Cognitive Science

“Adapting for a Local Space Can be Tricky”: Designing Units for Teachers to Localize Through Phenomenon Adaptation

Learning science in the context of local phenomena and problems can be powerful for young people. Yet, designing place-based instructional materials is resource intensive, limiting broad access. This study investigates how instructional materials designed for widespread use can support teacher localization through phenomenon adaptation, whereby teachers add or swap phenomena relevant to students' interests, identities, and community.

Author/Presenter

Emily M. Harris

Lindsey Mohan

Adrienne A. Hanson

Katahdin A. Cook Whitt

Candice Guy-Gaytán

Lisa O. Kenyon

Year
2025
Short Description

Learning science in the context of local phenomena and problems can be powerful for young people. Yet, designing place-based instructional materials is resource intensive, limiting broad access. This study investigates how instructional materials designed for widespread use can support teacher localization through phenomenon adaptation, whereby teachers add or swap phenomena relevant to students' interests, identities, and community.

Productive Problem-Solving Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors). Themes emerged from qualitative analysis indicating that the students engaged in problem-solving behaviors, as well as common patterns of behaviors.

Author/Presenter

Emily Evans

Jonathan Bostic

Sean Yee

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors).

Productive Problem-Solving Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors). Themes emerged from qualitative analysis indicating that the students engaged in problem-solving behaviors, as well as common patterns of behaviors.

Author/Presenter

Emily Evans

Jonathan Bostic

Sean Yee

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors).

Productive Problem-Solving Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors). Themes emerged from qualitative analysis indicating that the students engaged in problem-solving behaviors, as well as common patterns of behaviors.

Author/Presenter

Emily Evans

Jonathan Bostic

Sean Yee

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors).

Productive Problem-Solving Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors). Themes emerged from qualitative analysis indicating that the students engaged in problem-solving behaviors, as well as common patterns of behaviors.

Author/Presenter

Emily Evans

Jonathan Bostic

Sean Yee

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

The purpose of this study was to explore the problem-solving behaviors of middle-school students with learning disabilities (SLD). Think-aloud interviews were performed with 20 seventh- and eighth-grade students who had learning disabilities to observe their behaviors while solving mathematical word problems (i.e., behaviors and patterns of behaviors).

Epistemic Scaffolding: Understanding and Designing the Support for Epistemic Growth in Science

In this paper, we introduce an epistemic scaffolding framework for understanding the nature of support for epistemic growth in science. Our framework distinguishes between two patterns of epistemic scaffolding: implicit and explicit. Implicit epistemic scaffolding encompasses support integrated into contexts, activities, discourse, or tools, exerting an unconscious influence on learners’ epistemic thinking and practices. On the other hand, explicit epistemic scaffolding involves intentionally explicating the underlying epistemology of learners’ knowledge work.

Author/Presenter

Feng Lin

Sadhana Puntambekar

Year
2024
Short Description

In this paper, we introduce an epistemic scaffolding framework for understanding the nature of support for epistemic growth in science.

Measuring and Visualizing Space in Elementary Mathematics Learning

Measuring and Visualizing Space in Elementary Mathematics Learning explores the development of elementary students’ understanding of the mathematics of measure, and demonstrates how measurement can serve as an anchor for supporting a deeper understanding of number operations and rational numbers.

Author/Presenter

Richard Lehrer

Leona Schauble

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2023
Short Description

Measuring and Visualizing Space in Elementary Mathematics Learning explores the development of elementary students’ understanding of the mathematics of measure, and demonstrates how measurement can serve as an anchor for supporting a deeper understanding of number operations and rational numbers.

Language Systematizes Attention: How Relational Language Enhances Relational Representation by Guiding Attention

Language can affect cognition, but through what mechanism? Substantial past research has focused on how labeling can elicit categorical representation during online processing. We focus here on a particularly powerful type of language—relational language—and show that relational language can enhance relational representation in children through an embodied attention mechanism.

Author/Presenter

Lei Yuan

Miriam Novack

David Uttal

Steven Franconeri

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2024
Short Description

Language can affect cognition, but through what mechanism? Substantial past research has focused on how labeling can elicit categorical representation during online processing. We focus here on a particularly powerful type of language—relational language—and show that relational language can enhance relational representation in children through an embodied attention mechanism.

Uncovering Middle School CS Students’ Understanding of Variables and Control Structures: A Cognitive Think-Aloud Approach

This poster presents findings on middle school students’ understanding of core computer science (CS) concepts, such as variables and control structures, using cognitive think-aloud interviews with eight students. Each student worked on 16-22 formative assessment tasks designed to assess understanding on the ‘Algorithms and Programming’ middle school CS standards. Our study describes students’ interpretations of the CS concepts and discusses potential factors influencing student interpretations. Significance and next steps are described.

Author/Presenter

Hui Yang

Satabdi Basu

Daisy Rutstein

Arif Rachmatullah

Carol Tate

Christopher Ortiz

Eliese Rulifson

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2023
Short Description

This poster presents findings on middle school students’ understanding of core computer science (CS) concepts, such as variables and control structures, using cognitive think-aloud interviews with eight students.

Iterative Cognitive Interview Design to Uncover Children’s Spatial Reasoning

Cognitive interviews play an important role in articulating the intended construct of educational assessments. This paper describes the iterative development of protocols for cognitive interviews with kindergarten through second-grade children to understand how their spatial reasoning skill development aligns with intended constructs. We describe the procedures used to gather evidence of construct relevance and improved alignment to task-based interview items through multiple pilot rounds before conducting cognitive interviews.

Author/Presenter

Elizabeth R. Thomas

Robyn K. Pinilla

Leanne R. Ketterlin-Geller

Cassandra Hatfield

Year
2023
Short Description

Cognitive interviews play an important role in articulating the intended construct of educational assessments. This paper describes the iterative development of protocols for cognitive interviews with kindergarten through second-grade children to understand how their spatial reasoning skill development aligns with intended constructs.