Difference between revisions of "REAP main"

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''Implicit Learning'': The learning of meaning for a word from the context in which that word occurs.
 
''Implicit Learning'': The learning of meaning for a word from the context in which that word occurs.
 +
 
''Explicit Learning'': The learning of meaning for a word from explicit instruction, either in the form of a dictionary definition or  a practice exercise.
 
''Explicit Learning'': The learning of meaning for a word from explicit instruction, either in the form of a dictionary definition or  a practice exercise.
 +
 
''Intentional Learning'': The learning of meanings for words that are focused on in instructional materials.  Targeted words might be highlighted in a reading, or practiced in vocabulary exercises.
 
''Intentional Learning'': The learning of meanings for words that are focused on in instructional materials.  Targeted words might be highlighted in a reading, or practiced in vocabulary exercises.
 +
 
''Incidental Learning'': The learning of meanings for words that appear in instructional materials but are not explicitly taught.  For example, a student may learn an unknown word that occurs in a practice reading but is not the focus of the reading.
 
''Incidental Learning'': The learning of meanings for words that appear in instructional materials but are not explicitly taught.  For example, a student may learn an unknown word that occurs in a practice reading but is not the focus of the reading.
  
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=== Dependent variables ===
 
=== Dependent variables ===
Measures of basic learning (an immediate, near-transfer post-test) and measures of robust learning (retention, far-transfer and preparation for future learning)
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Immediate post-test scores on cloze (fill-in-the-blank) exercises similar to practice exercises.
 +
 
 +
Long-term retention test scores similar to post-test but administered months later.
 +
 
 +
Transfer of knowledge: sentence production tasks for target words, correct use of words in writing assignments for other courses.
  
 
=== Independent variables ===
 
=== Independent variables ===
Independent variables in PSLC are primarily instructional activities, methods, or treatments.  Studies might also include independent variables that measure individual differences, like a language students' first language.
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e.g., availability of dictionary definitions, presentation of definitions, highlighting of target words in readings, personalization of readings by topics of interest, etc.
  
 
=== Hypotheses ===
 
=== Hypotheses ===
Learning will be robust if the instructional activities are designed to include appropriate paths, and the students tend to follow those paths during instruction.
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Students require both explicit and implicit instruction to effectively acquire vocabulary.  Students do not efficiently learn vocabulary implicitly (e.g., from context alone).  Similarly, learning solely from explicit dictionary definitions will lead to shallow acquisition.  Students who only have definitions available will have difficulty generalizing their knowledge and producing sentences using new vocabulary.  Therefore, words need to be seen in context with definitions available in order for robust learning to occur.
  
 
=== Explanation ===
 
=== Explanation ===
Instructional activities influence the depth and generality of the students’ acquired knowledge components, the knowledge components’ strength and feature validity, and the student’s motivation.  These in turn influence the students’ performance on measures of robust learning.  That is, we take a cognitive stance, rather than a radically distributed or situated stance.
 
  
At the macro-level, instruction produces robust learning if it increases the frequency of:
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=== Descendents ===
*sense-making processes: rederivation, adaptation and self-supervised learning
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*Summer 2005 Study
*and foundational skill-building processes: strengthening, deep feature perception and cognitive headroom.
+
 
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*Fall 2005 Study
At the micro-level, instruction produces robust learning if:
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*The instruction is designed so that the learning event space has some target paths that would cause an ideal student to acquire knowledge that is deep, general, strong and retrieval-feature-valid.
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*[[REAP_spring06|Spring 2006 Study on Vocabulary Stretch]].
*Most students follow a target path most of the time.  There are many factors outside the easy control of the experimenter or instructor, such as motivation and recall, that affect whether students actually follow the target paths designed into the instruction.
+
 
 +
*[[REAP_summer06|Summer 2006 Study on Question Types]].
 +
 
 +
*[[REAP_eli4_fall06|Fall 2006 Study on Personalization]].
 +
 
 +
*[[REAP_eli5_fall06|Fall 2006 Study on Focusing of Attention]].
  
=== Descendents ===
 
*[[Interactive Communication]].
 
*[[Coordinative Learning]].
 
*[[Refinement and Fluency]].
 
  
 
=== Annotated bibliography ===
 
=== Annotated bibliography ===
 
Forthcoming.
 
Forthcoming.

Revision as of 19:50, 19 December 2006

The REAP Project Root Node

Abstract

The REAP project investigates the effects of implicit and explicit instruction on the learning of word meanings. The REAP tutor (http://reap.cs.cmu.edu) is used as a enabling technology for LearnLab studies in the English Language Institute at the Univ. of Pittsburgh.

Glossary

Implicit Learning: The learning of meaning for a word from the context in which that word occurs.

Explicit Learning: The learning of meaning for a word from explicit instruction, either in the form of a dictionary definition or a practice exercise.

Intentional Learning: The learning of meanings for words that are focused on in instructional materials. Targeted words might be highlighted in a reading, or practiced in vocabulary exercises.

Incidental Learning: The learning of meanings for words that appear in instructional materials but are not explicitly taught. For example, a student may learn an unknown word that occurs in a practice reading but is not the focus of the reading.

Research question

What are the characteristics of instruction that lead to robust knowledge of vocabulary? Do students learn better from explicit instruction (e.g., dictionary definitions), or can they learn implicitly (e.g., from context)? To what extent does incidental learning of vocabulary occur (e.g., learning of words not targeted by a practice reading)?

Dependent variables

Immediate post-test scores on cloze (fill-in-the-blank) exercises similar to practice exercises.

Long-term retention test scores similar to post-test but administered months later.

Transfer of knowledge: sentence production tasks for target words, correct use of words in writing assignments for other courses.

Independent variables

e.g., availability of dictionary definitions, presentation of definitions, highlighting of target words in readings, personalization of readings by topics of interest, etc.

Hypotheses

Students require both explicit and implicit instruction to effectively acquire vocabulary. Students do not efficiently learn vocabulary implicitly (e.g., from context alone). Similarly, learning solely from explicit dictionary definitions will lead to shallow acquisition. Students who only have definitions available will have difficulty generalizing their knowledge and producing sentences using new vocabulary. Therefore, words need to be seen in context with definitions available in order for robust learning to occur.

Explanation

Descendents

  • Summer 2005 Study
  • Fall 2005 Study


Annotated bibliography

Forthcoming.