College campuses have become rich sites of hip-hop culture and knowledge production. Despite the attention that campus personnel and researchers have paid to student life, the field of higher education has often misunderstood the ways that hip-hop culture exists in college students' lives. Based upon in-depth interviews, observations of…

This edited volume brings together large-scale research as well as case studies from a range of geographical contexts and represents a variety of educational settings involving second language learners and users. Its aim is to explore the interrelated issues of psychology and technology use in second language learning settings as well as in more…

Recent research in persuasion shows that while message recipients often use little cognitive effort when assessing message validity, they may instead rely on a heuristic processing strategy. This study used a priming-like paradigm to manipulate the reliability that subjects apply to the heuristic "message length implies message strength." Subjects…

Differences in cognitive structure are approached through consideration of cartesian and non-cartesian knowing. Figuration and configuration are described as two layers of cartesian knowing leading to the third layer, the cognitive structure. Knowing in general is then discussed, with comments on learning in another culture, Botswana. (MNS)

How the author moved from concern about research to development of prescriptive models of heuristic problem solving and the exploration of metacognition and belief systems is discussed. Student beliefs about problem solving, and their corollaries, are included. (MNS)

Based on intuitive speculation, a literature review, and trial situations with students, this comprehensive listing describes, explains, and classifies the functions that visuals might perform when used to support verbal narration. This summary will be followed in the future by establishment and testing of the functions' validity. (MBR)

This resarch identified K-6 children's (N=1202) and teachers' (N=54) perceptions of what constitutes doing or using mathematics. Perceptions were documented by a questionnaire which included items reflecting the six major strands of the K-6 syllabi and explicit and implicit use of numbers and operations as both facilitating and distracting…

Three factors associated with arithmetical processes (sequence skills, arithmetical strategies, and information processing capacity) were measured in individual interviews with 35 first-grade pupils, aged 7.6 to 8.6, in one Finnish school. Mathematics achievement was determined from information supplied by teachers. Attitudes were assessed twice,…

Reports on a study of 198 Canadian children, ages 4-8, on their understanding of the role of evidence on the formation of beliefs. Finds that younger children evaluate opinions based on their own beliefs about the situation; older children tend to ascribe knowledge to others on the basis of evidence available to those others. (CFR)

Presents results of a study of the role of context upon English children's estimation skills. Includes estimation tasks involving distance, area, and volume measurements and children's answers about how they carried out the tasks. Concludes that estimates in contexts perceived as mathematical differed from those involving perceptual-motor skills.…

A cognitively-oriented course of economics instruction will affect student attitudes toward economic issues. This was the finding of a study designed to ascertain economic attitudes in adolescents. Economic attitudes were measured by an instrument which used eight moderately reliable multi-item scales. The measure was applied in a…

A socio-educational model of second language learning suggests that the learning of a second language involves both an ability and a motivational component and that the major basis of this motivation is best viewed from a social psychological perspective. The motivational component is influenced to some extent by factors that affect an…

Studied viewpoints of 12-year-old Finnish students concerning the relation between man and nature and their own relation toward the natural world. Examined the cognitive level of thought processes, emotional considerations, and experiences shown in pupils' opinions. Found social, socio-economical, ecological, and ethical considerations had greater…

Maintains that, for a cognitive construct to be accepted as explanatory, it must specify target behaviors, posit antecedent variables, and indicate how the antecedent variables can be measured independently of behavioral changes. Discusses epistemological tools that can be used in similar fashion. (CFR)

This paper reviews literature documenting gender differences in beliefs related to mathematics achievement. The areas included in the discussion are: (1) gender differences in mathematics achievement and self-referenced cognitions, (2) the effect of confidence and anxiety on mathematics performance and expenditure of effort, and (3) confidence and…