Effects of Topic Familiarity on
Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases

Carlos B. Gómez Ferragud; Joan Josep Solaz- Portolés; Vicente Sanjosé

doi:10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases

Full Text (PDF)

Carlos B. Gómez Ferragud ¹ ^* , Joan Josep Solaz- Portolés ², Vicente Sanjosé ²

More Detail

¹ Florida Universitaria, ESPAÑA² Universidad de Valencia, ESPAÑA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

We conducted a qualitative research of case studies based on think-aloud protocols. The aim was to carry out in-depth analyse secondary students’ cognitive difficulties appearing in early stages of transfer processes in problem-solving. The task was to relate several source problems to a target problem, in order to solve it effectively. Source and target problems had different Surface and/or Structural similarities. In this paper, the solvers’ high or low Familiarity with the problem stories on transfer processes was also focused on. Two emergent instructional phenomena are described, both associated to specific students’ cognitive obstacles to achieve success in solving the target problem: the ‘Screen effect’ and the ‘Sisyphus effect’. The obstacles were harder for low Familiarity problems.

Keywords

science and mathematics education
problem solving
analogical transfer
surface and structure
familiarity
think-aloud protocols

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 11, Issue 4, 2015, 875-887

https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

Publication date: 11 Apr 2015

Article Views: 2011

Article Downloads: 1045

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Abdullah, N., Halim, L., & Zakaria, E. (2014). VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 10(3), 165- 174.
Bassok, M., & Holyoak, K. J. (1989). Interdomain transfer between isomorphic topics in algebra and physics. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 15, 153-166. doi: 10.1037//02787393.15.1.153
Bernardo, A.B.I. (2001.). Analogical problem construction and transfer in mathematical problem solving. Educational Psychology, 21 (2), 137-150.
Castro, E.,Rico, L., Batanero, C., & Castro, E. (1991). Dificultad en problemas de comparación multiplicativa. En F. Furinghetti (Ed) Proceedings Fifteenth PME Conference Vol 1, (pp 192- 198). Assisi, Italy: Program committee. Retrieved on August, 10th, 2014 from files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED413162.pdf
Chi, M.T.H., Feltovich, P.J., & Glaser, R. (1981). Categorization and representation of physics problems by experts and novices. Cognitive Science, 5, 121-152.
Clement, J. (1988). Observed methods to generate analogies in scientific problem solving. Cognitive Science, 12, 563- 586.
Gentner, D. (1983). Structure-mapping. A theoretical framework for analogy. Cognitive Science, 7, 155-170.
Gick, M.L., & Holyoak, K.J. (1983). Schema induction and analogical transfer. Cognitive Psychology, 15, 1-38
Goldstone, R.L., & Sakamoto, Y. (2003). The transfer of abstract principles governing complex adaptative systems. Cognitive Psychology, 46, 414-466.
Gómez-Ferragud, C.B., Solaz-Portolés, J. J., & Sanjosé, V. (2013a). Efectos de la similitud superficial y estructural sobre la transferencia a partir de análogos en problemas de alta y baja familiaridad: primeros resultados. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 31 (1), 135-151.
Gómez-Ferragud, C.B., Solaz-Portolés, J.J. & Sanjosé, V. (2013b). Analogy Construction and Success in Mathematics and Science Problem-Solving: a Study with Secondary Students. Revista de Psicodidáctica, 18 (1), 81- 108.
Gómez-Ferragud, C.B., Solaz-Portolés, J. J., & Sanjosé, V. (2013c). Dificultades para codificar, relacionar y categorizar problemas verbales algebraicos: Dos estudios con alumnos de secundaría y profesores en formación. Accepted for publication in Bolema.
Gómez-Ferragud, C.B., Solaz-Portolés, J. J., & Sanjosé, V. (2013d). Efecto Pantalla y Efecto Sísifo: dos fenómenos didácticos en la resolución de problemas por transferencia analógica. Accepted for publication in Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales.
Greeno, J.G. (1989). Situations, Mental Models, and Generative Knowledge. In Klar, D. Y Kotovsky, K. (Eds). Complex Information Processing: The impact of Herbert A. Simon. (pp. 285-318). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hammer, D., Elby, A., Scherr, R., & Redish, E. (2005), Resources, framing and transfer. In J. Mestre (Ed.), Transfer of learning from a modern multidisciplinary perspective (pp. 89-119). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Holyoak, K.J. (1984). Analogical thinking and human intelligence. In R.J. Sternberg (Ed.). Advances in the psychology of human intelligence. Vol. 2. (pp. 199-230). Hilsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Holyoak, K.J., & Koh, K. (1987). Surface and structural similarity in analogical transfer. Memory & Cognition, 15 (4), pp. 332-340.
Kintsch, W. (1998). Comprehension: a paradigm for cognition. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Kintsch, W., & Greeno. J. (1985). Understanding and solving word arithmetic problems. Psychological Review, 92 (1), 109-129. doi: 10.1037//0033- 295X.92.1.109
Kintsch, W., & van Dijk, T. A. (1978). Toward a model of discourse comprehension and production. Psychological. Review, 85, 363-394. doi: 10.1037//0033-295X.85.5.363
Klausmier, H. J. (1984). Educational Psychology (5th Ed.). New York: Harper and Row.
Jonassen, D.H. (2000). Toward a design theory of problemsolving. Educational Technology: Research and Development, 48, 63-85.
Mayer, R. E., & Wittrock, M. C. (1996). Problem-solving transfer. In D. C. Berliner and R. C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 47–62). NewYork: Macmillan.
Mestre, J. (2003). Transfer of learning. Issues and research agenda. (National Science Foundation Report #NSF03- 212). Retrieved August 10th, 2014 from: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03212/nsf03212.pdf
Nathan, M., Kintsch, W., & Young, E. (1992). A Theory of Algebra-Word-Problem Comprehension and Its Implications for the Design of Learning Environments. Cognition and Instruction, 9 (4), 329-389. doi: 10.1207/s1532690xci0904_2
Newell, A., & Simon, H.A. (1972). Human Problem Solving. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Novick, L. (1988). Analogical transfer, problem similarity, and expertise. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 14, 510-520.
Polotskaia, E., Savard, A., & Freiman, V. (2015). Duality of Mathematical Thinking When Making Sense of Simple Word Problems: Theoretical Essay. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(2), 251- 261.
Puig, L. (1998). Poner un problema en ecuaciones. Retrieved August 10th, 2014 from: http://www.uv.es/puigl/ ppe.pdf.
Reed, S. K., Dempster, A., & Ettinger, M.(1985). Usefulness of analogous solutions for solving algebra word problems. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 11, 106-125.
Reed, S.K. (1987). A structure-mapping model for word problems. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 13, 124-139
Sanjosé, V., Solaz-Portolés, J. J., & Valenzuela, T. (2009). Transferencia inter-dominios en resolución de problemas: una propuesta instruccional basada en el proceso de “traducción algebraica”. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 27 (2), 169-184.

How to cite this article

APA

Ferragud, C. B. G., Portolés, J. J. S., & Sanjosé, V. (2015). Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(4), 875-887. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

Vancouver

Ferragud CBG, Portolés JJS, Sanjosé V. Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2015;11(4):875-87. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

AMA

Ferragud CBG, Portolés JJS, Sanjosé V. Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2015;11(4), 875-887. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

Chicago

Ferragud, Carlos B. Gómez, Joan Josep Solaz- Portolés, and Vicente Sanjosé. "Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2015 11 no. 4 (2015): 875-887. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

Harvard

Ferragud, C. B. G., Portolés, J. J. S., and Sanjosé, V. (2015). Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(4), pp. 875-887. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a

MLA

Ferragud, Carlos B. Gómez et al. "Effects of Topic Familiarity on Analogical Transfer in Problem-Solving: A Think-Aloud Study of Two Singular Cases". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 11, no. 4, 2015, pp. 875-887. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1416a