Open Collections

A cognitive framework for deriving and interpreting learning style differences among a group of intermediate grade native and non native pupils

University of British Columbia

This study investigates a framework for deriving and interpreting cognitive performance differences between 32 Native and 32 non Native intermediate grade Merrit B.C. pupils. Seven processing factors were identified and operationalized by twenty-two measures. Bottom-up attentional processing was defined as incidental attention to dominant or culturally relevant stimulus characteristics (e. g. attention to color). Top-down visual attentional processing was defined as goal—directed attention to stimuli characteristics activated by the identification of response characteristics and under the control of concrete/active planning associated with visual-motor modelling or feedback. Top-down verbal attentional processing was defined as goal-directed attention to stimuli characteristics activated by the identification of response characteristics and under the control of verbal/logical planning associated with verbal instructions or feedback. Simultaneous processing was defined as receding of separate stimulus characteristics into meaningful wholes in which all the elements are mutually surveyable and meaning is associated with the whole rather than the separate parts. Successive processing was defined as receding of separate stimulus characteristics into temporal, sequence-dependent forms with meaning accessed by the order. Concrete/active processing was defined as generation, selection and monitoring of goal-directed behavior associated with visual/motor feedback. Verbal/logical processing was defined as generation, selection and monitoring of goal-directed behavior associated with verbal feedback. A cognitive process task analysis was used to generate a target matrix for the 22 tasks used in the study. Separate orthogonal procrustes solutions were used to generate error matrices for both Native and non Native groups. An examination of the mean error rates for both groups suggests the preliminary efficacy of the framework. An extensive review of the literature provides the necessary precision in language for deriving instructional implications from the framework. Native and non Native learning strengths and weaknesses, based on these seven processing factors, are discussed and related to changes in instructional tasks demands designed to optimise strengths. A Native learning style is identified with the pattern of modelling mediation characteristic of the "observational" learning environment.

Text

2010-08-11

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/27248

Education

University of British Columbia

Graduate