Abstracts - Earli

latter factor is used to study the learning efficiency (Paas & Van Merriínboer, 1993) of 80participants, either learning individually or as a member of a triad. Sweller and Chandler’s (1994)method based on the number of interactive elements in a task is used to determine the taskcomplexity or intrinsic cognitive load. The learning tasks are in the domain of Genetics. In thelearning phase, participants have to solve a low, medium and high complexity task, and rate theamount of invested mental effort on a 9-point cognitive load scale (Paas, 1992). Video recordingsare used for qualitative analysis of the groups’ learning process. An individual transfer test andsubjective ratings of mental effort in the test are used to calculate the learning efficiency. Data willbe collected in December 2006.Concept mapping for meaningful learningAnita Habók, University of Szeged, HungaryLearning is a very important component of our life, and it is impossible without life-long learning.The school should teach students must learning strategies, as these will help them organize thelearning material. Concept maps are useful tools for promoting meaningful learning. The aim ofthe paper is the presentation of concept mapping in the context of elementary and secondaryschool. Three elementary and three secondary classes participated in the research presented.Subjects were administered two tests at the beginning and at the end of the developmental project,a Hungarian grammar test and an inductive reasoning test. The developmental program isimbedded in Hungarian grammar instruction. First the students had to create drawings of selectedinstructional texts, then to complete maps, and to draw maps alone at the end of the program. Thepresentation discusses the students’ learning outcomes and development in concept mapping,grammar and inductive reasoning.Beliefs about the functions of knowledgeRozendaal Jeroen S., Leiden University, Netherlandsde Brabander Cornelis J., Leiden University, NetherlandsMartens Rob, Leiden University, NetherlandsBoekaerts Monique, Leiden University, NetherlandsDe Brabander (1990; 2000) distinguishes between two categories of personal epistemology:beliefs about functions and beliefs about the structure of knowledge. The former refer to beliefsabout important purposes of knowledge, the latter to beliefs that are related to the validity ofknowledge (Rozendaal, de Brabander, & Minnaert, 2001). The object of almost all research onpersonal epistemology is beliefs about the structure of knowledge (Hofer & Pintrich, 1997).Research on beliefs about functions of knowledge is virtually absent (De Brabander, 2000; DeBrabander & Rozendaal, in press). The aim of this study is to explore the dimensionality of beliefsabout the functions of knowledge. Furthermore, we want to investigate whether these beliefs arerelated to interest and self-determination (Deci & Ryan, 1985) of students in social-constructivisticlearning environments. In a small interview study, we gathered reflections about the functions ofknowledge. From these interviews, we distilled ten propositions about the function of knowledge.We ask 250 freshmen to order these propositions in terms of importance. They also evaluate eachsession in terms of interest and self-determination. By means of multidimensional unfolding, wewill explore the dimensions that explain the variances in these rank orders. Furthermore,judgments of knowledge functions are related to data on interest and self-determination. At thevery moment data collection is well underway and will be completed in March of 2007. This studyattempts to increase insight in beliefs about the function of knowledge as a relevant, but virtuallyneglected category of analysis in research on personal epistemology.– 648 –