43.012 - Pushing the Boundaries of Relational Reasoning in Research and Practice: Cross-National, Cross-Domain, and Cross-Age Explorations

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Relational reasoning, the ability to discern meaningful patterns in any stream of information, is a foundational cognitive ability underlying learning and academic performance. Over the past decade, a substantive body of research into relational reasoning has emerged. Yet, there are more areas that need to be explored. Toward that end, this symposium brings together international scholars who have taken relational reasoning in new directions by investigating its development, trainability, and transportability across multiple domains and cultures. Specifically, the symposium encompasses international student populations (Chinese, Israeli, and American) spanning elementary school through college and diverse domains (mathematics, reading, physics, and creativity) and research methodologies. Collectively, these presentations afford new insights into relational reasoning’s development, trainability, and transportability that push current boundaries.

Sub Unit

• Division C - Learning and Instruction / Division C - Section 2a: Cognitive and Motivational Processes

Chair

• Emily Grossnickle Peterson, American University

Papers

• Development of Relational Reasoning Ability Among Chinese Elementary and Middle School Students - Hongyang Zhao, University of Maryland - College Park; Yuting Sun, University of Maryland - College Park

• Exploring the Effectiveness of a Relational Reasoning Training on Middle School Students' Text Comprehension - Courtney Hattan, Illinois State University

• Situated Relational Reasoning Training in an Eighth-Grade Physics Classroom - Irit Aharon, The Hebrew Reali School in Haifa; Billie Eilam, University of Haifa

• Relational Reasoning Underlies Creativity: Evidence From a Text-Mining Investigation - Denis Dumas, University of Denver; Peter Organisciak, University of Denver

Discussant

• Patricia A. Alexander, University of Maryland - College Park