Thursday, February 06, 2025

Research Byte: Specialized Purpose of Each Type of Student #Engagement: A #metaanalysis - #schoolpsychology #EDPSY #learning #motivation #CAMML #CHC

 


This is an open access downloadable article available by clicking here.  Types of student engagement would be interesting constructs to add to the Cognitive-Affective-Motivation Model of Learning (crossing the Rubicon to engaged learning).

Click on images to enlarge for easy reading.





Wednesday, February 05, 2025

Quote2Note: #Copernicus (via Reed) on the danger of being right when the rest of the world is wrong - or, the “intertia of #tradition”

Copernicus . . . did not publish his book [on the nature of the solar system] until he was on his deathbed. He knew how dangerous it is to be right when the rest of the world is wrong.

Thomas Brackett Reed, in a speech at Waterville, Maine, July 30, 1885

Saturday, February 01, 2025

New journal in intelligence: #Intelligence and #Cognitive #Abilities


Passing this long to professionals interested in intelligence and cognitive abilities research.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,


Intelligence & Cognitive Abilities (ICA) is up and running and ready for submissions! This has happened in record time thanks to support, encouragement, and input from many people, especially those who helped fund us. We’re also thrilled to announce that Anna-Lena Schubert and Tim Bates have agreed to be Associate Editors.

Since Elsevier’s Intelligence has a “new” direction (and most of their EB resigned in protest), ICA was created to ensure intelligence researchers have a publication outlet edited by individuals with strong track records of intelligence research and committed to free inquiry. Moreover, to maximize the availability of every published paper, ICA is entirely online and Open Access. Because profit is not a primary motivating factor, the publication fee is substantially lower than all other journals that cover this area of psychology (at least by 50%). Since many intelligence researchers do not have funding for publication costs, ICA offers generous waivers and discounts. The Editorial Board represents expertise for the full, diverse range of intelligence topics, research designs, and data analysis methods.

But wait. There’s more. To encourage submissions, any manuscripts submitted before September 1st, 2025 and subsequently accepted will have all publication charges waived.

ICA is hosted on the Scholastica journal publishing platform. Here is a link for official ICA information including Aims and Scope, Editorial Board, and what authors need to know for preparing and submitting manuscripts: icajournal.scholasticahq.com (see tabs on upper left; this site will be evolving visually and adding functionally over the next few weeks but it already supports all aspects of submission, review, and publication). Any email invitations you receive inviting reviews of submissions and other simple site registration will come from Scholastica.

Intelligence research has moved far beyond traditional psychometrics into cognitive psychology, genetics, neuroimaging, neuroscience, and many other domains. All perspectives are welcomed to publish in ICA. We pledge fair and constructive reviews by experts and speedy online publication. But to be successful and serve the intelligence research community, we need submissions so please consider clicking the link above with your best work as soon as possible. It’s now up to you.

With gratitude,

Sincerely,

Tom Coyle, Editor-in-Chief


Rich Haier, Consulting Editor

Friday, January 31, 2025

Research Byte: Using Decoding Measures to Identify #ReadingDifficulties: A #Metaanalysis on English as a First Language Learners and English Language Learners #ELL #EL1


Using Decoding Measures to Identify Reading Difficulties: A Meta-analysis on English as a First Language Learners and English Language Learners

Click here to view at Journal of Educational Psychology

Students with or at risk of reading difficulties (RD) benefit from accurate early identification and intervention. Previous research has employed various decoding measures to screen students for RD, but the criteria for identification have been inconsistent. Assessing students with RD is especially challenging in English Language Learners (ELLs), as vocabulary deficits can impact decoding. Additionally, few research syntheses have examined whether researchers use different measures to screen ELLs and EL1s for RD, and whether these differences result in distinct decoding profiles between ELLs with RD and EL1s with RD. To address these gaps, this study uses a meta-analysis to examine the decoding measures used in RD assessments and whether outcomes differ for ELLs and EL1s. The findings show that real word reading assessments identify students with more pronounced decoding deficits than nonword reading assessments. Despite the use of different RD screening measures for ELLs and EL1s, the gap between ELLs with and without RD was similar to that between EL1s with and without RD. These results suggest that real word-reliant measures, which are influenced by word knowledge, provide a more comprehensive assessment of RD than nonword-reliant measures for both ELLs and EL1s. We encourage future researchers to use consistent decoding measures when screening RD in both populations, to maximize comparability of findings.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Quote2note: Merton on #faith #institutions #science and healthy #skepticism

Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of science makes skepticism a virtue. 

    • Robert K. Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure (1962)

Research Byte: Individual differences in #workingmemory (Gwm) and #attentionalcontrol (#AC) continue to predict memory #Gl) performance despite extensive learning—#CHC #schoolpsychology


Individual differences in working memory and attentional control continue to predict memory performance despite extensive learning.

Zhao, C., & Vogel, E. K. (2025). Individual differences in working memory and attentional control continue to predict memory performance despite extensive learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001728


Abstract

Individual differences in working memory predict a wide range of cognitive abilities. However, little research has been done on whether working memory continues to predict task performance after repetitive learning. Here, we tested whether working memory ability continued to predict long-term memory (LTM) performance for picture sequences even after participants showed massive learning. In Experiments 1–3, subjects performed a source memory task in which they were presented a sequence of 30 objects shown in one of four quadrants and then were tested on each item’s position. We repeated this procedure for five times in Experiment 1 and 12 times in Experiments 2 and 3. Interestingly, we discovered that individual differences in working memory continually predicted LTM accuracy across all repetitions. In Experiment 4, we replicated the stable working memory demands with word pairs. In Experiment 5, we generalized the stable working memory demands model to attentional control abilities. Together, these results suggest that people, instead of relying less on working memory, optimized their working memory and attentional control throughout learning. 
Impact Statement

Working memory ability predicts various cognitive abilities. However, whether its predictive power remains after participants repetitively study the test materials remains unknown. Here, in five experiments with visual and verbal materials, we found that individual differences in working memory and attentional control (WMAC) constantly predicted people’s memory performance even after extensive training of the same materials. Our results provided a new understanding of WMAC, in that learning may better tune participants’ attention and working memory toward task demands, instead of eliminating the reliance on attentional control in performing tasks.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Research Byte: Diagnostic Criteria for Children with #Nonverbal #LearningDisability (#NVLD) based on #CHC theory - #schoolpsychology #schoolpsychologists #SLD #SPED #CHC


A Study on the Characteristics and Diagnostic Criteria of Children with Nonverbal Learning Disability(NVLD) based on CHC Theory


This was published in the Korean Learning Disbility Association publication.  I have no direct access to this publication.  The link his here.  The generalization to other populations (e.g., US) is unknown.

Abstract

Research has been conducted on the existence and characteristics of nonverbal learning disabilities(NVLD) over the past decades. However, consensus on whether they belong to learning disabilities has not been reached. Also, their characteristics and diagnostic criteria has not yet been clarified. In order to solve these blind spots related to NVLD, cognitive characteristics were explored based on CHC intelligence theory, and structure of WISC test was analyzed to explore what subtests can be used to diagnose NVLD. The results of this study are as follows: First, it was confirmed that NVLD has deficits in Gv(visual processing), Gf(fluid reasoning), and Gs(processing speed), in contrast to strengths in Gc(crystallized intelligence) in the CHC theory. Second, according to the structural analysis of the WISC test, it was confirmed that subtests in the area of Verbal Comprehension Index(VCI), Visual Spatial Index(VSI), Fluid Reasoning Index(FRI), and Processing Speed Index(PSI) can be used to diagnose NVLD. By the result of this study, diagnosis and identification method for NVLD, applying new terms for the disability, and directions for subsequent studies were discussed. 


Saturday, January 25, 2025

Quote2note: On the scientific mind - right questions vs right answers


The scientific mind does not so much provide the right answers as ask the right questions. 

        • Claude Levi-Strauss, The Raw and the Cooked (1964)



Research Byte: Stability of early #numbersense competencies for predicting #math difficulties —#CHC #coreknowledgesystems #schoolpsychology #schoolpsychologists #cognitive #Gq #math #SLD



Stability of early number sense competencies for predicting mathematics difficulties

Learning and Individual Differences (2025).  Click here to go to journal page with author, etc. info.

It is my current working hypothesis that measures of number sense (and other Gq abilities such as magnitude recognition) may measure what developmental cognitive psychologists consider part of a quantitative “core knowledge system”.  Click here for access to an excellent article that discusses all core knowledge systems.  Perhaps these are fundamental cognitive mechanisms that lie beneath the narrow ability stratum in the CHC model of human cognitive abilities.

Abstract

Significant individual differences in children's number competencies exist in early childhood, and these competencies can have long-term implications for academic and economic success (National Research Council, 2009). The present study assessed the classification accuracy of the Screener for Early Number Sense (SENS), a screening tool grounded in an evidence-informed conceptual model of number sense that is designed for children in pre-kindergarten (pre-K), kindergarten, and first grade. A cohort of 450 children was assessed on the SENS, followed by a standardized mathematics achievement measure one year later. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses indicated that the SENS effectively differentiated children who went on to show math difficulties (MD) from those without MD. Accuracy rate was acceptable for pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade. An analysis of SENS performance over time categorized by MD risk status revealed differing patterns of growth across the pre-K vs. kindergarten year. These collective findings underscore the importance of math screening as early as pre-K.

Educational relevance

Educators need reliable and valid tools to identify young children who may be at risk for mathematics learning difficulties. The present study presents a number sense screener that accurately predicts pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade students' later mathematical difficulties. The study demonstrates how screener results and prevalence rates can be used to identify individual-level student risk and to make subsequent instructional decisions across varying schools or districts.

Friday, January 24, 2025

Thanks. The #CAI Richard W. Woodcock Award for Innovations in #Abilitytesting, #Research, and #Scholarship - #schoolpsychology #WJV #cognitive #intelligence #psychometrics

 Warning…a bit of self-promotion.  

I want to thank the CAI group for this awesome professional recognition.  This particular award has considerable meaning for me given that Dr. Woodcock was my friend, colleague and mentor for 40+ years.  He has been the most influential mentor in my career.  He saw something in me when I was a masters degree school psychologist practicing in the trenches.  I was able to learn from him in a mentor-apprentice model.  After I had learned much about the art+science Woodcock approach to applied psychological test development, I was motivated to return to school to earn my doctorate degree—to get the formal “book” learning behind much of what he had taught me, and more. 

Also, congratulations to my friend Dr. Nancy Mather who worked side-by-side with myself and Dr. Woodcock approximately 40 years on the revisions of the WJ-R through WJ V. Oh—the stories Nancy and I could tell.