?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=The+effect+of+instruction+on+children's+use+of+diagrams+in+novel+problem+solving&rft.creator=Diezmann%2C+Carmel+M.&rft.subject=Problem+solving+Study+and+teaching&rft.subject=Problem+solving+Graphic+methods&rft.subject=Visual+communication&rft.subject=diagrams&rft.subject=problem+solving&rft.subject=representation&rft.subject=instruction&rft.subject=case+study&rft.subject=visual+literacy&rft.subject=theory+testing&rft.subject=thesis&rft.subject=doctoral&rft.description=The+research+reported+in+this+thesis+investigated+a+theory+of+instruction+that+was+developed+to+teach+the+use+of+the+strategy+draw+a+diagram+in+novel+problem+solving.Consistent+with+an+explanatory+case+study+design%2C+the+theory+was+derived+from+the+literature+and+tested+through+the+implementation+of+an+instructional+programme+informed+by+that+theory.+This+theory+predicted+that+if+the+instructional+programme+addressed+specific+content+related+to+diagram+use+and+adopted+a+particular+instructional+model+then+the+instructional+programme+would+be+effective.+%0D%0A%0D%0AExplanatory+case+study+designs+utilise+how+and+why+questions+to+determine+support+for+theories+and+enable+theories+to+be+refined.+Two+research+questions+were+posed.+The+first+research+question+-+How+will+instruction+in+diagram+use+affect+children's+problem+solving+peiformance+on+novel+problems%3F+-+focused+on+the+outcomes+of+instruction.+The+second+research+question+-+%22Why+will+instruction+in+diagram+use+affect+children's+problem+solving+peifonnance+on+novel+problems%3F+-+explored+the+relationship+between+instruction+and+changes+in+children's+use+of+diagrams+in+novel+problem+solving.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+content+of+the+theory+prescribed+essential+knowledge+about+diagrams+and+the+sequence+of+exploration+of+that+knowledge+in+an+instructional+programme.+For+example%2C+the+concept+of+a+diagram+and+symbolic+representations+were+features+of+the+knowledge+component.+As+understanding+the+concept+of+a+diagram+provides+the+foundation+for+using+symbolic+representations%2C+the+concept+of+a+diagram+should+be+explored+first+in+the+instructional+sequence.+The+content+of+the+instructional+theory+is+crucial+to+children's+understanding+about+diagram+use+because+children+experience+a+range+of+knowledge-related+difficulties+in+using+diagrams+as+tools+for+problem+solving.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+instructional+model+comprised+six+components+that+prescribed+ways+to+support+learning+about+diagram+use+in+problem+solving.+These+components+were%3A+(a)+the+learner%2C+(b)+the+teacher%2C+(c)+the+instructional+tasks%2C+(d)+the+classroom+interaction%2C+(e)+participant+structures%2C+and+(f)+management+issues.+Attention+to+these+components+was+predicted+to+support+learning+in+two+ways.+First%2C+these+components+focused+on+the+creation+of+supportive+conditions+for+learning%2C+such+as+the+importance+of+considering+the+prior+experiences+of+the+learner+and+the+need+for+cognitively+challenging+tasks.%0D%0A%0D%0ASecond%2C+these+components+addressed+issues+that+are+specifically+related+to+learning+about+diagram+use%2C+such+as+the+learner's+preference+for+a+visual+method+of+solution+and+the+need+to+present+tasks+according+to+their+problem+structures.+Because+the+instructional+model+influences+children's+learning+about+diagrams%2C+it+is+considered+an+essential+part+of+the+theory+of+instruction+in+diagram+use.+However%2C+many+aspects+of+the+instructional+model+are+relevant+for+teaching+other+mathematical+topics.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+instructional+programme+consisted+of+twelve+half-hour+lessons+on+general+purpose+diagrams+(networks%2C+hierarchies%2C+matrices%2C+and+part-whole+diagrams).+The+goals+of+the+instruction+were+for+the+students+to%3A+(a)+employ+the+strategy+draw+a+diagram%2C+(b)+generate+networks%2C+matrices%2C+hierarchies%2C+and+part-whole+diagrams%2C+where+appropriate%2C+(c)+reason+appropriately+with+diagrams+in+the+solution+process%2C+and+(+d)+use+the+diagram+to+produce+a+successful+solution+to+a+problem.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+researcher+implemented+the+programme+with+a+class+of+Grade+5+students.+Twelve+of+these+students+were+participants+in+a+single+case+study+to+test+the+theory.+The+mean+age+of+the+participants+was+10+years+3+months+(range+from+10+years+8+months+to+9+years+8+months).+To+ensure+a+cross+section+of+participants%2C+three+students+were+purposefully+selected+for+each+of+four+different+profiles+of+performance+and+frequency+of+diagram+use+based+on+a+novel+problem+solving+test.+The+profiles+were%3A+(a)+a+high+performance+score+and+a+high+frequency+score%3B+(b)+a+high+performance+score+and+a+low+frequency+score%3B+(c)+a+low+performance+score+and+a+low+frequency+score%3B+and+(d)+a+low+performance+score+and+a+high+frequency+score.+The+classroom+teacher+was+also+a+participant+in+the+study%2C+in+that%2C+he+provided+contextual+data+about+the+participants%2C+their+mathematical+experience+and+capabilities.+The+student+participants+were+interviewed+individually+on+five+novel+tasks+prior+to%2C+and+at+the+conclusion+of+the+instruction.+The+tasks+had+problem+structures+that+could+be+represented+with+general+purpose+diagrams.+The+tasks+in+the+pre-+and+post-instruction+interviews+were+isomorphic.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+effectiveness+of+the+instruction+was+ascertained+by+testing+a+series+of+assertions+related+to+the+goals+of+instruction.+The+criteria+used+to+test+the+assertions+were%3A+(a)+the+frequency+and+autonomy+of+diagram+use%2C+(b)+the+quality+of+the+diagram+that+was+generated%2C+(c)+the+appropriateness+of+the+reasoning+with+the+diagram%2C+and+(d)+the+success+rate+for+tasks+in+which+a+diagram+had+been+used.+In+order+to+compare+the+preand+post-instruction+diagrams+that+were+generated+and+the+associated+reasoning%2C+a+series+of+performance+levels+were+developed+for+each+of+the+pairs+of+isomorphic+tasks.+Analysis+of+the+data+provided+support+for+each+of+the+assertions.+Hence%2C+the+response+to+the+question+-+How+will+instruction+in+diagram+use+affect+children's+problem+solving+performance+on+novel+problems%3F+-+was+that+children+achieved+each+of+the+instructional+goals+associated+with+the+successful+use+of+the+diagram+in+problem+solving.+Explanations+for+children's+learning+are+provided+by+the+theory+of+instruction.+Thus%2C+the+response+to+the+question+-+'Why+will+instruction+in+diagram+use+affect+children's+problem+solving+performance+on+novel+problems%3F+-+was+that+the+instructional+programme+addressed+essential+content+and+provided+appropriate+conditions+for+learning+about+diagram+use.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn+testing+the+theory%2C+some+unexpected+results+emerged+necessitating+the+refinement+of+the+preliminary+theory+of+instruction.+One+novel+technique+for+investigating+these+results+was+to+represent+the+interview+data+visually+on+data+maps%2C+which+provided+an+overview+of+the+interviews%2C+and+facilitated+the+wholistic+analysis+of+data.+One+of+the+refinements+to+the+content+was+the+need+to+teach+students+about+tracking+strategies.+Some+students+had+difficulty+locating+their+position+after+moving+about+on+a+diagram.+Refinements+were+also+made+to+the+instructional+model.+For+example%2C+the+learners'+use+of+a+diagram+was+influenced+by+their+beliefs+about+the+advantages+of+using+a+diagram+and+by+their+level+of+confidence+with+diagrams.+The+refined+theory+provides+the+basis+for+future+instructional+programmes.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+problem+solving+strategy+draw+a+diagram+is+advocated+in+many+curriculum+documents.+However%2C+the+successful+use+of+diagrams+may+not+occur+spontaneously.+The+conclusion+of+this+study+is+that+instruction+can+improve+children's+use+of+diagrams+in+novel+problem+solving+by+developing+the+appropriate+knowledge+of+diagrams+as+a+problem+solving+tool.+The+literature+base+on+instruction+in+diagram+use+has+been+limited.+This+study+contributes+to+the+field+by+providing+a+theoretical+framework+to+inform+effective+instructional+programming+and+curriculum+development.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+major+implication+for+teachers+and+curriculum+developers+is+that+the+mathematics+curriculum+should+include+specific+instruction+about+the+use+of+diagrams+in+problem+solving.+As+teachers+may+be+ill-prepared+to+provide+instruction+in+diagram+use%2C+appropriate+curriculum+guidance+is+necessary.+To+ensure+that+students+become+mathematically+literate+citizens%2C+instruction+in+diagram+use+in+problem+solving+should+be+included+in+the+reform+agenda+for+mathematics+education+for+the+21st+century.+Furthermore%2C+effective+use+of+diagrams+in+problem+solving+involves+visual+literacy+or+graphicacy.+Hence%2C+the+scope+of+literacy+in+the+classroom+needs+to+extend+beyond+numeracy%2C+oracy%2C+and+written+literacy+to+include+literacy+with+various+forms+of+visual+representation%2C+which+includes+diagrams.&rft.publisher=Queensland+University+of+Technology&rft.date=1998&rft.type=Thesis&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.relation=https%3A%2F%2Feprints.qut.edu.au%2F36581%2F1%2F36581_Digitised%2520Thesis.pdf&rft.rights=free_to_read&rft.relation=Diezmann%2C+Carmel+M.+(1998)+The+effect+of+instruction+on+children's+use+of+diagrams+in+novel+problem+solving.+PhD+thesis%2C+Queensland+University+of+Technology.&rft.id_number=https%3A%2F%2Feprints.qut.edu.au%2F36581%2F&rft.rights=Copyright+Carmel+Mary+Diezmann&rft.identifier=Faculty+of+Education%3B+School+of+Teacher+Education+%26+Leadership