Development and calibration of the student opportunities for deeper learning instrument

Abstract

This article describes the development and calibration of the student opportunities for deeper learning instrument (SODLI). The SODLI is designed to measure the amount of learning opportunities intended to support higher‐order thinking that students are exposed to through student self‐report, and is expected to be widely useful in psychological research in schools. Here, the psychometric functioning of the SODLI is investigated in a relatively large sample of U.S. high‐school students (N = 963). Using multidimensional item‐response theory methods, a nine‐factor correlated model is determined to fit the data best, and to produce reliable estimates of SODLI dimensions. The SODLI is also shown to exhibit scalar‐invariant measurement properties across sex, race/ethnicity, and language‐background groups, although latent mean differences on some of the SODLI dimensions across those groups were identified.

Generating distant analogies facilitates relational integration: Intermediary role of relational mindset and cognitive load

“…According to James (1890) , we would be imprisoned in a world of isolated stimuli if not for the ability to perceive relevant relations among the objects of our perception, even when they are separated by time and space (p. 502 in Volume I and p. 347 in Volume II). Relational reasoning is an essential predictor of individual academic achievement and other important life variables ( Goldwater and Schalk, 2016 ; Dumas and Dong, 2019 ), contributing significantly to learning ( Knowlton et al, 2012 ), creativity ( Weinberger et al, 2016 ; Green, 2017 ), and social development ( Green et al, 2017 ). Understanding how to better perform relational reasoning is especially important in today’s information-rich age ( Braasch et al, 2013 ).…”

“…According to James (1890), we would be imprisoned in a world of isolated stimuli if not for the ability to perceive relevant relations among the objects of our perception, even when they are separated by time and space (p. 502 in Volume I and p. 347 in Volume II). Relational reasoning is an essential predictor of individual academic achievement and other important life variables (Goldwater and Schalk, 2016;Dumas and Dong, 2019), contributing significantly to learning (Knowlton et al, 2012)…”