Conceptual links between Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education and Motivational Style: a critique of Adey and Shayer

Results published from the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE) project suggest enhanced cognitive development and science achievement for between 25% and 50% of children involved; other children showed less or no improvement when compared with control groups (Adey and Shayer 1990, Shayer and Adey 1992a, b). In explicating their findings, these researchers appear to have focused upon children for whom successful intervention is reported. For children failing to respond to CASE techniques, no adequate theoretical explanation is provided. Further understanding of the underlying psychological processes involved in children's learning might help teachers to utilize CASE techniques for the benefit of a greater population of children. The theoretical model of motivational style illuminates CASE findings and provides a missing theoretical framework which helps to explain them.

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