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Mixed methods were adopted to explore the effects of student-generated visualization on paper and on computers as a study strategy for middle school science concept learning. In a post-test-only-control-group design, scores were compared among a control-group (n=28), a group that was trained to visualize on paper (n=30), and a group that was trained to visualize on computers (n=34). The paper group and the computer group performed significantly better on the post-test than the control group. Visualization as a study strategy had positive effects whether students used paper or computers to generate their visualizations. However, no significant difference existed between the paper group and the computer group's scores. Qualitative results indicated that students who were trained to visualize on paper or on computers had positive attitudes toward the use of visualization as a study strategy, and they engaged more in purposeful tasks during study time than the control group. However, several participants in the computer group felt negatively about the use of visualization; they claimed that visualization demanded too much time and effort. Attitudes toward visualization as a study strategy differed within groups indicating that visualization might interact with learner characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of web-based assessment and practice on improving middle school students' mathematics learning attitudes. With the use of an experimental design and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the study compared and contrasted the attitude achievement of students, who used the web-based assessment and practice (WP) with students, who used the traditional assessment and practice (TP). Across multivariate and factor analyses and the transcripts of interview notes, results of the study indicate that with the opportunities of drilling and practicing on the computer and receiving instant scores and adapted feedback, students had gained interests in doing mathematics, and formed a perception that they became smarter in problem-solving. However, the attitude improvements were quite different across ethnic and gender groups. Within the WP group, while male students gained more confidence than females, females expressed stronger opinions on the fact that instant scores and feedback helped them overcome difficulties in mathematics problem solving. Though some limitations still exist with written explanations and partial credits, in comparison with the traditional assessment, the web-based assessment and practice tool in this study substantially helps students build motivation and elevates the meaning of learning and doing mathematics with the use web-based technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated skills that lead to generation of facilitative visualizations during study time for college age students in a controlled study. An orientation prepared students in an experimental group to 1) identify the underlying structure of a given text, 2) represent interrelationships, 3) generate pictorial verbal study-notes, 4) visually connect concepts to prior learning, 5) illustrate distinctive features of concepts, and 6) use visualizations for rehearsal. Students who showed interrelationships among concepts, balanced their notes pictorially and verbally, and related new learnings to prior learnings in their study-notes performed better on a test than those who did not. Those oriented in visualization commented that visualization was helpful and that they would use the strategy during future study time. Although, those who were trained said that visualization is time consuming, we observed that they chose to study for a longer period of time than did the untrained students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]