Article 1a Assignment – PSYC 4033

Dr. McDonald – Spring 2022

Article 1a—date due: Feb 8

Your name: ________________________________________________

AUTHORS OF ARTICLE: Foster, N. L., Mueller, M. L., Was, C., Rawson, K. A., & Dunlosky, J. 

Instructions: Please use this and only this sheet to answer the questions regarding your assigned article; in other words, be succinct. Incomplete sentences are acceptable as long as they get the message across. Use the space allotted and no more! USE YOUR OWN WORDS – NO PLAGIARISM AND NO QUOTING!!! Most importantly, put answers in everyday language.

Motivation for the study: The main motivation for the study is that interleaving is beneficial and it assists in improving math learning. Interleaving involves mixing two or more tasks that are difficult in order to improve learning. This is especially true with math, as children often struggle with this subject and the learning of mathematical concepts often relies on memorization. Interleaved practice can help children learn concepts such as multiplication, fractions and decimals, addition, subtraction and more at an earlier age than traditional practice alone. Thus, it is essential to assess why interleaving enhance performance.

Hypotheses/Predictions: Interleaving enhances effective learning of a particular problem since that problem type instances tend to be practiced in close proximity to different problem types instances from a similar domain.

Another prediction is that math problems distribution practice by way of interleaved practice schedule tend to greatly improve the relationship between the problem and the strategy.

Independent Variable(s) EXP’T 1 only – only list ones used; there may or may not be extra lines In addition, clearly circle between or within subjects for each IV

1._______ interleaving practice _____________________________ Between Sub/Within Sub

2._discriminative contrast ___________________________________ Between Sub/Within Sub

3. distributed practice _________________________________________ Between Sub/Within Sub

Control Variable(s) EXP’T 1 only —list two

1._ Participants

2._ materials

Dependent Variable(s) EXP’T 1 only—only list ones used; there may or may not be extra lines

1._Blocked

2._Interleaved

3._Remote interleaved

Results – a) interpret Figure 3 on page 1094. What does it show? Does it match the predictions? b) interpret Fig 4 on page 1095. What does it show? Does it match the predictions?

a)_ The results for the experimental group are shown in the table below

comparing mean retrieval ability across trials:

1- Correctly retrieved formula from CTC weather, then had error during test 2; 2- Correctly retrieved formula from CTC weather and had no errors during test 3; 3- Incorrectly retrieved formulae from CTC weather; 4- Retrieval ability was different across trials.

Wedge problems were selected based on a previously described study that showed that students with dyscalculia (or other numerical difficulties) have trouble with problems in which there is an addition operation involving two or more numbers such as adding 8 to 12.

b)_ A one-way ANOVA on final performance of wedge problems indicated a significant effect of group. Two potential outcomes were measured: a performance on a series of wedge problems and a group identification. Participants were part of one of two groups: those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and those without OCD. While the OCD group, as predicted, tended to perform better than the control group on the final set of problems they both attempted, this is not surprising as such individuals are often perfectionists and naturally find it more difficult to “let go” or move on from their work.

Relation to class material – use pages 119-126 in the Baddeley et al. textbook to find a study that relates directly to this one. Give the name of the authors of that study and a brief description of their findings. Describe similarities and differences between that study and the one you just read in terms of materials, experimental design and results. How do these two studies relate to a general topic from the class?

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