Cognitive preferences and achievement in physics, chemistry, science and mathematics

Cognitive styles and cognitive structure

“…Similar relationships between chemistry achievement and this cognitive preference dimension have been reported by Kempa and Dube (1973) and McNaught (1982). Other studies have reported relationships of science achievement with a high preference for P (Tamir, 1988) and/or a low preference for A which are also consistent with these findings (Heath, 1964;Mackay, 1971;Tamir, 1985;Tamir & Kempa, 1977. However, in this analysis the magnitude of this effect is quite small in educational terms.…”

“…Some ways of developing the appropriate cognitive preference styles are already known through previous research. Curriculum evaluation studies utilizing cognitive preferences tend to show that students who experience high levels of inquiry and laboratory activity tend to have a higher preference for P and Q and a lower preference for M than students who experience low levels of enquiry and laboratory activity (Heath, 1964;Mackay, 1971;Tamir, 1975Tamir, , 1985.…”

“…Tamir (1985) reported a significant relationship between cognitive preferences and achievement in a meta-analysis of studies relating those variables. Heath (1964), Mackay (1971), Tamir (1976), and Tamir and Kempa (1978) have reported significant correlations with science achievement generally while Kempa and Dube (1973) and McNaught (1982) have reported a similar relationship with chemistry achievement. Further, McNaught found that a higher score on a particular cognitive preference was associated with higher performance on the kinds of cognitive tasks implied by that cognitive preference.…”