and affordances for supporting learning and performance. This paper provides a new perspective on cognitive tools through the lens of the theories of distributed cognition and expertise. The learner, tool, and activity form a joint learning system, and the expertise in the world should be reflected not only in the tool but also in the learning activity within which learners make use of the tool. This enhanced perspective is used to clarify the nature of cognitive tools and distinguish them from other types of computer tools used in learning contexts. We have classified cognitive tools considering how expertise is classified: domain-independent (general) cognitive tools, domain-generic cognitive tools, and domain-specific cognitive tools. The implications are presented in reference to research, development, and practice of cognitive tools. The capabilities of cognitive tools should be differentiated from those of the human, but regarded as part of the system of expertise. Cognitive tools should be accompanied by appropriate learning activities, and relevant learner performance should then be assessed in the context of tool use.

Keywords  cognitive tools - distributed cognition - expertise - human–computer interaction - learning activity - learning technology - theoretical framework
 Abstract
The authors examined whether feedback from student ratings of instruction not augmented with consultation helps college teachers to improve their student ratings on a long-term basis. The study reported was conducted in an institution where no previous teaching-effectiveness evaluations had taken place. At the end of each of four consecutive semesters, student ratings were assessed and teachers were provided with feedback. Data from 3122 questionnaires evaluating 12 teachers were analyzed using polynomial and piecewise random coefficient models. Results revealed that student ratings increased from the no-feedback baseline semester to the second semester and then gradually decreased from the second to the fourth semester, although feedback was provided after each semester. The findings suggest that student ratings not augmented with consultation are far less effective than typically assumed when considered from a long-term perspective.

Keywords  feedback - long-term effects - student ratings - teaching effectiveness
 Abstract
The present study investigated relationships between students’ conceptions of constructivist learning on the one hand, and their regulation and processing strategies on the other hand. Students in a constructivist, problem-based learning curriculum were questioned about their conceptions of knowledge construction and self-regulated learning, as well as their beliefs regarding their own (in)ability to learn and motivation to learn. Two hypothesized models were tested within 98 psychology students, using a structural equation modelling approach: The first model implemented regulation and processing variables of the Inventory of Learning Styles [ILS, Vermunt (Learning styles and regulation of learning in higher education – towards process-oriented instruction in autonomous thinking, 1992)], the second model of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire [MSLQ, Pintrich and de Groot (Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33–40, 1990)]. Results showed that structural relations exist between conceptions of constructivist learning and regulation and processing strategies. Furthermore, students who express doubt with regard to their own learning capacities are at risk for adopting an inadequate regulation strategy. A three-tiered structure of conceptual, controlling, and operational level appeared valid for the MSLQ variables, but not entirely for those of the ILS.

Keywords  Cognitive strategy use - Conceptions - Constructivism - ILS - MSLQ - Self-regulation
 Abstract
This research review examines recent developments in computer-mediated communication (CMC) research for educational applications. The review draws on 170 recent research articles selected from 78 journals representing a wide range of disciplines. The review focuses on peer-reviewed empirical studies, but is open to a variety of methodologies. The review is divided into two sections addressing major areas of current research: (a) general CMC research in education, and (b) factors affecting computer-mediated learning. The review covers a variety of key research areas revolving around CMC in education, including, media effect and comparison, on-line courses and networks, course and program evaluations, learning and learning processes, problem solving, writing, decision-making, argumentation, group decision-making, group dynamics, peer evaluations, gender differences, anonymity, teaching practice effects, technology integration, teacher styles and characteristics, socio-cultural factors, and professional development effects. Findings suggest partial advantages of CMC in writing, task focused discussion, collaborative decision-making, group work, and active involvement in knowledge construction during group interactions. Other research findings revealed influences of peer interaction, group composition, group cohesion, goal commitment, group norm development, and process training, mixed-sex groups, and virtual cross-functional teams. Mixed-findings are revealed for performance advantages of computer-mediated versus face-to-face learning environments on various tasks and for the presence of gender differences in computer-mediated environments.

Keywords  collaborative learning - computer-mediated communication - instruction - online learning
 Abstract
Students are making an increased use of the Web as a source for solving information problems for academic assignments. To extend current research about search behavior during navigation on the Web, this study examined whether students are able to spontaneously reflect, from an epistemic perspective, on the information accessed, and whether their epistemic metacognition is related to individual characteristics, such as prior knowledge of the topic and the need for cognition. In addition, we investigated whether Internet-based learning is influenced by the activation of spontaneous epistemic metacognition in the search context. Forty-six psychology and engineering university students were asked to research information about a controversial subject in order to write an essay. They were also asked to think aloud during their research. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. As revealed by their spontaneous reflections, all participants were epistemically active, although to different extents and levels. As expected, there was evidence that students activated beliefs about the four epistemic dimensions identified in the literature, especially about the credibility of an electronic source and the criteria for justification of knowledge. Prior knowledge was not related to activation of epistemic beliefs in the search context, while the need for cognition significantly associated with aspects of source and its content evaluation. Two patterns of epistemic metacognition were identified and they significantly influenced Internet-based learning. Students who spontaneously generated more sophisticated reflections about the sources as well as the information provided, outperformed students who were active only at the first epistemic level. Educational implications are drawn.

Keywords  Epistemic metacognition - Epistemic beliefs - Epistemological beliefs - New literacy - Information searching - Critical thinking
The design of instruction should be guided by a research-based theory of how instruction works—that is, a theory of how instructional methods affect learning processes. This is the central premise in the science of instruction (Clark and Mayer 2008; Mayer 2009). One of our field’s most influential and most studied instructional theories is cognitive load theory (Sweller 1999, 2005), which is the subject of a thought-provoking critique by Ton de Jong (this issue). In this commentary, I explore the strengths and limitations of de Jong’s paper and explore three exemplary issues in more detail. 
 Abstract
In this article, we present an argument for consideration by those researching and promoting new learning environments (NLEs). We believe advocates of NLEs should consider the literature and research base indicating effective instruction is not based on a forced dichotomy between theoretical perspectives, but rather a thoughtful, pragmatic blending of practices based on evidence gained from various perspectives and lines of research. While unguided or minimally guided instructional approaches are popular and intuitively appealing, these approaches ignore substantial evidence indicating these approaches are less effective and less efficient than instructional approaches that incorporate guidance of the learning process that is faded as internal guidance is developed (Kirschner et al., Educ Psychol 41:75–86, 2006). We illustrate how integrating evidence from multiple theoretical perspectives leads to the development of more powerful approaches to learning and instruction through a review of the premises, evolution, and research behind Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) in the area of writing.

Keywords  NLEs - Strategy instruction - Writing - SRSD - Theory
2007~2010
Instructional Science 
 Abstract
This paper looks at sources of frustration in students of “prerequisite” mathematics courses (PMC), that is, courses required for admission into undergraduate programs in a large, urban, North American university. The research was based on responses to a questionnaire addressed to students and interviews with students and instructors. In the design of the questionnaire and the analysis of responses, an “institutional” theoretical perspective was taken, where frustration was conceived not only as a psychological process but also as a situation experienced by participants in a concrete educational institution. Several sources of frustration were identified as important in the group of respondents: the fast pace of the courses, inefficient learning strategies, the need to change previously acquired ways of thinking, difficult rapport with truth and reasoning in mathematics, being forced to take PMC, insufficient academic and moral support on the part of teachers, and poor achievement. These sources of frustration are discussed from the point of view of their impact on the quality of the mathematical knowledge that students develop in the PMC. Consideration is also given to the possibilities of improving the quality of this knowledge, given the institutional constraints implicated in the sources of students’ frustration.

Keywords  University - Mathematics education - Mature students - Prerequisite mathematics courses - Affect - Frustration - Position - Institution - Agency
 Abstract
Attitudes toward learning (ATL) have been shown to influence students’ learning outcomes. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the ways in which the interaction between ATL, the learning situation, and the level of students’ prior knowledge influence affective reactions and conceptual change. In this study, a simulation of acid-base titrations was examined to assess the impact of instruction format, level of prior knowledge and students’ ATL on university-level students, with respect to flow experiences (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and perceived conceptual change. Results show that the use of guiding instructions was correlated with a perceived conceptual change and high levels of “Challenge,” “Enjoyment,” and “Concentration,” but low sense of control during the exercise. Students who used the open instructions scored highly on the “Control flow” component, but their perceived learning score was lower than that for the students who used the guiding instructions. In neither case did students’ ATL or their pre-test results contribute strongly to students’ flow experiences or their perceived learning in the two different learning situations.

Keywords  Epistemological beliefs - Attitudes toward learning - Flow - Previous knowledge - Instruction format - Simulation
 Abstract
The increasingly prevalent use of Internet in schools and homes has resulted in asynchronous online discussion becoming an increasingly common means to facilitate dialogue between instructors and students, as well as students and students beyond the boundaries of their physical classrooms. This article is organized into two main sections. In the first section, we review 50 empirical studies in order to identify the factors leading to limited student contribution. Limited student contribution is defined as students making few or no postings, or students exhibiting surface-level thinking or low-level knowledge construction in online discussions. We then identify the various empirically based guidelines to address the factors. In the second section, we discuss three potential guideline dilemmas that educators may encounter: (a) use of grades, (b) use of number of posting guideline, and (c) instructor-facilitation. These are guidelines where previous empirical research shows mixed results when they are implemented. Acknowledging the dilemmas is essential for educators and researchers to make informed decisions about the discussion guidelines they are considering implementing. Finally, we report two exploratory case studies on student-facilitation that we conducted. Using students as facilitators may be an alternative solution to educators who wish to avoid the instructor-facilitation guideline dilemma.

Keywords  Asynchronous online discussion - Student facilitation - Discussion guidelines - Student contribution
 Abstract
This study focused on the relationships between experiences with portfolio assessment, students’ approaches to learning and their assessment preferences by means of a pre- and post-test design in an authentic class setting. The participants were 138 first-year professional bachelor’s degree students in office management. They were assessed by means of portfolio assessment in a course that combined constructivist design principles and lectures. Approaches to learning and assessment preferences were measured by means of the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire and the Assessment Preferences Inventory. Results showed that students’ preferences for student participation in examination and for permanent evaluation decreased significantly. Moreover, deep approaches were not enhanced. On the contrary, surface learning increased significantly. Notwithstanding, the surface approach proved to be a significant negative predictor of the portfolio assessment score.

Keywords  Portfolio assessment - Approaches to learning - Assessment preferences - Learning outcomes
 Abstract
We present a study on the effect of instruction on collaboration in a collaborative discovery learning environment. The instruction we used, called RIDE, is built upon four principles identified in the literature on collaborative processes: Respect, Intelligent collaboration, Deciding together, and Encouraging. In an experimental study, a group of learners (ages 15–17) receiving this instruction was compared to a control group. The learners worked in dyads on separate computers in a shared discovery learning environment in the physics domain of collisions, communicating through a chat channel. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the logged actions in the learning environment and the chat protocols showed that the RIDE instruction can lead to more constructive communication, and improved discovery learning activities, as expected, although no direct effect on discovery learning results was found. This study shows the benefits of providing instruction on effective communication and the learning process in a collaborative discovery learning situation.

Keywords  CMC - collaborative discovery learning - computer-mediated communication - teaching/learning strategies - interactive learning environments - simulations - instruction
 Abstract
In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate their motivation in the program, and students were also asked to report the instructional support they received from their teachers. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that teacher intrinsic motivation predicted student intrinsic motivation directly as well as indirectly through the mediation of instructional support. When teachers reported higher intrinsic motivation in the program, their students tended to perceive receiving more support from them and to report higher intrinsic motivation in the learning experience.

Keywords  Instructional support - Intrinsic motivation - Project-based learning 
 Abstract
This study examined how scaffolds and student achievement levels influence inquiry and performance in a problem-based learning environment. The scaffolds were embedded within a hypermedia program that placed students at the center of a problem in which they were trying to become the youngest person to fly around the world in a balloon. One-hundred and eleven seventh grade students enrolled in a science and technology course worked in collaborative groups for a duration of 3 weeks to complete a project that included designing a balloon and a travel plan. Student groups used one of three problem-based, hypermedia programs: (1) a no scaffolding condition that did not provide access to scaffolds, (2) a scaffolding optional condition that provided access to scaffolds, but gave students the choice of whether or not to use them, and (3) a scaffolding required condition required students to complete all available scaffolds. Results revealed that students in the scaffolding optional and scaffolding required conditions performed significantly better than students in the no scaffolding condition on one of the two components of the group project. Results also showed that student achievement levels were significantly related to individual posttest scores; higher-achieving students scored better on the posttest than lower-achieving students. In addition, analyses of group notebooks confirmed qualitative differences between students in the various conditions. Specifically, those in the scaffolding required condition produced more highly organized project notebooks containing a higher percentage of entries directly relevant to the problem. These findings suggest that scaffolds may enhance inquiry and performance, especially when students are required to access and use them.

Keywords  problem-based learning (PBL) - middle school - scaffolding
 Abstract
In this paper the augmentation of worked examples with animations for teaching problem-solving skills in mathematics is advocated as an effective instructional method. First, in a cognitive task analysis different knowledge prerequisites are identified for solving mathematical word problems. Second, it is argued that so called hybrid animations would be most effective for acquiring these prerequisites, because they show the continuous transition from a concrete, but superficial problem representation to a more abstract, mathematical problem model that forms a basis for solving a problem. An experiment was conducted, where N = 32 pupils from a German high school studied either only text-based worked examples explaining different problem categories from the domain of algebra or worked examples augmented with hybrid animations. Learners with hybrid animations showed superior problem-solving performance for problems of different transfer distance relative to those in the text-only condition.

Keywords  Dynamic visualization - Animation - Problem solving - Skill acquisition in mathematics - Worked examples
 Abstract
This study explores how preservice primary teachers became engaged in meaning-making mathematics teaching when participating in online discussions within learning environments integrating video-clips of mathematics teaching. We identified different modes of participation in the online discussions and different levels of knowledge-building. The data can be explained by the type of task set in the learning environments and by a gradually improved shared understanding of the teaching. The structure of the learning environments supported inquiry into meaningful topics and knowledge-building through activities like identifying, interpreting and designing. These findings suggest that the different types of task and conditions of online discussion in the learning environments influence the nature of the interaction showing the correspondence between synergistic interaction and higher-order thinking.

Keywords  Computer-mediated communication - Videotaped case studies - Interaction - Cognitive engagement - Knowledge for mathematics teaching - Knowledge-building - Learning from practice - Learning to teach
 Abstract
Starting from Perkins’ (1985) framework, this study addresses tool use in a computerbased learning environment. In line with Perkins, first the effects of tool use on performance were investigated to gain insight into the functionality of the tools. Next, the influence of advice was studied to identify whether this advice could make students more knowledgeable with respect to the tools, and hence encourage them to make more (adequate) use of the tools. A third research question addressed learner related variables. The influence of metacognitive skills, goal orientation, and instructional conceptions on students’ tool use was investigated. An experimental design was used to address these research questions with one control group and two experimental groups, one with advice and one without advice. Results reveal that the tools were functional, the two experimental groups outperformed the control group. With respect to advice, the group of students receiving advice used tools more frequently and spent more time on their use. Finally, the study reveals mastery orientation to be an important variable. The more students are mastery oriented, the less they use tools.

Keywords  Learning opportunities - Instructional design - Advice - Computer-based learning environment - Learner characteristics
 Abstract
This study implemented an online peer assessment learning module to help 36 college students with the major of pre-school education to develop science activities for future instruction. Each student was asked to submit a science activity project for pre-school children, and then experienced three rounds of peer assessment. The effects of the online peer assessment module on student learning were examined, and the role of Scientific Epistemological Views (SEVs) in the learning process was carefully investigated. This study found that student peers displayed valid scoring that was consistent with an expert’s marks. Through the online peer assessment, the students could enhance the design of science activities for future instruction; for instance, the science activities became more creative, science-embedded, feasible and more suitable for the developmental stage of pre-school children. More importantly, students with more sophisticated (constructivist-oriented) SEVs tended to progress significantly more for designing science activities with more fun, higher creativity and greater relevancy to scientific knowledge, implying that learners with constructivist-oriented SEVs might benefit more from the online peer assessment learning process. These students also tended to offer more feedback to their peers, and much of the peer feedback provided by these students was categorized as guiding or helping peers to carefully appraise and plan their science activity projects. This study finally suggested that an appropriate understanding regarding the constructivist epistemology may be a prerequisite for utilizing peer assessment learning activities in science education.

Keywords  Peer assessment - Scientific epistemological views - Online - Web - Science education - Pre-school - Constructivism
 Abstract
Within the framework of cognitive learning theories, instructional design manipulations have primarily been investigated under tightly controlled laboratory conditions. We carried out two experiments, where the first experiment was conducted in a restricted system-paced setting and is therefore in line with the majority of empirical studies in the learning sciences. However, the second experiment was done in an ecologically more valid classroom setting, with students working at their own pace with the instructional material embedded in a professional hypermedia learning environment. Both dealt with the same topic in the domain of biological education, namely the structure and functioning of the enzyme ATP-Synthase. In both experiments, the educational value of three- versus two-dimensional animations as well as of visual cues was investigated in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Students’ understanding was facilitated by the presence of a 3D-representation format under tightly controlled conditions only. Regarding the ecologically more valid classroom setting, the 2D format tended to foster understanding more efficiently than the 3D format. The implementation of visual cues enhanced the amount students remembered in both experiments. Our results indicate that the results of tightly controlled laboratory conditions may not be easily generalized to naturalistic classroom settings.

Keywords  Visual cues - 3D representation format - Dynamic visualization - Computer animation - Biological education - Internal and external validity
 Abstract
This special issue on the effects of constructivist learning environments is based on a symposium organized during the last annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in Chicago. The studies in this issue not only provide an overview of the multitude of forms a constructivist learning environment can take, they also provide the reader with an overview of recent advances in this domain of research. The present discussion article provides a critical reflection on the studies in this special issue and tries to identify their prospects and limitations.

Keywords  Constructivism - Learning environments
 Abstract
The current study investigated the effects of different external representational formats on learning combinatorics and probability theory in an inquiry based learning environment. Five conditions were compared in a pre-test post-test design: three conditions each using a single external representational format (Diagram, Arithmetic, or Text), and two conditions using multiple representations (Text + Arithmetic or Diagram + Arithmetic). The major finding of the study is that a format that combines text and arithmetics was most beneficial for learning, in particular with regard to procedural knowledge, that is the ability to execute action sequences to solve problems. Diagrams were found to negatively affect learning and to increase cognitive load. Combining diagrams with arithmetical representations reduced cognitive load, but did not improve learning outcomes.

Keywords  External representations - Multiple representations - Interactive representations - Simulation-based learning - Inquiry learning - Mathematics - Cognitive load
 Abstract
The research examined effects of notetaking instruction on elementary-aged students’ abilities to recall science information and their notetaking behaviors. Classes of eight to nine years old third grade students were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: strategic notetaking, partial strategic notetaking, and control, for four training sessions. The effects of the notetaking instruction were measured by their performances on a test about science information, a long-term free recall of the information, and the number of information units recalled with or without cues. Students’ prior science achievement was used to group students into two levels (high vs. low) and functioned as another independent variable in analysis. Results indicated significant treatment effect in favor of the strategy notetaking instruction groups on cued and non-cued recall of the information units. Students with higher prior achievement in science performed better on cued recall and long-term free recall of information. The results suggest that students as young as those in third grade classes can be instructed to develop notetaking ability that promotes their learning. 
I am pleased to discuss these excellent papers on the expert reversal effect. In their introductory article, Kalyuga and Renkl (this issue) correctly note that this research deals with the interaction between student aptitudes, broadly defined, and instructional treatments, or what has come to be known as ATI research. While prior ATI research [summarized in Cronbach and Snow (1977), Corno and Snow (1986), Gustaffson and Undheim (1996), Shute et al. (2000), Cronbach (2002) and Tobias (1989, 2003)] often found interesting interactions, there was a great deal of difficulty replicating or extending those findings. Therefore, it is encouraging to see that many of the results reported in the set of studies in this issue are both replications and extensions of prior work by the investigators, or of prior research stimulated by cognitive load theory (Kalyuga et al. 2003; Sweller 2006). It should be noted that the findings may also be accommodated in Mayer’s (2001) closely related theory of multimedia learning which generates very similar predictions, even though it addresses somewhat different phenomena. 
 Abstract
Prior research has shown that tutored problem solving with intelligent software tutors is an effective instructional method, and that worked examples are an effective complement to this kind of tutored problem solving. The work on the expertise reversal effect suggests that it is desirable to tailor the fading of worked examples to individual students’ growing expertise levels. One lab and one classroom experiment were conducted to investigate whether adaptively fading worked examples in a tutored problem-solving environment can lead to higher learning gains. Both studies compared a standard Cognitive Tutor with two example-enhanced versions, in which the fading of worked examples occurred either in a fixed manner or in a manner adaptive to individual students’ understanding of the examples. Both experiments provide evidence of improved learning results from adaptive fading over fixed fading over problem solving. We discuss how to further optimize the fading procedure matching each individual student’s changing knowledge level.

Keywords  Cognitive tutor - Worked examples - Adaptive fading - Expertise reversal effect
 Abstract
This study aimed to use a learning inventory (the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students, ASSIST) to measure the impact of a curriculum change on students’ approaches to learning in two large courses in a health sciences first year programme. The two new Human Body Systems (HUBS) courses were designed to encourage students to take a deep approach to learning. ASSIST was completed by 599 students enrolled in a biology class in 2006 that was part of the old curriculum, and by 705 students at the beginning and end of the new HUBS courses in 2007. Changes in students’ approaches to learning over time were examined. The ASSIST scores for both HUBS courses reflected the dominance of a surface approach, followed by a strategic and then a deep approach. However, by the end of the year, students were taking a deep and strategic approach to their studies to a greater extent, and a surface approach to a lesser extent. Moreover, students enrolled in the new course adopted a deep approach to their studies to a significantly greater degree than those studying the old curriculum. Despite the predominance of a surface approach, the results suggest that it is possible to bring about small but significant positive changes in students’ learning behaviour in a very large class through curriculum change. The proportion of students preferring a surface approach, and results showing that high performance on the final exam was significantly correlated with a surface approach, probably reflected contextual factors, including assessment, and is the focus of ongoing curriculum development.

Keywords  Learning inventory - ASSIST - Curriculum change - Evaluation - Health science first year
 Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effects of students’ participation in a collaborative, project-based engineering design course on their domain knowledge, interests, and strategic processing. Participants were 70 college seniors working in teams on a design project of their choosing. Their declarative, procedural, and principled knowledge, along with their domain interest and their interest in select roles within that domain were tested at the outset of the semester and at its conclusions. Findings indicated that this course contributed to a rise in students’ declarative knowledge, but not their procedural or principled knowledge of engineering design. Further, there was no significant change in students’ personal interest in the domain over the semester, and their role interests were not associated with their demonstrated knowledge in the field at posttest. Implications for the perceived effectiveness of learning environments consisting of peer collaboration and relevant problems on students’ academic development are considered.

Keywords  Learning environments - Domain expertise - Academic development - Engineering design - Peer collaboration
 Abstract
How can the teacher bring about effective cooperative learning (CL) in multiethnic elementary classrooms? To answer this question we hypothesized that when the teacher stimulates pupils’ helping behaviour (experimental group), this increases pupils’ performance and CL motivation more than when the teacher lets pupils fend for themselves (control group). Subjects were 166 pupils from 10 schools. The results show that national pupils in the experimental group outperformed pupils in the control group and teams with low and medium prior knowledge performed better in the experimental group. Additionally, immigrant teams with high prior knowledge in the control group outperformed their low prior knowledge counterparts and had a higher CL motivation. Our results suggest that, next to the teacher’s role, attention has to be paid to both the pupil background characteristics ethnicity and prior knowledge and the teacher’s experience with CL.

Keywords  Cooperative learning - Teacher’s role - Prior knowledge - Ethnicity - Elementary schools
 Abstract
This article attempts to describe students’ process of learning physics using the notion of experiencing variation as the basic mechanism for learning, and thus explores what variation, with respect to a particular object of learning, that students experience in their process of constituting understanding. Theoretically, the analysis relies on analytic tools from the phenomenographic research tradition, and the recent group of studies colloquially known as the variation theory of learning, having the notion of experiencing variation as a key for learning at its core. Empirically, the study relies on video and audio recordings of seven pairs of students interacting in a computer-simulation learning environment featuring Bohr’s model of the atom. The data was analysed on a micro-level for the emergence of student-recognised variation, depicted in terms of ‘threads of learning’. This was done by linking variation around aspects of the object of learning present in the situation, and attended to by the students, to new ways of seeing—characterised as an expanding anatomy of awareness, and hence as learning. The students’ threads of learning are characterised in terms of two stages of learning progress: (1) discerning variation, and (2) constituting meaning from this experience of variation (experienced as holistically relevant in the students’ conceptual domain of physics and the Bohr model). Two groups of threads of learning were identified: one where the variation experienced by students was within an aspect of the object of learning, and one where variation was across several aspects.

Keywords  Experiencing variation - Physics education - University education - Phenomenography - Learning as it happens - Bohr’s model of the atom - Computer simulation learning environment
 Abstract
This study aimed at experimentally investigating the moderating role of instructional conceptions on the effectiveness of powerful learning environments (PLE) designed in line with the four-component instructional design model (4C/ID-model). The study also investigated the influence of learning in a 4C/ID PLE on students’ instructional conceptions. To achieve its goal, a study with a one by one by two pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was done. Three functionally equivalent classes of students from three similar (secondary technical) schools were randomly exposed to three different treatments. The participants consisted of 129 (47, 41, 41) students. The treatments were one control group with a regular method of teaching, and two experimental groups: a 4C/ID PLE with ICT, and a 4C/ID PLE without ICT. The instructional conceptions questionnaire was administered both in the pre-and the post-test to assess students’ instructional conceptions. Pre- and post-tests contain retention and transfer items. Technical teachers were trained to implement the interventions. In contrast to expectation, findings show no moderating effects of students’ instructional conceptions on the learning environments. Finally, the results indicate that students’ instructional conceptions positively change after implementation of the three interventions. The theoretical, research, and practical implications of the results for the instructional design and technology community as well as educational practice are discussed.

Keywords  Instructional conceptions - Conceived functionality - Powerful learning environments - 4C/ID-model - Technical expertise - Moderating variable
 Abstract
Although providing feedback is commonly practiced in education, there is no general agreement regarding what type of feedback is most helpful and why it is helpful. This study examined the relationship between various types of feedback, potential internal mediators, and the likelihood of implementing feedback. Five main predictions were developed from the feedback literature in writing, specifically regarding feedback features (summarization, identifying problems, providing solutions, localization, explanations, scope, praise, and mitigating language) as they relate to potential causal mediators of problem or solution understanding and problem or solution agreement, leading to the final outcome of feedback implementation. To empirically test the proposed feedback model, 1,073 feedback segments from writing assessed by peers was analyzed. Feedback was collected using SWoRD, an online peer review system. Each segment was coded for each of the feedback features, implementation, agreement, and understanding. The correlations between the feedback features, levels of mediating variables, and implementation rates revealed several significant relationships. Understanding was the only significant mediator of implementation. Several feedback features were associated with understanding: including solutions, a summary of the performance, and the location of the problem were associated with increased understanding; and explanations of problems were associated with decreased understanding. Implications of these results are discussed.

Keywords  Feedback - Writing - Peer-review - Summary - Solution - Localization - Explanation - Understanding - Feedback implementation
 Abstract
In most mathematics textbooks, each set of practice problems is comprised almost entirely of problems corresponding to the immediately previous lesson. By contrast, in a small number of textbooks, the practice problems are systematically shuffled so that each practice set includes a variety of problems drawn from many previous lessons. The standard and shuffled formats differ in two critical ways, and each was the focus of an experiment reported here. In Experiment 1, college students learned to solve one kind of problem, and subsequent practice problems were either massed in a single session (as in the standard format) or spaced across multiple sessions (as in the shuffled format). When tested 1 week later, performance was much greater after spaced practice. In Experiment 2, students first learned to solve multiple types of problems, and practice problems were either blocked by type (as in the standard format) or randomly mixed (as in the shuffled format). When tested 1 week later, performance was vastly superior after mixed practice. Thus, the results of both experiments favored the shuffled format over the standard format.

Keywords  Mathematics - Practice - Distribute - Mass - Block - Mix - Interleave - Spacing
 Abstract
Current cognitive multimedia design theories provide several guidelines on how to integrate verbal and pictorial information. However, the recommendations for the design of auditory texts (narrations) are still fragmentary, especially with regard to the characteristics of the voices used. In the current paper, a fundamental question is addressed, namely, whether to use a male or a female speaker. In two experiments, learners studied dynamic visualizations on probability theory that were accompanied by narrations. The learner’s gender and the speaker’s gender served as between-subjects variables. In the first study, learners were randomly assigned to speakers of different gender. In the second study, learners could choose among different speakers. The results show that learners achieved better learning outcomes when the narration was presented by a female speaker rather than a male speaker irrespective of the learner’s gender (speaker/gender effect). Being given the choice, learners preferred female speakers, but this individual preference had no impact on learning outcomes. The results suggest augmenting purely cognitive approaches to multimedia design by social-motivational assumptions.

Keywords  Speaker/gender effect - Multimedia design - Narration - Parasocial interaction - Media equation
 Abstract
We examined whether making cause and effect relationships explicit with an adjunct display improves different facets of text comprehension compared to a text only condition. In two experiments, participants read a text and then either studied a causal diagram, studied a list, or reread the text. In both experiments, readers who studied the adjunct displays better recalled the steps in the causal sequences, answered more problem-solving transfer items correctly, and answered more questions about transitive relationships between causes and effects correctly than those who reread the text. These findings supported the causal explication hypothesis, which states that adjunct displays improve comprehension of causal relationships by explicitly representing a text’s causal structure, which helps the reader better comprehend causal relationships.

Keywords  Causal relationships - Expository text comprehension - Adjunct displays
 Abstract
Empirical results show that frequently the meaning of expressions used by students in expressing their understanding of subject matter does not correspond to the meaning of those expressions in the subject matter theory that the students are expected to learn. There is also often a lack of identity of meaning between the same students’ use of the same expression from one use of the expression to another, in very similar contexts. The context gives a specific meaning to any expression. This variation in context and meaning is very central to the phenomena of teaching and learning. In educational research there is a need to differentiate between specific meanings expressed in conceptualizing subject matter, on the one hand, and concepts and meanings seen as parts of cognitive systems and social languages, on the other. The contextual character of the use of language is crucial to the understanding of teaching and learning and needs to be more carefully considered. The article is a discussion of the problem of varying meanings of language expressions in relation to major traditions of research, focusing on meanings and concepts within the field of learning and teaching.

Keywords  Language - Thought - Understanding - Learning - Studies - Science education - Phenomenography
 Abstract
Previous research on peer tutoring has found that students sometimes benefit academically from tutoring other students. In this study we combined quantitative and qualitative analyses to explore how untrained peer tutors learned via explaining and responding to tutee questions in a non-reciprocal tutoring setting. In support of our hypotheses, we found that tutors learned most effectively when their instructional activities incorporated reflective knowledge-building in which they monitored their own understanding, generated inferences to repair misunderstandings, and elaborated upon the source materials. However, tutors seemed to adopt a knowledge-telling bias in which they primarily summarized the source materials with little elaboration. Tutors’ reflective knowledge-building activities, when they occurred, were more frequently elicited by interactions with their tutee. In particular, when tutees asked questions that contained an inference or required an inferential answer, tutors’ responses were more likely to be elaborative and metacognitive. Directions for future research are also discussed.

Keywords  Peer tutoring - Tutor learning - Tutorial dialogue - Explanations - Questions - Metacognition - Verbal data analysis
 Abstract
Uncertainty may be an important component of the motivation provided by learning games, especially when associated with gaming rather than learning. Three studies are reported that explore the influence of gaming uncertainty on engagement with computer-based learning games. In the first study, children (10–11 years) played a simple maths quiz. Participants chose their preferred reward for a correct answer prior to seeing each question. They could either receive a single point or toss an animated coin to receive 2 points for heads or none for tails. A preference for the uncertain option was revealed and this increased during the quiz. The second study explored the discourse around learning when pairs of participants (13–14 years) competed against the computer in a science quiz. Progress depended on the acquisition of facts but also on the outcomes of throwing dice. Discourse was characterised by a close intermingling of learning and gaming talk without salient problematic constructions regarding fairness when losing points due to gaming uncertainty. A final experiment explored whether, in this type of game, the uncertainty provided by the gaming component could influence players’ affective response to the learning component. Electrodermal activity (EDA) of 16 adults was measured while they played the quiz with and without the element of chance provided by the dice. Results showed EDA when answering questions was increased by inclusion of gaming uncertainty. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential benefits of combining gaming uncertainty with learning and directions for further research in this area are outlined.

Keywords  Uncertainty - Games - Motivation - Learning
 Abstract
Two different methods of practice are available in the learning of simple information, test practice or study practice. Of these two methods of learning, research has generally shown that test practice is superior to study practice. However, this research has not considered the testing advantage with respect to the fact that test learning is uncertain (i.e. if recall fails, nothing appears to be learned) or with respect to the fact that study learning depends greatly on the duration of the study event. The following work clarifies these issues by presenting an integrated computational model of the relative costs and benefits of testing compared to study presentation [based on the ACT-R theory of declarative memory; Anderson, J.R. & Schooler, L.J. (1991). Psychological Science 2: 396–408; Pavlik Jr., P.I.. & Anderson, J.R. (2005). Cognitive Science 29: 559–586]. This model was applied to determine how test and study practice can be optimally employed to improve learning and provides a framework for understanding the effects of mnemonic strategies in simple memory tasks.

Keywords  distributed practice - efficiency - forgetting - memory - modeling - paired-associate - practice - spacing - study effect - testing effect
 Abstract
Trying to understand the complexity of computer-mediated problem-based learning environments is not easy. Sociocultural theory provides a theoretical framework for understanding such environments because it emphasizes the socially situated nature of learning and the critical role of tools in mediating learning. To examine how different aspects of discourse relate to each other, as well as to the tools being used in the collaborative learning process, it is important to understand how collaborative knowledge building unfolds and how these processes are mediated. This requires going beyond coding individual speech acts. The use of Chronologically-Ordered Representations of Discourse and Tool-Related Activity (CORDTRA) diagrams is one way of achieving this understanding. We use this to study contrasting cases of more and less successful groups using the STELLAR learning environment. STELLAR is an integrated online PBL environment for preservice teachers, containing a learning sciences hypermedia, a library of videocases, and online personal and collaborative spaces. Our analyses suggest that an important locus of differences is how students use resources and engage in different kinds of metacognitive talk and knowledge transforming activities, sometimes to the group’s detriment. Frequency analyses provided an easily interpreted snapshot of each group’s activity. The CORDTRA analyses provide a more dynamic view that helps researchers and teachers better understand how collaborative learning unfolds. Such analyses have implications for understanding new learning environments as well as helping identify where interventions might be needed.

Keywords  Computer-supported collaborative learning - Problem-based learning - Methodology - Visual representations
The idea to organize a special issue on the effects of constructivist learning environments originated at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in Chicago. We organized a symposium on this topic, which was attended by a large audience and received many positive reactions. Therefore, we came up with the plan to translate our symposium into a special issue. In addition to the papers that were presented in the symposium, we invited several other experts in the field to contribute to this special issue. We are pleased to present the results of that collaborative effort.

The title of this special issue, “Effects of constructivist learning environments,” might raise questions for the reader. What is a constructivist learning environment and what effects are intended? In this introduction, we deal with these questions. We present a working definition of constructivism, discuss elements of constructivist learning environments, and explain the connotation of new learning environments (NLEs) used herein. Further, we discuss the context in which earlier research on effects of constructivist learning environments took place and we argue that more than cognitive effects should be considered in this respect. Finally, we give an introduction on the papers that are part of this special issue. 
 Abstract
There has been a growing research debate over the relations between university teaching and research. This paper contributes to that debate by describing the variation in the way university academics’ experience research, then linking that empirical evidence with previous work to explicate the relations between variation in research, teaching, and understanding of the subject matter being taught. Previous investigations have shown that conceptual change/student-focussed approaches to teaching are associated with clear articulation of the important aspects of the subject matter being taught, how those aspects relate to each other, and how the teacher situates their understanding of the subject matter in the field as a whole. However, teachers who were unable to explain their understanding of their subject matter in these ways were more likely to experience their teaching as a process of information transfer from a teacher-focussed perspective. Since the characteristics of the first type of understanding subject matter resemble processes underlying the experience of active researchers, these findings seemed to justify a more intensive search for evidence of the link between effective university teaching and research. Interviews have been conducted with 37 university teachers who had strong publication and grant success records and who were teaching and researching in similar topic areas. They represent a range of disciplines and universities, and from both the UK and Australia. The study methods and results are described and we conclude that qualitative variation in the experience of research is related (a) moderately to experience of teaching and (b) strongly to experience of understanding the subject matter.

Keywords  Research–teaching relations - Understanding of subject matter - Approaches to teaching - Experience of research - Experience of teaching
 Abstract
In this study we compare university teachers’ and first-year students’ conceptions of teaching and learning at the Faculty of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The conceptions were analysed using data from open-ended questionnaires. The results showed that at the beginning of studies the gap between teachers’ and students’ conceptions of teaching and learning is substantial. This finding has important implications for the educational process. In order to enhance successful studying from the beginning of students’ university careers, it is important for teachers to become aware of the differences between students’ and teachers’ conceptions of learning.

Keywords  Higher education - Conception of learning - Conception of teaching - Biology - Science - Education
 Abstract
This study investigated whether the mere knowledge of the meaning of variables can facilitate inquiry learning processes and outcomes. Fifty-seven college freshmen were randomly allocated to one of three inquiry tasks. The concrete task had familiar variables from which hypotheses about their underlying relations could be inferred. The intermediate task used familiar variables that did not invoke underlying relations, whereas the abstract task contained unfamiliar variables that did not allow for inference of hypotheses about relations. Results showed that concrete participants performed more successfully and efficiently than intermediate participants, who in turn were equally successful and efficient as abstract participants. From these findings it was concluded that students learning by inquiry benefit little from knowledge of the meaning of variables per se. Some additional understanding of the way these variables are interrelated seems required to enhance inquiry learning processes and outcomes.

Keywords  Inquiry learning - Prior knowledge - Induction - Deduction - Computer simulations
 Abstract
This research investigates university students’ determinations of credibility of information on Web sites, confidence in their determinations, and perceptions of Web site authors’ vested interests. In Study 1, university-level computer science and education students selected Web sites determined to be credible and Web sites that exemplified misrepresentations. Categorization of Web site credibility determinations indicated that the most frequently provided reasons associated with high credibility included information focus or relevance, educational focus, and name recognition. Reasons for knowing a Web site’s content is wrong included lack of corroboration with other information, information focus and bias. Vested interests associated with commercial Web sites were regarded with distrust and vested interests of educational Web sites were not. In Study 2, credibility determinations of university students enrolled in computer science courses were examined for 3 provided Web sites dealing with the same computer science topic. Reasons for determining Web site inaccuracy included own expertise, information corroboration, information design and bias. As in Study 1, commercial vested interests were negatively regarded in contrast to educational interests. Instructional implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Keywords  Web site credibility - Web evaluation - Critical information evaluation - College students - Credibility determinations - Web site veracity 
 Abstract
Recent work in case-based reasoning (CBR) reinforces the importance of situated learning, expert cases, and authentic tasks and activities for novice learners. As novices engage CBR environments, they apprentice in the experts’ practices while developing the understanding, knowledge and skill of a given community. This study examined how prospective teachers, as novices in a semester-long course, engaged and developed expert-like practices using the case knowledge of experienced teachers who teach with technology. By engaging experienced teachers’ knowledge and skill via Web-enhanced cases, prospective teachers refined their understanding of teaching culture and teaching with technology as they transitioned to the teaching community.

Keywords  Case-based reasoning - Learning processes - Web-enhanced learning environments - Situated learning - Teacher education - teaching with technology
 Abstract
What type of display helps students learn the most and why? This study investigated how displays differing in terms of signaling, extraction, and localization impact learning. In Experiment 1, 72 students were assigned randomly to one cell of a 4 × 2 design. Students studied a standard text, a text with key ideas extracted, an outline that localized ideas topically, and a matrix that localized ideas topically and categorically. One version of the displays signaled the displays’ organization and one version did not. The matrix display proved best for facilitating fact and relationship learning because of its ability to localize related information within topics and categories. Simply signaling or extracting text ideas was not helpful. Experiment 2 demonstrated that not all matrices are created equal because they can vary in terms of how information is localized. About 54 students were assigned randomly to one cell of a 2 × 2 design that varied localization of matrix topics and categories. Students studied matrices high or low in topical organization and high or low in categorical organization. Results confirmed that a high, natural ordering of matrix topics is necessary to highlight relationships and bolster relationship and fact learning.

Keywords  Text processing - Matrix organizer - Studying - Study materials - Graphic organizers
 Abstract
The objective of this study is to facilitate in-service chemistry teachers’ understanding of nature of science and what ‘ideas-about-science’ can be included in the classroom. The study is based on 17 in-service teachers who had registered for a 11-week course on ‘Epistemology of Science Teaching’ as part of their Master’s degree program. The course is based on 17 readings drawing on nature of science and its critical evaluation. Course activities included written reports, classroom discussions based on participants’ presentations and written exams. Based on the results obtained this study has the following educational implications: (a) Experimental data need to be interpreted carefully due to underdetermination of theories by data; (b) Kuhn’s normal science manifests itself in the science curriculum through the scientific method and wields considerable influence; (c) Trilemma posed by Collins (Stud Sci Educ 35:169–173, 2000), viz., creation of new knowledge ⇔ Kuhn’s normal science ⇔ teaching nature of science, provided a big challenge and was thought provoking; (d) Of the different aspects of nature of science suggested by experts, these teachers endorsed the following as most important: Creativity, Historical development of scientific knowledge, Diversity of scientific thinking and Scientific method and critical testing; (e) With respect to the contradiction between the positions of Lederman et al. (J Res Sci Teach 39:497–521, 2002) and Osborne et al. (J Res Sci Teach 40:692–720, 2003), few supported the position of latter, viz., inclusion of scientific method in the classroom and a majority supported the former, viz., scientific method as a myth; and (f) Participants were critical of the present stage of research with respect to the scientific method and suggested the introduction of history, philosophy and epistemology of science to counteract its influence.

Keywords  Nature of science - History, philosophy and epistemology of science - Science instruction - Chemistry teachers
 Abstract
The general background of this study is an interest in how digital tools contribute to structuring learning activities. The specific interest is to explore how such tools co-determine students’ reasoning when solving word problems in mathematics, and what kind of learning that follows. Theoretically the research takes its point of departure in a sociocultural perspective on the role of cultural tools in thinking, and in a complementary interest in the role of the communicative framing of cognitive activities. Data have been collected through video documentation of classroom activities in secondary schools where multimedia tools are integrated into mathematics teaching. The focus of the analysis is on cases where the students encounter some kind of difficulty. The results show how the tool to a significant degree co-determines the meaning making practices of students. Thus, it is not a passive element in the situation; rather it invites certain types of activities, for instance iterative computations that do not necessarily rely on an analysis of the problems to be solved. For long periods of time the students’ activities are framed within the context of the tool, and they do not engage in discussing mathematics at all when solving the problems. It is argued that both from a practical and theoretical point of view it is important to scrutinize what competences students develop when using tools of this kind.

Keywords  Mathematics learning - Word problems - Problem solving - Digital tools - Multimedia tools
 Abstract
In this study, law students (n = 49) read multiple authentic documents presenting conflicting information on the topic of climate change and responded to verification tasks assessing their superficial as well as their deeper-level within- and across-documents comprehension. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that even after variance associated with readers’ prior knowledge about the topic was accounted for, their epistemic beliefs related to the simplicity of knowledge and the justification for knowing about climate change uniquely predicted their comprehension performance. The findings are interpreted with reference to the strong emphasis on multiple-documents literacy in the law degree program.

Keywords  Multiple-documents literacy - Epistemic beliefs - Text comprehension - Law students
In this journal, Loyens and Gijbels (2008) recently edited an interesting and inspiring special issue on the effects of constructivist learning environments. In this commentary, I do not want to evaluate the specific strengths and shortcomings of the single contributions or of the special issue as a whole. Rikers et al. (2008) have already provided such a balanced evaluation of the special issue’s contributions. This commentary focuses on more fundamental issues. Actually, I want to claim that it is a paradox if constructivists talk about constructivist learning environments. I know that many readers will now think that my claim is a paradox. However, in the following I will show why my claim is not at all contradictory (see also Renkl 2008). 
/***
|''Name:''|zh-HantTranslationPlugin|
|''Description:''|Translation of TiddlyWiki into Traditional Chinese|
|''Source:''|http://tiddlywiki-zh.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/|
|''Subversion:''|http://svn.tiddlywiki.org/Trunk/association/locales/core/zh-Hant/locale.zh-Hant.js|
|''Author:''|BramChen (bram.chen (at) gmail (dot) com)|
|''Version:''|2.6|
|''Date:''|Oct 13, 2009|
|''Comments:''|Please make comments at http://groups.google.com/group/TiddlyWiki-zh/|
|''License:''|[[Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/]]|
|''~CoreVersion:''|2.4.1|
***/

//{{{
// --
// -- Translateable strings
// --

// Strings in "double quotes" should be translated; strings in 'single quotes' should be left alone

config.locale = 'zh-Hant'; // W3C language tag
config.options.txtFileSystemCharSet = 'BIG5';

if (config.options.txtUserName == 'YourName' || !config.options.txtUserName) // do not translate this line, but do translate the next line
	merge(config.options,{txtUserName: "YourName"});

merge(config.tasks,{
	save: {text: "儲存", tooltip: "儲存變更至此 TiddlyWiki", action: saveChanges},
	sync: {text: "同步", tooltip: "將你的資料內容與外部伺服器與檔案同步", content: '<<sync>>'},
	importTask: {text: "導入", tooltip: "自其他檔案或伺服器導入文章或套件", content: '<<importTiddlers>>'},
	tweak: {text: "選項", tooltip: "改變此 TiddlyWiki 的顯示與行為的設定", content: '<<options>>'},
	upgrade: {text: "更新", tooltip: "更新 TiddlyWiki 核心程式", content: '<<upgrade>>'},
	plugins: {text: "套件管理", tooltip: "管理已安裝的套件", content: '<<plugins>>'}
});

merge(config.optionsDesc,{
	txtUserName: "編輯文章所使用之作者署名",
	chkRegExpSearch: "啟用正規式搜尋",
	chkCaseSensitiveSearch: "搜尋時,區分大小寫",
	chkIncrementalSearch: "隨打即找搜尋",
	chkAnimate: "使用動畫顯示",
	chkSaveBackups: "儲存變更前,保留備份檔案",
	chkAutoSave: "自動儲存變更",
	chkGenerateAnRssFeed: "儲存變更時,也儲存 RSS feed",
	chkSaveEmptyTemplate: "儲存變更時,也儲存空白範本",
	chkOpenInNewWindow: "於新視窗開啟連結",
	chkToggleLinks: "點擊已開啟文章連結時,將其關閉",
	chkHttpReadOnly: "非本機瀏覽文件時,隱藏編輯功能",
	chkForceMinorUpdate: "修改文章時,不變更作者名稱與日期時間",
	chkConfirmDelete: "刪除文章前須確認",
	chkInsertTabs: "使用 tab 鍵插入定位字元,而非跳至下一個欄位",
	txtBackupFolder: "存放備份檔案的資料夾",
	txtMaxEditRows: "編輯模式中顯示列數",
	txtTheme: "使用的佈景名稱",
	txtFileSystemCharSet: "指定儲存文件所在之檔案系統之字集 (僅適用於 Firefox/Mozilla only)"});

// Messages
merge(config.messages,{
	customConfigError: "套件載入發生錯誤,詳細請參考 PluginManager",
	pluginError: "發生錯誤: %0",
	pluginDisabled: "未執行,因標籤設為 'systemConfigDisable'",
	pluginForced: "已執行,因標籤設為 'systemConfigForce'",
	pluginVersionError: "未執行,套件需較新版本的 TiddlyWiki",
	nothingSelected: "尚未作任何選擇,至少需選擇一項",
	savedSnapshotError: "此 TiddlyWiki 未正確存檔,詳見 http://www.tiddlywiki.com/#Download",
	subtitleUnknown: "(未知)",
	undefinedTiddlerToolTip: "'%0' 尚無內容",
	shadowedTiddlerToolTip: "'%0' 尚無內容, 但已定義隱藏的預設值",
	tiddlerLinkTooltip: "%0 - %1, %2",
	externalLinkTooltip: "外部連結至 %0",
	noTags: "未設定標籤的文章",
	notFileUrlError: "須先將此 TiddlyWiki 存至檔案,才可儲存變更",
	cantSaveError: "無法儲存變更。可能的原因有:\n- 你的瀏覽器不支援此儲存功能(Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera 經適當設定後可儲存變更)\n- 也可能是你的 TiddlyWiki 檔名包含不合法的字元所致。\n- 或是 TiddlyWiki 文件被改名或搬移。",
	invalidFileError: " '%0' 非有效之 TiddlyWiki 文件",
	backupSaved: "已儲存備份",
	backupFailed: "無法儲存備份",
	rssSaved: "RSS feed 已儲存",
	rssFailed: "無法儲存 RSS feed ",
	emptySaved: "已儲存範本",
	emptyFailed: "無法儲存範本",
	mainSaved: "主要的TiddlyWiki已儲存",
	mainFailed: "無法儲存主要 TiddlyWiki,所作的改變未儲存",
	macroError: "巨集 <<\%0>> 執行錯誤",
	macroErrorDetails: "執行巨集 <<\%0>> 時,發生錯誤 :\n%1",
	missingMacro: "無此巨集",
	overwriteWarning: "'%0' 已存在,[確定]覆寫之",
	unsavedChangesWarning: "注意! 尚未儲存變更\n\n[確定]存檔,或[取消]放棄存檔?",
	confirmExit: "--------------------------------\n\nTiddlyWiki 以更改內容尚未儲存,繼續的話將遺失這些更動\n\n--------------------------------",
	saveInstructions: "SaveChanges",
	unsupportedTWFormat: "未支援此 TiddlyWiki 格式:'%0'",
	tiddlerSaveError: "儲存文章 '%0' 時,發生錯誤。",
	tiddlerLoadError: "載入文章 '%0' 時,發生錯誤。",
	wrongSaveFormat: "無法使用格式 '%0' 儲存,請使用標准格式存放",
	invalidFieldName: "無效的欄位名稱:%0",
	fieldCannotBeChanged: "無法變更欄位:'%0'",
	loadingMissingTiddler: "正從伺服器 '%1' 的:\n\n工作區 '%3' 中的 '%2' 擷取文章 '%0'",
	upgradeDone: "已更新至 %0 版\n\n點擊 '確定' 重新載入更新後的 TiddlyWiki"});

merge(config.messages.messageClose,{
	text: "關閉",
	tooltip: "關閉此訊息"});

merge(config.messages,{
	backstage: {
		open: {text: "控制台", tooltip: "開啟控制台執行編寫工作"},
		close: {text: "關閉", tooltip: "關閉控制台"},
		prompt: "控制台:",
		decal: {
			edit: {text: "編輯", tooltip: "編輯 '%0'"}
		}}});

merge(config.messages,{
	listView: {
		tiddlerTooltip: "檢視全文",
		previewUnavailable: "(無法預覽)"}});

merge(config.messages,{
	dates: {
	months: ["一月", "二月", "三月", "四月", "五月", "六月", "七月", "八月", "九月", "十月", "十一月", "十二月"],
	days: ["星期日", "星期一","星期二", "星期三", "星期四", "星期五", "星期六"],
	shortMonths: ["一", "二", "三", "四", "五", "六", "七", "八", "九", "十", "十一", "十二"],
	shortDays: ["日", "一","二", "三", "四", "五", "六"],
	daySuffixes: ["st","nd","rd","th","th","th","th","th","th","th",
		"th","th","th","th","th","th","th","th","th","th",
		"st","nd","rd","th","th","th","th","th","th","th",
		"st"],
	am: "上午",
	pm: "下午"}});

merge(config.messages.tiddlerPopup,{ 
	});

merge(config.views.wikified.tag,{
	labelNoTags: "未設標籤",
	labelTags: "標籤: ",
	openTag: "開啟標籤 '%0'",
	tooltip: "顯示標籤為 '%0' 的文章",
	openAllText: "開啟以下所有文章",
	openAllTooltip: "開啟以下所有文章",
	popupNone: "僅此文標籤為 '%0'"});

merge(config.views.wikified,{
	defaultText: "",
	defaultModifier: "(未完成)",
	shadowModifier: "(預設)",
	dateFormat: "YYYY年0MM月0DD日",
	createdPrompt: "建立於"});

merge(config.views.editor,{
	tagPrompt: "設定標籤之間以空白區隔,[[標籤含空白時請使用雙中括弧]],或點選現有之標籤加入",
	defaultText: ""});

merge(config.views.editor.tagChooser,{
	text: "標籤",
	tooltip: "點選現有之標籤加至本文章",
	popupNone: "未設定標籤",
	tagTooltip: "加入標籤 '%0'"});

merge(config.messages,{
	sizeTemplates:
		[
		{unit: 1024*1024*1024, template: "%0\u00a0GB"},
		{unit: 1024*1024, template: "%0\u00a0MB"},
		{unit: 1024, template: "%0\u00a0KB"},
		{unit: 1, template: "%0\u00a0B"}
		]});

merge(config.macros.search,{
	label: " 尋找",
	prompt: "搜尋本 Wiki",
	accessKey: "F",
	successMsg: " %0 篇符合條件: %1",
	failureMsg: " 無符合條件: %0"});

merge(config.macros.tagging,{
	label: "引用標籤:",
	labelNotTag: "無引用標籤",
	tooltip: "列出標籤為 '%0' 的文章"});

merge(config.macros.timeline,{
	dateFormat: "YYYY年0MM月0DD日"});

merge(config.macros.allTags,{
	tooltip: "顯示文章- 標籤為'%0'",
	noTags: "沒有標籤"});

config.macros.list.all.prompt = "依字母排序";
config.macros.list.missing.prompt = "被引用且內容空白的文章";
config.macros.list.orphans.prompt = "未被引用的文章";
config.macros.list.shadowed.prompt = "這些隱藏的文章已預設內容";
config.macros.list.touched.prompt = "自下載或新增後被修改過的文章"; 

merge(config.macros.closeAll,{
	label: "全部關閉",
	prompt: "關閉所有開啟中的 tiddler (編輯中除外)"});

merge(config.macros.permaview,{
	label: "引用連結",
	prompt: "可存取現有開啟之文章的連結位址"});

merge(config.macros.saveChanges,{
	label: "儲存變更",
	prompt: "儲存所有文章,產生新的版本",
	accessKey: "S"});

merge(config.macros.newTiddler,{
	label: "新增文章",
	prompt: "新增 tiddler",
	title: "新增文章",
	accessKey: "N"});

merge(config.macros.newJournal,{
	label: "新增日誌",
	prompt: "新增 jounal",
	accessKey: "J"});

merge(config.macros.options,{
	wizardTitle: "增訂的進階選項",
	step1Title: "增訂的選項儲存於瀏覽器的 cookies",
	step1Html: "<input type='hidden' name='markList'></input><br><input type='checkbox' checked='false' name='chkUnknown'>顯示未知選項</input>",
	unknownDescription: "//(未知)//",
	listViewTemplate: {
		columns: [
			{name: 'Option', field: 'option', title: "選項", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Description', field: 'description', title: "說明", type: 'WikiText'},
			{name: 'Name', field: 'name', title: "名稱", type: 'String'}
			],
		rowClasses: [
			{className: 'lowlight', field: 'lowlight'}
			]}
	});

merge(config.macros.plugins,{
	wizardTitle: "擴充套件管理",
	step1Title: "- 已載入之套件",
	step1Html: "<input type='hidden' name='markList'></input>", // DO NOT TRANSLATE
	skippedText: "(此套件因剛加入,故尚未執行)",
	noPluginText: "未安裝套件",
	confirmDeleteText: "確認是否刪除所選套件:\n\n%0",
	removeLabel: "移除 systemConfig 標籤",
	removePrompt: "移除 systemConfig 標籤",
	deleteLabel: "刪除",
	deletePrompt: "永遠刪除所選套件",

	listViewTemplate : {
		columns: [
			{name: 'Selected', field: 'Selected', rowName: 'title', type: 'Selector'},
			{name: 'Tiddler', field: 'tiddler', title: "套件", type: 'Tiddler'},
			{name: 'Description', field: 'desc', title: "說明", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Version', field: 'Version', title: "版本", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Size', field: 'size', tiddlerLink: 'size', title: "大小", type: 'Size'},
			{name: 'Forced', field: 'forced', title: "強制執行", tag: 'systemConfigForce', type: 'TagCheckbox'},
			{name: 'Disabled', field: 'disabled', title: "停用", tag: 'systemConfigDisable', type: 'TagCheckbox'},
			{name: 'Executed', field: 'executed', title: "已載入", type: "Boolean", trueText: "是", falseText: "否"},
			{name: 'Startup Time', field: 'startupTime', title: "載入時間", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Error', field: 'error', title: "載入狀態", type: 'Boolean', trueText: "錯誤", falseText: "正常"},
			{name: 'Log', field: 'log', title: "紀錄", type: 'StringList'}
			],
		rowClasses: [
			{className: 'error', field: 'error'},
			{className: 'warning', field: 'warning'}
			]}
	});

merge(config.macros.toolbar,{
	moreLabel: "+",
	morePrompt: "顯示更多工具列命令",
	lessLabel: "-",
	lessPrompt: "隱藏部份工具列命令",
	separator: "|"
	});
	
merge(config.macros.refreshDisplay,{
	label: "刷新",
	prompt: "刷新此 TiddlyWiki 顯示"
	});
	
merge(config.macros.importTiddlers,{
	readOnlyWarning: "TiddlyWiki 於唯讀模式下,不支援導入文章。請由本機(file://)開啟 TiddlyWiki 文件",
	wizardTitle: "自其他檔案或伺服器導入文章",
	step1Title: "步驟一:指定伺服器或來源文件",
	step1Html: "指定伺服器類型:<select name='selTypes'><option value=''>選取...</option></select><br>請輸入網址或路徑:<input type='text' size=50 name='txtPath'><br>...或選擇來源文件:<input type='file' size=50 name='txtBrowse'><br><hr>...或選擇指定的饋入來源:<select name='selFeeds'><option value=''>選取...</option></select>",
	openLabel: "開啟",
	openPrompt: "開啟檔案或",
	openError: "讀取來源文件時發生錯誤",
	statusOpenHost: "正與伺服器建立連線",
	statusGetWorkspaceList: "正在取得可用之文章清單",
	errorGettingTiddlerList: "取得文章清單時發生錯誤,請點選「取消」後重試。",
	step2Title: "步驟二:選擇工作區",
	step2Html: "輸入工作區名稱:<input type='text' size=50 name='txtWorkspace'><br>...或選擇工作區:<select name='selWorkspace'><option value=''>選取...</option></select>",
	cancelLabel: "取消",
	cancelPrompt: "取消本次導入動作",
	statusOpenWorkspace: "正在開啟工作區",
	statusGetTiddlerList: "正在取得可用之文章清單",
	step3Title: "步驟三:選擇欲導入之文章",
	step3Html: "<input type='hidden' name='markList'></input><br><input type='checkbox' checked='true' name='chkSync'>保持這些文章與伺服器的連結,便於同步後續的變更。</input><br><input type='checkbox' name='chkSave'>儲存此伺服器的詳細資訊於標籤為 'systemServer' 的文章名為:</input> <input type='text' size=25 name='txtSaveTiddler'>", 
	importLabel: "導入",
	importPrompt: "導入所選文章",
	confirmOverwriteText: "確定要覆寫這些文章:\n\n%0",
	step4Title: "步驟四:正在導入%0 篇文章",
	step4Html: "<input type='hidden' name='markReport'></input>", // DO NOT TRANSLATE
	doneLabel: "完成",
	donePrompt: "關閉",
	statusDoingImport: "正在導入文章 ...",
	statusDoneImport: "所選文章已導入",
	systemServerNamePattern: "%2 位於 %1",
	systemServerNamePatternNoWorkspace: "%1",
	confirmOverwriteSaveTiddler: "此 tiddler '%0' 已經存在。點擊「確定」以伺服器上料覆寫之,或「取消」不變更後離開",
	serverSaveTemplate: "|''Type:''|%0|\n|''網址:''|%1|\n|''工作區:''|%2|\n\n此文為自動產生紀錄伺服器之相關資訊。",
	serverSaveModifier: "(系統)",

	listViewTemplate: {
		columns: [
			{name: 'Selected', field: 'Selected', rowName: 'title', type: 'Selector'},
			{name: 'Tiddler', field: 'tiddler', title: "文章", type: 'Tiddler'},
			{name: 'Size', field: 'size', tiddlerLink: 'size', title: "大小", type: 'Size'},
			{name: 'Tags', field: 'tags', title: "標籤", type: 'Tags'}
			],
		rowClasses: [
			]}
	});

merge(config.macros.upgrade,{
	wizardTitle: "更新 TiddlyWiki 核心程式",
	step1Title: "更新或修補此 TiddlyWiki 至最新版本",
	step1Html: "您將更新至最新版本的 TiddlyWiki 核心程式 (自 <a href='%0' class='externalLink' target='_blank'>%1</a>)。 在更新過程中,您的資料將被保留。<br><br>請注意:更新核心可能不相容於其他套件。若對更新的檔案有問題,詳見 <a href='http://www.tiddlywiki.org/wiki/CoreUpgrades' class='externalLink' target='_blank'>http://www.tiddlywiki.org/wiki/CoreUpgrades</a>",
	errorCantUpgrade: "j無法更新此 TiddlyWiki. 您只能自本機端的 TiddlyWiki 檔案執行更新程序",
	errorNotSaved: "執行更新之前,請先儲存變更",
	step2Title: "確認更新步驟",
	step2Html_downgrade: "您的 TiddlyWiki 將自 %1 版降級至 %0版。<br><br>不建議降級至較舊的版本。",
	step2Html_restore: "此 TiddlyWiki 核心已是最新版 (%0)。<br><br>您可以繼續更新作業以確認核心程式未曾毀損。",
	step2Html_upgrade: "您的 TiddlyWiki 将自 %1 版更新至 %0 版",
	upgradeLabel: "更新",
	upgradePrompt: "準備更新作業",
	statusPreparingBackup: "準備備份中",
	statusSavingBackup: "備份檔案",
	errorSavingBackup: "備份檔案時發生問題",
	statusLoadingCore: "核心程式載入中",
	errorLoadingCore: "載入核心程式時,發生錯誤",
	errorCoreFormat: "新版核心程式發生錯誤",
	statusSavingCore: "正在儲存新版核心程式",
	statusReloadingCore: "新版核心程式載入中",
	startLabel: "開始",
	startPrompt: "開始更新作業",
	cancelLabel: "取消",
	cancelPrompt: "取消更新作業",
	step3Title: "已取消更新作業",
	step3Html: "您已取消更新作業"
	});

merge(config.macros.sync,{
	listViewTemplate: {
		columns: [
			{name: 'Selected', field: 'selected', rowName: 'title', type: 'Selector'},
			{name: 'Tiddler', field: 'tiddler', title: "文章", type: 'Tiddler'},
			{name: 'Server Type', field: 'serverType', title: "伺服器類型", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Server Host', field: 'serverHost', title: "伺服器主機", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Server Workspace', field: 'serverWorkspace', title: "伺服器工作區", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Status', field: 'status', title: "同步情形", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Server URL', field: 'serverUrl', title: "伺服器網址", text: "檢視", type: 'Link'}
			],
		rowClasses: [
			],
		buttons: [
			{caption: "同步更新這些文章", name: 'sync'}
			]},
	wizardTitle: "將你的資料內容與外部伺服器與檔案同步",
	step1Title: "選擇欲同步的文章",
	step1Html: '<input type="hidden" name="markList"></input>', // DO NOT TRANSLATE
	syncLabel: "同步",
	syncPrompt: "同步更新這些文章",
	hasChanged: "已更動",
	hasNotChanged: "未更動",
	syncStatusList: {
		none: {text: "...", display:null, className:'notChanged'},
		changedServer: {text: "伺服器資料已更動", display:null, className:'changedServer'},
		changedLocally: {text: "本機資料已更動", display:null, className:'changedLocally'},
		changedBoth: {text: "已同時更新本機與伺服器上的資料", display:null, className:'changedBoth'},
		notFound: {text: "伺服器無此資料", display:null, className:'notFound'},
		putToServer: {text: "已儲存更新資料至伺服器", display:null, className:'putToServer'},
		gotFromServer: {text: "已從伺服器擷取更新資料", display:null, className:'gotFromServer'}
		}
	});

merge(config.macros.annotations,{
	});

merge(config.commands.closeTiddler,{
	text: "關閉",
	tooltip: "關閉本文"});

merge(config.commands.closeOthers,{
	text: "關閉其他",
	tooltip: "關閉其他文章"});

merge(config.commands.editTiddler,{
	text: "編輯",
	tooltip: "編輯本文",
	readOnlyText: "檢視",
	readOnlyTooltip: "檢視本文之原始內容"});

merge(config.commands.saveTiddler,{
	text: "完成",
	tooltip: "確定修改"});

merge(config.commands.cancelTiddler,{
	text: "取消",
	tooltip: "取消修改",
	warning: "確定取消對 '%0' 的修改嗎?",
	readOnlyText: "完成",
	readOnlyTooltip: "返回正常顯示模式"});

merge(config.commands.deleteTiddler,{
	text: "刪除",
	tooltip: "刪除文章",
	warning: "確定刪除 '%0'?"});

merge(config.commands.permalink,{
	text: "引用連結",
	tooltip: "本文引用連結"});

merge(config.commands.references,{
	text: "引用",
	tooltip: "引用本文的文章",
	popupNone: "本文未被引用"});

merge(config.commands.jump,{
	text: "捲頁",
	tooltip: "捲頁至其他已開啟的文章"});

merge(config.commands.syncing,{
	text: "同步",
	tooltip: "本文章與伺服器或其他外部檔案的同步資訊",
	currentlySyncing: "<div>同步類型:<span class='popupHighlight'>'%0'</span></"+"div><div>與伺服器:<span class='popupHighlight'>%1 同步</span></"+"div><div>工作區:<span class='popupHighlight'>%2</span></"+"div>", // Note escaping of closing <div> tag
	notCurrentlySyncing: "無進行中的同步動作",
	captionUnSync: "停止同步此文章",
	chooseServer: "與其他伺服器同步此文章:",
	currServerMarker: "\u25cf ",
	notCurrServerMarker: "  "});

merge(config.commands.fields,{
	text: "欄位",
	tooltip: "顯示此文章的擴充資訊",
	emptyText: "此文章沒有擴充欄位",
	listViewTemplate: {
		columns: [
			{name: 'Field', field: 'field', title: "擴充欄位", type: 'String'},
			{name: 'Value', field: 'value', title: "內容", type: 'String'}
			],
		rowClasses: [
			],
		buttons: [
			]}});

merge(config.shadowTiddlers,{
	DefaultTiddlers: "[[GettingStarted]]",
	GettingStarted: "使用此 TiddlyWiki 的空白範本之前,請先修改以下預設文章:\n* SiteTitle 及 SiteSubtitle:網站的標題和副標題,顯示於頁面上方<br />(在儲存變更後,將顯示於瀏覽器視窗的標題列)。\n* MainMenu:主選單(通常在頁面左側)。\n* DefaultTiddlers:內含一些文章的標題,可於載入TiddlyWiki 後的預設開啟。\n請輸入您的大名,作為所建立/ 編輯的文章署名:<<option txtUserName>>",
	MainMenu: "[[使用說明|GettingStarted]]\n\n\n版本:<<version>>",
	OptionsPanel: "這些設定將暫存於瀏覽器\n請簽名<<option txtUserName>>\n (範例:WikiWord)\n\n <<option chkSaveBackups>> 儲存備份\n <<option chkAutoSave>> 自動儲存\n <<option chkRegExpSearch>> 正規式搜尋\n <<option chkCaseSensitiveSearch>> 區分大小寫搜尋\n <<option chkAnimate>> 使用動畫顯示\n----\n [[進階選項|AdvancedOptions]]",
	SiteTitle: "我的 TiddlyWiki",
	SiteSubtitle: "一個可重複使用的個人網頁式筆記本",
	SiteUrl: '',
	SideBarOptions: '<<search>><<closeAll>><<permaview>><<newTiddler>><<newJournal " YYYY年0MM月0DD日" "日誌">><<saveChanges>><<slider chkSliderOptionsPanel OptionsPanel "偏好設定 \u00bb" "變更 TiddlyWiki 選項">>',
	SideBarTabs: '<<tabs txtMainTab "最近更新" "依更新日期排序" TabTimeline "全部" "所有文章" TabAll "分類" "所有標籤" TabTags "更多" "其他" TabMore>>',
	StyleSheet: '[[StyleSheetLocale]]',
	TabMore: '<<tabs txtMoreTab "未完成" "內容空白的文章" TabMoreMissing "未引用" "未被引用的文章" TabMoreOrphans "預設文章" "已預設內容的隱藏文章" TabMoreShadowed>>'
});

merge(config.annotations,{
	AdvancedOptions: "此預設文章可以存取一些進階選項。",
	ColorPalette: "此預設文章裡的設定值,將決定 ~TiddlyWiki 使用者介面的配色。",
	DefaultTiddlers: "當 ~TiddlyWiki 在瀏覽器中開啟時,此預設文章裡列出的文章,將被自動顯示。",
	EditTemplate: "此預設文章裡的 HTML template 將決定文章進入編輯模式時的顯示版面。",
	GettingStarted: "此預設文章提供基本的使用說明。",
	ImportTiddlers: "此預設文章提供存取導入中的文章。",
	MainMenu: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕左側主選單的內容",
	MarkupPreHead: "此文章的內容將加至 TiddlyWiki 文件的 <head> 段落的起始",
	MarkupPostHead: "此文章的內容將加至 TiddlyWiki 文件的 <head> 段落的最後",
	MarkupPreBody: "此文章的內容將加至 TiddlyWiki 文件的 <body> 段落的起始",
	MarkupPostBody: "此文章的內容將加至 TiddlyWiki 文件的 <body> 段落的最後,於 script 區塊之後",
	OptionsPanel: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的選項面板裡的內容",
	PageTemplate: "此預設文章裡的 HTML template 決定的 ~TiddlyWiki 主要的版面配置",
	PluginManager: "此預設文章提供存取套件管理員",
	SideBarOptions: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中選項面板裡的內容",
	SideBarTabs: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的頁籤面板裡的內容",
	SiteSubtitle: "此預設文章的內容為頁面的副標題",
	SiteTitle: "此預設文章的內容為頁面的主標題",
	SiteUrl: "此預設文章的內容須設定為文件發佈時的完整網址",
	StyleSheetColors: "此預設文章內含的 CSS 規則,為相關的頁面元素的配色。''勿修改此文'',請於 StyleSheet 中作增修",
	StyleSheet: "此預設文章內容可包含 CSS 規則",
	StyleSheetLayout: "此預設文章內含的 CSS 規則,為相關的頁面元素的版面配置。''勿修改此文'',請於 StyleSheet 中作增修",
	StyleSheetLocale: "此預設文章內含的 CSS 規則,可依翻譯語系做適當調整",
	StyleSheetPrint: "此預設文章內含的 CSS 規則,用於列印時的樣式",
	TabAll: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「全部」頁籤的內容",
	TabMore: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「更多」頁籤的內容",
	TabMoreMissing: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「未完成」頁籤的內容",
	TabMoreOrphans: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「未引用」頁籤的內容",
	TabMoreShadowed: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「預設文章」頁籤的內容",
	TabTags: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「分類」頁籤的內容",
	TabTimeline: "此預設文章的內容,為於螢幕右側副選單中的「最近更新」頁籤的內容",
	ToolbarCommands: "此預設文章的內容,為顯示於文章工具列之命令",
	ViewTemplate: "此預設文章裡的 HTML template 決定文章顯示的樣子"
	});
//}}}