Students' Meaningful Learning Orientation and Their Meaningful Understandings of Meiosis and Genetics.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Students' Meaningful Learning Orientation and Their Meaningful Understandings of Meiosis and Genetics.
Language: English
Authors: Cavallo, Ann Liberatore
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 53
Publication Date: 1992
Intended Audience: Researchers
Document Type: Reports - Research
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Academic Aptitude, Biology, Cognitive Style, Concept Formation, Educational Research, Genetics, Grade 10, High School Students, High Schools, Learning Motivation, Programed Instruction, Science Education, Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Secondary School Science, Standardized Tests
Geographic Terms: New York
Abstract: This 1-week study explored the extent to which high school students (n=140) acquired meaningful understanding of selected biological topics (meiosis and the Punnett square method) and the relationship between these topics. This study: (1) examined "mental modeling" as a technique for measuring students' meaningful understanding of the topics; (2) measured students' predisposed; generalized tendency to learn meaningfully; (3) determined the extent to which students' meaningful learning orientation predicted understanding beyond that predicted by aptitude and achievement motivation; (4) examined the consistency of the level of meaningful understanding acquired across the different biology topics; (5) experimentally tested two auto-tutorial instructional treatments (relationships presented to students, relationships generated by students); and (6) explored the influence of meaningful learning orientation, prior knowledge, instructional treatment, and all interactions of these variables in predicting meaningful understanding. The results of correlations and multiple regressions indicated that meaningful learning orientation generally contributed to students' attainment of meaningful understanding independent of aptitude and achievement motivation. Students attained similar levels of meaningful understanding across the different topics and on the relations between the topics. (Author/PR)
Entry Date: 1993
Accession Number: ED356140
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This 1-week study explored the extent to which high school students (n=140) acquired meaningful understanding of selected biological topics (meiosis and the Punnett square method) and the relationship between these topics. This study: (1) examined "mental modeling" as a technique for measuring students' meaningful understanding of the topics; (2) measured students' predisposed; generalized tendency to learn meaningfully; (3) determined the extent to which students' meaningful learning orientation predicted understanding beyond that predicted by aptitude and achievement motivation; (4) examined the consistency of the level of meaningful understanding acquired across the different biology topics; (5) experimentally tested two auto-tutorial instructional treatments (relationships presented to students, relationships generated by students); and (6) explored the influence of meaningful learning orientation, prior knowledge, instructional treatment, and all interactions of these variables in predicting meaningful understanding. The results of correlations and multiple regressions indicated that meaningful learning orientation generally contributed to students' attainment of meaningful understanding independent of aptitude and achievement motivation. Students attained similar levels of meaningful understanding across the different topics and on the relations between the topics. (Author/PR)