A microgenetic exploration of childrens concept of balance

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A microgenetic exploration of childrens concept
of balance

• Cathal De Buitlear, University of Hertfordshire
• Dr. Karen Pine, University of Hertfordshire
• Professor David Messer, Open University

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Aims of the study

• 1. Applying the Representational redescription
  model across tasks within a single domain
• 2. Exploring the utility of a phase / level
  model within a microgenetic context

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The Concept of Balance

• A much explored concept for different approaches,
  with a number of different types of tasks, and
  apparatus.
• Apparatus
• Scales
• Beams
• Tasks
• Prediction Tasks
• Production Tasks

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The Representational Redescription Model

• Why is it interesting in the context of
  microgenetic analysis?
• Looking beyond simple performance measures.
• Can be applied across different tasks within a
  domain
• Emphasis on process and change, rather then
  focusing on levels as static descriptors.

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Applying the Representational Redescription model
across two balance tasks

• 2 views
• 1. They should show the same representational
  level across tasks.
• 2. Within a microgenetic climate,
  representational change could occur.

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Method

• Subjects
• 87 subjects from 4 Hertfordshire schools, years 1
  -3. 48 males, 39 females.
• Age Range 5 years, 6 months 8 years 8 months.

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Tasks

• Balance Beam Task
• 9 beams 3 symmetrical, 6 asymmetrical
• Children are asked to balance beams on the
  fulcrum

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Balance Beams Symmetrical
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Balance Beams Asymmetrical
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• 2. Balance Scale Task
• Children were given a set of 7 metallic rings as
  weights to place on either side of the scale, and
  try and find all the different ways to make the
  scale balance and stay straight
• When they had exhausted all possibilities, they
  were asked 2 questions, based on a simple
  symmetrical configuration (1) what would happen
  if there was another weight on one side? (2) what
  would happen if the weight on one side were moved
  to a different peg?

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Balance scales
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Verbal explanations Coding Scheme.

• Implicit it doesnt balance, I put it on
  softly
• Implicit Weight Its got 2 on it I put three
  on
• Implicit Distance I put it on there I put it
  on that one
• Middle its in the middle its symmetrical
• Weight that sides heavier Its got more
  weight on it
• Distance I put that side further away This
  side is longer Its further out

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Representational Redescription Levels Coding
Scheme
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Results

• Representational redescription levels across the
  2 tasks.
• Looking at the relation between representational
  level across the two tasks.
• Looking at representational change across the
  two tasks.

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Representational redescription levels for the
balance beam task
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Representational redescription level for the
balance scale task
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Comparing RR levels Across the 2 tasks
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Looking at representational change
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Discussion

• What view should we take of this data focus on
  the relation between the two tasks, or upon the
  representational change?
• Focus on measures that can be used across tasks
  within a domain task variability.