How Subject-Matter Knowledge Affects Recall and Interest

Interest has become a central topic in the educational-psychology literature and Hidi and Renninger's (2006) four-phase model of interest development is its most recent manifestation. However, this model presently enjoys only limited empirical support.To contribute to our understanding of how individual interest in a subject develops in learners, two studies were conducted with primary school science students. The first study (N = 187) tested the assumption that repeated arousal of situational interest affects the growth of individual interest. Latent growth curve modeling was applied and the results suggest that the arousal of situational interest has a positive effect on the development of individual interest and significantly influences its growth trajectory. The second study tested the assumption that engaging students with interest-provoking didactic stimuli, such as problems, is critical to triggering situational interest and increasing individual interest. To test this assumption, four classes of primary school students (N = 129) were randomly assigned to two conditions in a quasi-experimental setup. The treatment condition received four situational-interest-inducing science problems as part of a course whereas the control condition did not, all other things being equal. The results of latent growth curve modeling revealed that only the group receiving problems experienced repeated arousal of situational interest and its related growth in individual interest. Implications for, and amendments to, the four-phase model of interest development are proposed.

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“…This is a position supported by Alexander's model of domain learning (P. A. Alexander, et al, 1995;P. A. Alexander, Kulikowich, & Schulze, 1994).…”

Section: Shortcomings Of the Present Studies And Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 98%

Interest development: Arousing situational interest affects the growth trajectory of individual interest

Rotgans

Schmidt

2017

Contemporary Educational Psychology

125

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“…Thus, it is unclear whether high levels of interest in a given area will be adequate to propel these individuals into the next stage of development; ie, interest alone may not improve student performance in a given area. 16 When learners are more interested, they perceive themselves as learning more, 17 and within this course, there were changes in perceived comfort level in learning. Even though there was no correlation between change in interest and change in comfort post-course, there was a significant correlation between the absolute values of interest, defined as ranking of topic and comfort level postcourse.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Modified Team-Based Learning Physiology Course

Persky

Pollack

2011

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

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Objective. To implement and assess an interactive, clinically applicable first-year physiology course using team-based learning. Design. The course was designed on a team-based learning backbone using 6 modules, pre-class preparation, a readiness-assurance process, and in-class application. Integrative cases were used to review concepts prior to examinations. Various assessment methods were used to measure changes, including course evaluations, an attitudinal survey tool, and a knowledge examination. Assessment. Course evaluations indicated a higher perception of active learning in the revised format compared with that of the previous year's course format. There also were notable differences in opportunities to promote communication skills, work as part of a team, and collaborate with diverse individuals. The assessment of content knowledge indicated that students who completed the revised format course outperformed the previous year's students in both foundational knowledge and application-type questions. Conclusion. Using more team-based learning within a physiology course had a favorable impact on student retention of material and attitudes toward the course.

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“…A possible explanation for this effect is that interest automatically provides attentional resources to the learning process that otherwise would need to be allocated in a controlled way (Hidi, 1990(Hidi, , 1995McDaniel, Waddill, Finstad, & Bourg, 2000). In addition, there is strong evidence that text interest could depend on the prior knowledge of the reader (Alexander, Jetton, & Kulikowich, 1995;Alexander, Kulikowich, & Schulze, 1994;Garner, Alexander, Gillingham, Kulikowich, & Brown, 1991;W. Kintsch, 1980;Wade, Buxton, & Kelly, 1999;Walker, 1981).…”

Section: Hypertext Reading Strategies and Prior Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Reading strategies and prior knowledge in learning from hypertext

2006

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In two experiments, we identified two main strategies followed by hypertext readers in selecting their reading orders. The first consisted in selecting the text semantically related to the previously read section (coherence strategy), and the second in choosing the most interesting text, delaying reading of less interesting sections (interest strategy). Comprehension data revealed that these strategies affected learning differently as a function of the reader's prior knowledge. For low-knowledge readers, the coherence strategy supported better learning of the content. This effect seems to rely on the improvement of reading order coherence induced by this strategy. By contrast, for intermediateknowledge readers the coherence and the interest strategies benefited comprehension equally. In both cases, learning was supported through the active processing induced by these strategies. Discussion focuses on resolving inconsistencies in the literature concerning whether or not hypertext supports better comprehension than does traditional linear texts.

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How Subject-Matter Knowledge Affects Recall and Interest

Cited by 165 publications

References 23 publications

Interest development: Arousing situational interest affects the growth trajectory of individual interest

Interest development: Arousing situational interest affects the growth trajectory of individual interest

A Modified Team-Based Learning Physiology Course

Reading strategies and prior knowledge in learning from hypertext

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