Role Of Context In Learning Research Articles

The Role of Context in Learning to Read Languages That Use Different Writing Systems and Scripts: Urdu and English

Language learning involves linguistic and societal factors that interact to facilitate or hinder second language learning. Different contextual factors provide an opportunity to examine and understand the similarities and differences that occur among bilingual children who learn the same first (L1) and second language (L2) in different countries and contexts. This paper explored the role of context, learners’ profiles and linguistic differences of Urdu–English bilinguals in Canada and Pakistan. Within- and cross-linguistic comparisons were conducted for 76 Urdu–English speakers from Pakistan and 50 participants from Canada. Children, ages 8–10 years, were tested on language and literacy measures in both languages. Group comparisons of performance on language measures across languages and countries confirmed that relative strengths were based on the societal languages of each country (Urdu in Pakistan and English in Canada). Despite some similarities in relations among skills within language, differences in the language learning context provided interesting findings regarding the role of L1 skills for acquiring L2 reading skills. These findings challenge the theories developed using data from L2 learners, where learners acquire the societal language in immersion contexts, such as in North America or Europe.

Ecological Congruence and the Identification of Learning Disabilities

In the debate about how to evaluate students suspected of having a learning disability, the role of context in learning has been consistently minimized in the United States. This article explores the implications of the current, deficit-based approach to the definition and assessment of learning disabilities and offers a more contextually and culturally responsive alternative. An examination of the epistemic foundation and the implicit assumptions that underpin current practices reveal the need for a contextualized approach to evaluate individuals that takes into account the interactive roles of the environment and the individual. Decontextualized methods of learning disabilities assessment have negative consequences for many students and contribute to the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education services. This article describes a contextualized approach rooted in a model of ecological congruence that characterizes a student’s educational experiences and outcomes as a result of a dynamic process between the student and the classroom environment. Contextual and culturally responsive approaches to evaluation such as ecological congruence can provide a richer and more accurate view of how to remove barriers that impede academic progress.

Effects of learning content in context on knowledge acquisition and recall: a pretest-posttest control group design.

BackgroundIt is generally assumed that learning in context increases performance. This study investigates the relationship between the characteristics of a paper-patient context (relevance and familiarity), the mechanisms through which the cognitive dimension of context could improve learning (activation of prior knowledge, elaboration and increasing retrieval cues), and test performance.MethodsA total of 145 medical students completed a pretest of 40 questions, of which half were with a patient vignette. One week later, they studied musculoskeletal anatomy in the dissection room without a paper-patient context (control group) or with (ir)relevant-(un)familiar context (experimental groups), and completed a cognitive load scale. Following a short delay, the students completed a posttest.ResultsSurprisingly, our results show that students who studied in context did not perform better than students who studied without context. This finding may be explained by an interaction of the participants’ expertise level, the nature of anatomical knowledge and students’ approaches to learning. A relevant-familiar context only reduced the negative effect of learning the content in context. Our results suggest discouraging the introduction of an uncommon disease to illustrate a basic science concept. Higher self-perceived learning scores predict higher performance. Interestingly, students performed significantly better on the questions with context in both tests, possibly due to a ‘framing effect’.ConclusionsSince studies focusing on the physical and affective dimensions of context have also failed to find a positive influence of learning in a clinically relevant context, further research seems necessary to refine our theories around the role of context in learning.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-015-0416-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Students' engagement on Facebook in undergraduate business courses: an experimental study

There has been extensive research on the use of social networking sites, particularly Facebook, for enhancing student engagement. However, a detailed discussion on contexts has been largely ignored. The main objective of this paper is to examine the role of learning context in the success of student engagement by the use of social networking sites. The study has conducted three experiments and deployed Facebook as a communication channel and a discussion board in a first-year undergraduate business course, in a third-year information and communication technology (ICT) subject and in an executive MBA course. This research has compared the student engagement in mentioned contexts based on five principles of engagement. The paper presents lessons learned from these experiments that can be used by faculty and administrators in universities and educational institutes to design contexts in which social networking sites can achieve their potentials in improving student engagement and their overall academic experience.

Re-examining the role of context in implicit sequence learning.

Implicit sequence learning typically develops gradually, is often expressed quite rigidly, and is heavily reliant on contextual features. Recently we reported results pointing to the role of context-specific processes in the acquisition and expression of implicit sequence knowledge (D'Angelo, Milliken, Jiménez, & Lupiáñez, 2013). Here we examined further the role of context in learning of first-order conditional sequences, and whether context also plays a role in learning second-order conditional structures. Across five experiments we show that the role of context in first-order conditional sequences may not be as clear as we had previously reported, while at the same time we find evidence for the role of context in learning second-order conditional sequences. Together the results suggest that temporal context may be sufficient to learn complementary first-order conditional sequences, but that additional contextual information is necessary to concurrently learn higher-order sequential structures.

Learning to See Students: Opportunities to Develop Relational Practices of Teaching through Community-Based Placements in Teacher Education

BackgroundFor decades, scholars have argued that teaching and learning depend fundamentally on the quality of relationships between teachers and students, yet there is little research about how teachers develop relationships with students or how teacher education prepares teachers to do this work. Arguably, articulating the relational practices of teaching is critical for those aiming to prepare teachers to reach across differences, educate from a social justice perspective, and teach an increasingly diverse population of students. Noting the emphasis on relationships in community-based organizations (CBOs), the authors investigated preservice field placements in CBOs as potentially strategic contexts for learning about relational aspects of teaching.ObjectiveThe authors engaged the questions: What do candidates learn in CBO field placements? What are sources of variation between candidates’ learning outcomes? What are individual and contextual factors that shaped candidates’ opportunities to learn in CBOs? Specifically, which factors influenced candidates’ inclination and capacity to enact relational teaching practices (e.g., the methods and skills associated with learning about and connecting with students, families, and communities)?Research DesignThis study was a 3-year longitudinal investigation. Authors followed two cohorts of candidates from their first quarter of preparation into their first year of teaching. Qualitative methods, such as interviews, observations, and document review were employed in this inquiry of 12 case study candidates. To examine questions of variation, authors also conducted an in-depth comparative case analysis of a subset of two candidates and their CBO placement contexts.FindingsCBO placements facilitated opportunities for candidates to “see students”: candidates developed deeper understandings about children and more nuanced conceptions of diversity; experienced and examined school from an out-of-school perspective; and demonstrated greater attentiveness to the role of context in learning. The more detailed comparative analysis of two cases revealed variation in candidates’ experiences and their enactment of practices involved in building relationships with children and families. This analysis identified individual and situational factors (in coursework and CBOs) that facilitated and impeded candidate learning in CBOs.ConclusionsFindings from this study highlight the types of learning outcomes that preser-vice community-based placements potentially afford, as well as factors that make some placements more educative than others. The authors offer a theoretical lens that attends to variation in learning, which could be leveraged in future empirical work. This research contributes to the field's developing efforts to identify key social justice teaching practices and to conceptualize pedagogies of enactment for such practices.

The Role of Learning Context in High School Students’ Financial Knowledge and Behavior Acquisition

Using social construction theory, associations between student and classroom characteristics and high school students’ financial knowledge and behavior acquisition after studying a financial planning curriculum were examined. Prior to curriculum study, Whites, those growing up in a farm family business, and those who were working had higher financial knowledge; male and female knowledge differed by content. After curriculum study, females, those not growing up in a farm family business, and those who were not working gained most from curriculum study. While Whites, those who were working, and males exhibited more positive behaviors prior to curriculum study, after curriculum study, students living in states having financial mandates and those who did not grow up in a farm family business increased their positive behaviors most.

Input perspectives on the role of learning context in Second Language Acquisition. An introduction to the special issue

Article Input perspectives on the role of learning context in Second Language Acquisition. An introduction to the special issue was published on June 1, 2011 in the journal International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching (volume 49, issue 2).

Teacher education

07–285Atay, Derin (Marmara U, Istanbul, Turkey; dyatay@yahoo.com), Teachers' professional development: Partnerships in research. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 15 pp.07–286Brandt, C. (Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; c.brandt@yahoo.co.uk), Allowing for practice: A critical issue in TESOL teacher preparation. ELT Journal (Oxford University Press) 60.4 (2006), 355–364.07–287Carless, David (U Hong Kong, China; dcarless@hkucc.hku.hk), Good practices in team teaching in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. System (Elsevier) 34.3 (2006), 341–351.07–288Diab, Rula L. (American U Beirut, Lebanon; rd10aub@edu.lb), Teaching practices and student learning in the introductory research methods class. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 23 pp.07–289Gorsuch, Greta (Texas Tech U, USA; greta.gorsuch@ttu.edu), Doing language education research in a developing country. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 13 pp.07–290Hiep, Pham Hoa (U Hue, Vietnam; hiepsuu@gmail.com), Researching the research culture in English language education in Vietnam. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 20 pp.07–291Hussin, Habsah (U Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia; hbh_hussin@yahoo.co.uk), Dimensions of questioning: A qualitative study of current classroom practice in Malaysia.TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 17 pp.07–292Kubanyiova, Magdalena (U Nottingham, UK; aexmk1@nottingham.ac.uk), Developing a motivational teaching practice in EFL teachers in Slovakia: Challenges of promoting teacher change in EFL contexts. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 17 pp.07–293Leitch, Ruth (Queen's U, UK), Limitations of language: Developing arts-based creative narrative in stories of teachers' identities. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 12.5 (2006), 549–569.07–294Louden, William & Mary Rohl (U Western Australia, Australia; bill.louden@uwa.edu.au), ‘Too many theories and not enough instruction’: Perceptions of pre-service teacher preparation for literacy teaching in Australian schools. Literacy (Blackwell) 40.2 (2006), 66–78.07–295Love, Kristina (U Melbourne, Australia) & Merle Isles, ‘Welcome to the online discussion group’: A diagnostic framework for teachers. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy (Australian Literacy Educators' Association) 29.3 (2006), 210–224.07–296Pani, Susmita (English Language Teaching Institute, Bhubaneswar, India; susmitapani@yahoo.com), Teacher development through reading strategy instruction: the story of Supriya. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.2 (2006), 21 pp.07–297Pardo, Laura S. (Hope College, USA), The role of context in learning to teach writing: What teacher educators need to know to support beginning urban teachers. Journal of Teacher Education (Sage) 57.4 (2006), 378–394.07–298Paris, Cynthia (U Delaware, USA) & Combs, Barbara, Lived meanings: What teachers mean when they say they are learner-centered. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 12.5 (2006), 571–592.07–299Peter, Lizette (U Kansas, Lawrence, USA) & Tracy E. Hirata-Edds, Using assessment to inform instruction in Cherokee language revitalisation. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (Multilingual Matters) 9.5 (2006), 643–658.07–300Rankin, Jamie (Princeton U, USA; jrankin@princeton.edu) & Florian Becker, Does reading the research make a difference? A case study of teacher growth in FL German. The Modern Language Journal (Blackwell) 90.3 (2006), 353–372.07–301Søreide, Gunn Elisabeth (U Bergen, Norway), Narrative construction of teacher identity: Positioning and negotiation. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 12.5 (2006), 527–547.07–302Tin, Tan Bee (U Auckland, NZ: tb.tin@auckland.ac.nz), Looking at teaching through multiple lenses. ELT Journal (Oxford University Press) 60.3 (2006), 253–261.07–303Twiselton, Samantha (St Martin's College, Lancaster, UK; s.twiselton@ucsm.ac.uk), The problem with English: The exploration and development of student teachers' English subject knowledge in primary classrooms. Literacy (Blackwell) 40.2 (2006), 88–96.07–304Watson, Cate (U Aberdeen, UK), Narratives of practice and the construction of identity in teaching. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 12.5 (2006), 509–526.

The Role of Context in Learning to Teach Writing

The yearlong qualitative study this article describes explores how three beginning elementary teachers in urban schools struggled with policy, students, and their own commitment of learning to teach writing to their students. Findings indicate that beginning teachers learned to teach writing by drawing on a variety of knowledge sources, that beginning teachers' writing instruction was heavily influenced by various aspects of their individual teaching contexts, and that because these various aspects of teaching context often conflicted with each other, creating tensions for the beginning teacher, learning to teach writing was strongly shaped by how each teacher learned to manage the various conflicting aspects of her individual teaching context. Implications for teacher education emerged and include focusing on writing pedagogy, examining teaching contexts and decision making within various settings, and using case studies to examine how experienced teachers work successfully within a variety of teaching contexts.

A Case of Units

Young children learn by playing, and they first learn mathematics through exploration that develops naturally from their curiosity and experiences. They count, build, draw, model, and measure the world around them. The informal origins of their first mathematical insights remain an important link to the role of context in learning at any age. It is especially important for teachers to know this, in order to be alert to learning opportunities that arise. By paying attention to the details in students' conversations, we can develop the habit of listening to their mathematical discoveries. Encouraging and focusing these discoveries often releases the great learning potential inside students. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM 2000) elaborates on the idea of play being children's work by observing, “Adults support young children's diligence and mathematical development when they direct attention to the mathematics children use in their play, challenge them to solve problems, and encourage their persistence” (p. 74).

Investigating the role of context in learning to read: a direct test of Goodman's model.

The much discussed 'whole language' or 'real books' approach to children's reading is based on a theory which makes two quite separate predictions: (1) that children will read difficult words more successfully in context than in isolation, and (2) that contextual experience of words will lead to greater improvements in word reading than isolated experience of words. We report a study which tests both predictions and supports the first but not the second.

The role of context in learning and instructional design

Context is a pervasive and potent force in any learning event. Yet instructional design models contain little guidance about how to accommodate contextual elements to improve learning and transfer. This paper defines context, outlines its levels and types, specifies some pertinent contextual factors within these types, suggests methods for conducting a contextual analysis and utilizing its results for instructional design, and outlines future issues for context-based instructional design. The incorporation of a contextual approach to instruction will make our design models systemic as well as systematic.

Teacher Education Programs: The Role of Context in Learning How to Teach

(1997). Teacher Education Programs: The Role of Context in Learning How to Teach. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 17-19.