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Behavioral Sciences
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Educational Applications of Cognitive Psychology
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Educational Applications of Cognitive Psychology

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Educational Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2025 | Viewed by 2237

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jeri L. Little

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, California State University, Hayward, CA 94542, USA
Interests: memory; learning; category and concept formation; metacognition
Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Ligon Bjork

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Interests: memory; learning; metacognition; applications of findings from research in the science of learning to education and training

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research in cognitive psychology has increased our understanding of how to optimize knowledge retention and transfer [1–3] (e.g., Dunlosky et al., 2013; Mayer, 2008; Roediger and Pyc, 2012). For example, study strategies that feel easy for learners are not always desirable in terms of producing learning that is both durable and generalizable [4] (e.g., Bjork and Bjork, 2011). Research on such desirable difficulties (e.g., testing oneself, spacing out one’s study, and interleaving examples from different categories) has applications both for how to construct more effective learning experiences and for how to understand and perhaps enlighten learners’ misconceptions about how to achieve optimal learning. Other important research has examined the contributions of self-explanation and feedback for the enhancement of problem solving and effective learning. Additionally, how attributes of an individual may affect learning has become an increasingly active and important focus of research in the study of how best to enhance learning; for example, in the area of concept learning, individuals can differ in the strategies they adopt to learn the relevant underlying concepts (e.g., memorization vs. rule abstraction), with important implications for what they actually learn [5] (e.g., Little and McDaniel, 2015).

Behavioral Sciences announces a Special Issue titled “Educational Applications of Cognitive Psychology”. We welcome the submission of original research papers and review articles on topics including (but not limited to) optimizing retention and transfer, concept formation, metacognition, and individual differences in learning. Research can be lab-based or based on research in authentic educational settings (e.g., classrooms). We welcome contributions that use basic materials so long as a clear argument is made for the application of this research to educational/training contexts.

References

  1. Dunlosky, J.; Rawson, K. A.; Marsh, E. J.; Nathan, M. J.; and Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
  2. Mayer, R. I. (2008). Learning and Instruction, 2nd Ed. Pearson Education, New Jersey.
  3. Roediger III, H. L., & Pyc, M. A. (2012). Inexpensive techniques to improve education: Applying cognitive psychology to enhance educational practice. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 1(4), 242-248.
  4. Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. In M. A. Gernsbacher, R. W. Pew, L. M. Hough, & J. R. Pomerantz (Eds.), Psychology and the real world: Essays illustrating fundamental contributions to society (pp. 56– 64). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
  5. Little, J. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2015). Some learners abstract, others memorize examples: Implications for education. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 1(2), 158–169. https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000031

Abstract deadline: August 30, 2024
Notification of abstract acceptance: September 15, 2024

Dr. Jeri L. Little
Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Ligon Bjork
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • learning
  • memory
  • metacognition
  • concepts
  • categories
  • education

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 307 KiB  
Article
Students’, Teachers’, and Parents’ Knowledge About and Perceptions of Learning Strategies
by Amber E. Witherby, Addison L. Babineau and Sarah K. Tauber
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15020160 - 1 Feb 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that students have imperfect knowledge about learning strategies. Moreover, very little is known about teachers’ and parents’ knowledge about learning strategies, which is important as these groups can help to model and teach students effective strategies. The goal of [...] Read more.
Previous research has demonstrated that students have imperfect knowledge about learning strategies. Moreover, very little is known about teachers’ and parents’ knowledge about learning strategies, which is important as these groups can help to model and teach students effective strategies. The goal of the present research was to add to this literature by measuring students’, teachers’, and parents’ beliefs about several learning strategies that have received empirical scrutiny, using methodology that builds upon prior work. To do so, participants were presented with a series of learning scenarios exemplifying a different learning strategy and rated each individually on effectiveness, familiarity, and their likelihood of using (or recommending) it in the future. Participants had accurate knowledge about effective strategies, rating retrieval practice and distributed study as the most effective learning strategies. There were variations within groups on their levels of familiarity with each strategy, which may have informed their ratings of effectiveness. For instance, participants rated interleaving as less effective compared to blocking but were also less familiar with the former. On a positive note, these outcomes suggest that people generally have good knowledge about learning strategies and underscore the importance of a broad dissemination of educational research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Applications of Cognitive Psychology)
17 pages, 909 KiB  
Article
Metacognition About Collaborative Learning: Students’ Beliefs Are Inconsistent with Their Learning Preferences
by Yunfeng Wei, Nicholas C. Soderstrom, Michelle L. Meade and Brandon G. Scott
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14111104 - 16 Nov 2024
Viewed by 983
Abstract
Collaboration plays an important role in educational contexts. However, little is known about students’ metacognitive beliefs about collaboration. The present study used an online survey to investigate students’ beliefs toward group study/recall, their studying preferences, strategies they use when studying individually and in [...] Read more.
Collaboration plays an important role in educational contexts. However, little is known about students’ metacognitive beliefs about collaboration. The present study used an online survey to investigate students’ beliefs toward group study/recall, their studying preferences, strategies they use when studying individually and in groups, and important characteristics of their group members. Results indicate that, although students generally perceive collaboration as beneficial, they prefer individual study, indicating that their beliefs are inconsistent with their learning preferences. Students report social learning as the primary reason for collaborative benefits but prefer to study alone to minimize distraction and increase personal accountability. Further, they use different strategies when studying individually or in a group. When studying individually, students most frequently report re-reading their notes. However, when studying in groups, students most frequently use strategies emphasizing collaboration and interaction, such as quizzing each other. Also, students prefer to work with group members who are focused, motivated, and hard working. Students’ beliefs, preferences, and favored characteristics of group members are related to their frequency of using study groups. Students’ metacognitive beliefs about collaboration have implications for theories of self-regulated learning and better use of collaboration in educational contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Applications of Cognitive Psychology)
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