A “picture” of children's potential for learning: Looking into strategy changes and working memory by dynamic testing

Current and Potential Cognitive Development in Healthy Children: A New Approach to Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices

In clinical practice and research, Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPMs) continue to be used according to a single procedure that aims to evaluate a single overall score of the current general intelligence level. This study aimed to examine potential cognitive development in a sample of 450 typically developing children, aged from 6 to 10 years, by administering RCPMs according to the standard procedure followed immediately by a standardized interview on incorrect items. In addition, the study aimed to analyze how performance differed across age groups. The results analysis was examined on the basis of three different factors in which the items were grouped in previous factorial studies. The results found that performance improved markedly and significantly after the interview; however, the improvement was not homogeneous in the three factors across age groups or within each age group. The age groups showed a different development potential in relation to the nature of the task: the younger ones showed a greater increase on items requiring figure completion, and the older ones showed a greater increase on analogical reasoning items. Finally, the children who showed the greatest improvement were those with the best performance in standard RCPM administration. The procedure described in the present research could represent a useful tool in clinical practice and in the research for a broader cognitive assessment focused on potential cognitive development, as well as on real cognitive development, and to favor the planning of more adequate rehabilitation and educational treatments.

Dynamic Testing of Children's Solving of Analogies: Differences in Potential for Learning of Gifted and Average-Ability Children

This study investigated potential differences in the processes of solving analogies between gifted and average-ability children (aged 9–10 years old) in a dynamic testing setting. Utilizing a pre-test-training-post-test control group design, participants were split in four subgroups: gifted dynamic testing (n= 24), gifted control (n= 26), average-ability dynamic testing (n= 48), and average-ability control (n= 52). Irrespective of ability group, dynamic testing resulted in a larger number of accurately applied transformations, changes in the proportion of preparation time utilized, and more advanced usage of solution categories. Differences were found between and within the groups of gifted and average-ability children in relation to the different process variables examined.

Progression and individual differences in children's series completion after dynamic testing

Background

The need to focus more on children's abilities to change requires new assessment technologies in education. Process‐oriented assessment can be useful in this regard. Dynamic testing has the potential to provide in‐depth information about children's learning processes and cognitive abilities.

Aim

This study implemented a process‐oriented dynamic testing procedure to obtain information regarding children's changes in series‐completion skills in a computerised test setting. We studied whether children who received a graduated prompts training would show more progression in series‐completion than children who received no training, and whether trained children would use more advanced explanations of their solutions than their untrained peers.

Sample

Participants were 164 second‐grade children with a mean age of 7;11 years. Children were split into an unguided practice or a dynamic testing condition.

Methods

The study employed a pre‐test‐training‐post‐test design. Half of the children were trained in series‐completion, and the other half did not receive any feedback on their problem solving. Using item response theory analysis, we inspected the progression paths of the children in the two conditions.

Results and conclusions

Children who received training showed more progression in their series‐completion skills than the children who received no training. In addition, the trained children explained their solutions in a more advanced manner, when compared with the non‐trained control group. This information is valuable for educational practice as it provides a better understanding of how learning occurs and which factors contribute to cognitive changes.

Process-Oriented Dynamic Testing in a Complex Figure Task

Process-oriented dynamic testing aims to investigate the processes children use to solve cognitive tasks, and evaluate changes in these processes as a result of training. For the current study, a dynamic complex figure task was constructed, using the graduated prompts approach, to investigate the processes involved in solving a complex figure task and changes in these processes as a consequence of training. A new process-oriented measure was developed, which used computer-automated scoring to evaluate children's organization in drawing the figure. Participants were 106 regular primary school children (M = 7.8 years, standard deviation [SD] = 0.42 years). The graduated prompts training led to significantly more progression in complex figure drawing accuracy from pre-test to post-test, compared to unguided control. The level of organization of the figure also became more advanced as a result of training, as reflected by the highest category of organization being attained by trained children only. However, the training did not lead to transfer from the trained domain to an inductive reasoning task.

Pretest Versus No Pretest: An Investigation Into the Problem-Solving Processes in a Dynamic Testing Context

Proponents of dynamic testing have advocated its use as a replacement or addition to conventional tests. This research aimed to investigate the effects of using versus not using a pretest on both the outcome on the posttest and the processes used in solving inductive reasoning tasks in dynamic testing using a graduated prompts training. Sixty-seven 7- to 8-year-old children were assigned to either a group that received a pretest or a group that did not receive a pretest, using a randomized blocking procedure. No significant differences were found between both groups of children on posttest accuracy, process measures, number of hints needed during training, amount of time needed for testing, and the prediction of school related measures. This article concluded that the decision of whether or not a pretest is necessary should be based on the research question to be answered because it does not appear to influence posttest results.

Progression paths in children's problem solving: The influence of dynamic testing, initial variability, and working memory

The current study investigated developmental trajectories of analogical reasoning performance of 104 7- and 8-year-old children. We employed a microgenetic research method and multilevel analysis to examine the influence of several background variables and experimental treatment on the children's developmental trajectories. Our participants were divided into two treatment groups: repeated practice alone and repeated practice with training. Each child received an initial working memory assessment and was subsequently asked to solve figural analogies on each of several sessions. We examined children's analogical problem-solving behavior and their subsequent verbal accounts of their employed solving processes. We also investigated the influence of verbal and visual-spatial working memory capacity and initial variability in strategy use on analogical reasoning development. Results indicated that children in both treatment groups improved but that gains were greater for those who had received training. Training also reduced the influence of children's initial variability in the use of analogical strategies with the degree of improvement in reasoning largely unrelated to working memory capacity. Findings from this study demonstrate the value of a microgenetic research method and the use of multilevel analysis to examine inter- and intra-individual change in problem-solving processes.

Extensions of Cognitive Ability Assessment With Dynamic Testing Using Self-Regulated Learning

This study investigated the extension of Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC)–based cognitive assessment with dynamic testing using self-regulated learning (SRL). It was based on extensive review, which called for an integrative assessment of the propensity for learning and cognition of children with learning disabilities (LDs). The objective was to examine whether a brief SRL engagement during dynamic testing could enhance self-regulatory behaviors and performance in 3 CHC areas and reveal differences in SRL processes. There were 50 children at risk for LDs assigned to 2 groups: 1 group participated in dynamic extensions of assessment with SRL (involving thinking aloud and mediated learning experience); the control group undertook the same tasks without SRL. Significant intergroup differences were found in behaviors across three CHC areas and test performance in writing but not in fluid reasoning or memory tasks. Thinking-aloud processes revealed SRL capacities not evident in static assessment. Implications of dynamic extensions of tests using SRL were discussed.