Evaluating cognitive tempo in the digital age

Abstract

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the alleged changes in the ways the so-called digital generation communicates and learns. Most of the commentary has been based on anecdotes, observations and opinions. The lack of empirical evidence in this matter suggests that it may be time to begin the process of gathering data to confirm these views. At the forefront is the issue of which learner characteristics have changed, if any, and, accordingly, which evaluation tools are best suited to evaluate them. One mechanism found to be valid and reliable is the matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). Developed over thirty years ago to measure cognitive tempo on an impulsive-reflective axis, this instrument was subsequently adapted into a twenty-question version. Cairns and Cammock, the researchers who modified the original into the MFFT-20, published the results of several reliability studies to demonstrate its overall effectiveness. This preliminary study is an attempt to begin the empirical verification process of using cognitive tempo as a relevant assessment tool. Two groups of K-12 students from different eras were investigated to determine if comparing cognitive tempos between subjects who took the original MFFT-20 to those who live in the current mediacentric society provides any insights as to possible differences in the visual cognitive processing skills and preferences. The results of the comparative analysis, along with possible implications for teachers and instructional designers are discussed.

UB the director: Utilizing digital book trailers to engage gifted and twice-exceptional students in reading

“…While the time to first response was much longer in the gifted class that was tested in this study, the median number of errors was considerably reduced. In previous administrations of the MFFT-20 to students of similar characteristics but who grew up in a time previous to the current pervasive digital media, the median scores for latency and errors were notably higher (13.4 seconds and 18.84 errors, respectively), indicating a consistent decline in both (Cairns and Cammock, 1984;Kenny, 2007).…”

“…The instrument has more recently been shown to be an effective intervention that uses visual clues to train subjects to reduce their impulsive behaviors. The MFFT-20 has been shown to be a fairly robust predictor of general academic achievement (Kenny, 2007;Miyakawa, 2001). Further, the authors have participated in studies that have identified additional benefits of utilizing this instrument as a proscriptive tool when looking at the study habits of today's digital learners (Kenny, 2002;Scheick, 2007).…”

Effect of Cognitive Modelling on Impulsive Behaviour Among Primary School Children

“…This is because, while some people display more reflective tendencies, others display more of impulsive ones, yet there are some people who cannot be found in the reflectiveimpulsive bracket; being neither impulsive nor reflective. Kenny (2009), describing this bipolarity of the dimension presented Table 1, which distributes people as follows:…”