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Seminars are informal presentations of work completed or in progress, providing ample discussion opportunities. Presentations focus on both the substantive issues being investigated as well as the methodology/ies employed.
Meeting are held in the Dean's Conference room, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton Campus (see campus map), with optional drinks and conversation afterward.
Previously I have argued (Hidi, 2006) that the potential impact of neuroscientific findings in the areas of social, educational and cognitive psychology has not been recognized. Recently, researchers started using neuroscientific methods for studying interest (Kim, Lee & Bong, 2009; Kang, et al., 2009). In this presentation, previous arguments will be revisited in view of the most current research findings to demonstrate that linking neuroscientific findings with motivational variables in general and interest in specific has important educationally relevant implications. Interest research has been flourishing in the last decade and interest is now recognized as a critical cognitive and affective variable that guides’ attention, facilitates learning and develops through experience. In a number of recent papers, researchers have argued that interest has a physiological/neurological basis (e.g., Hidi, 2006; Hidi & Renniger, 2006; Renninger & Hidi, submitted). Panksepp (1998) argued that the mammalian brain contains a foreaging/exploration/investigation/curiosity/interest/expectancy SEEKING system that drives and energizes mental complexities that humans experience as feelings of interest and curiosity. Thus, brain reactions differ when individuals experience interest versus when they do not, resulting in unique feelings and specific behavioural processes. Since the dramatic technological advances in brain research, neuroscientists have made significant advances in discovering and understanding the various interactive systems of our brains. Supportive of Panksepp’s arguments are neuroscientific studies involving interest. Kim, Lee, and Bong (2009) used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to examine the interactive effects of task interest and competence on brain activation during negative feedback. The patterns recorded demonstrated that negative feedback following interesting tasks resulted in improved cognitive control, positive affect, and persistence for participants with low perceived competence. Similarly, Kang et al. (2009) studied the underlying neural mechanisms of curiosity—an aspect of situational interest—with fMRI while participants read trivia questions. Brain activity in the caudate regions—previously associated with anticipated rewards—was correlated with the level of the readers’ curiosity. The fMRI also showed increased activity in memory areas when participants guessed incorrectly. The investigators concluded that curiosity enhances memory for novel, surprising information. They confirmed this prediction in a behavioural study that showed a correlation of levels of curiosity and increased recall of surprising answers after a two-week delay. In this presentation, neuroscientific studies that deal with reward mechanisms especially relevant to interest research will be further reviewed.
Gaining insight into the neural mechanisms involved in experiencing interest should assist educators to design classroom practices that can best contribute to students’ motivation. For example, Kim et al. (2009) concluded that increasing situational interest in the classroom might be a way to provide a crucial buffer against negative feedback to the more vulnerable students who have low self-efficacy. In general, understanding the neural basis of motivation, and particularly of interesting activities, should make a significant contribution as to how to best generate and utilize interest to facilitate learning.
Details are located here: http://www.education.monash.edu.au/research/groups/psychology/activities.html?year=2011
Details are located here: http://www.education.monash.edu.au/research/groups/psychology/activities.html?year=2010
February 11-12: Motivation and Cognitive Processes Mini-Conference, University of Sydney
link to full program here
March 20: Multiple perspectives on motivation: Why the micro process level matters
Mary Ainley, University of Melbourne
April: No seminar this month
- the American Educational Research Association [AERA] Annual Conference is on in San Diego 13 - 17 April: details here.
- the Society for Research in Child Development [SRCD] Biennial Conference is on in Denver 2 - 5 April: details here.
Come if you can!
May 8: Possible selves, occupational choice, and professional satisfaction among beginning teachers
Paul Richardson, Monash University
June 5: Speaking up for the shy child at school: Implications for education research
Robert Coplan, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
July: No seminar this month
- the Australasian Human Development Association [AHDA] Biennial Conference is on in Adelaide 6 - 8 July: details here. Come if you can!
August 7: Personal Interest and Engagement - PIE
Robert Ely, University of Melbourne
September 25: Program Quality in Outdoor Education
Wynn Shooter, Monash University
October 23: Single Subject Intervention designs and autism intervention research: Professional accountability and contributing to the evidence base
Dennis Moore, Director - Krongold Centre, Monash University
November 20: Why Are Some Teachers Aggressive?
Phil Riley, Monash University
November 27: Please support the inaugural APS "Educational Psychology Conference" held at the University of Melbourne, Hawthorne Campus, very affordable Earlybird Registration Rates until 16 October 2009, proposals due 6 *Sept* 2009 (note deadline extension). Queries to Dr Louise McLean, Conference Brochure: here
December: No seminar this month
- the Australian Association for Research in Education [AARE] Annual Conference is on in Canberra 29 Nov - 3 Dec. Come if you can!
February 29: The Development of Students' Academic Self-Concept after the Transition to Secondary School and the Influence of Goal Orientations
Kirsten Bank, Georg-August University of Goettingen
March 14: different room location this week - Room 173, Education Building 6
Coping Patterns and Goal Achieving Behaviour in the Perfectionist
Yvonne Toh, Monash University
April: No seminar this month - the American Educational Research Association Conference is on in New York.
May 23: different room location this week - Room 173, Education Building 6
“But I Don’t Want To”: Complying with the wishes of the teacher — A necessary but not sufficient condition for learning in students with challenging behaviour
Robert Ely, University of Melbourne
June 27: Choice and Persistence: Exploring links between career-choice motivations and future career aspirations
Robert Fulford, M.Phil. Cambridge University
August 29: different room location this week - Room 173, Education Building 6
Change in Australian pre-service teachers' attitudes, concerns and sentiments to implement inclusive education as a result of completing a subject in special education
Umesh Sharma, Monash University
September 26: Teaching Essentials: Outlining the case for attachment theory
Phil Riley, Monash University
October 24: The relationship between teacher self-efficacy and doubt or 'active open-minded thinking' as a virtuous way of believing
Daniella Forster, Monash University
November 13: Krongold Research Expo! 2008
November 21: Investigating a Model of Student Motivation and Effort on Assessments
Professor Lisa Smith, University of Otago, New Zealand
December: No seminar this month - the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference is on at QUT Brisbane 30 Nov - 4 Dec.
Come if you can! The Motivation & Learning SIG program is available here
March 16: Textual Practices and the Development of Individual Engagement in Undergraduate Biology
Paul Richardson, Monash University
April 20: Measuring and reporting student motivation and engagement in national and longitudinal projects: Challenges faced in LSAY, PISA and TIMSS
Sue Thomson & Kylie Hillman, Australian Council for Educational Research
May 18: Reading, Writing & Reviewing Workshop
Paul Richardson, Helen Watt, & Mary Ainley
June 15: Teaching Choices – Careers, Confidence, Growth and Engagement
Fiona Morrison, Emma Richardson, and Basikin, Monash University
will each share their research that they will be presenting at the upcoming AARE Conference:
* Special Guest Event *June 19 (Tuesday) 3-5pm, in Room G08 as usual |
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| Dr. Gregory is an Assistant Professor in the Curry Programs in Clinical and School Psychology at the University of Virginia. Her research program aims to increase our understanding of predictors of academic engagement and externalizing behavior in schools with a particular focus on identifying contributors to the over-representation of African American students in the discipline system. The research draws on an ecological framework with its focus on the organizational level (e.g. school climate), the interpersonal level (teacher-student relationships), and the intrapersonal level (e.g. expectancies and beliefs for behavior). |
July: No seminar this month - the Australasian Human Development Association Conference is on this month. Come if you can!
August 17: Project update and initial findings: Influences on Students’ Learning Goals and their Capacity for Self-Regulation
Peter Sullivan, Monash University
November 2: Peer culture and mathematics: Exploring the relationships between peer networks, anxiety and motivation
Sarah Buckley, Mary Ainley & Pip Pattison, University of Melbourne
Aug 4: A Person-Centred and Mixed-Methods Investigation of Professional Engagement and Career Development Aspirations Among Beginning Teachers
Helen Watt & Paul Richardson, Monash University
Sept 1: Mathematics – Anxiety, attitudes and peer influences
Sarah Buckley, University of Melbourne
Oct 13: changed location this week only to Room 173 in the Education Building.
Interest and efficacy beliefs in self-regulated learning: Does the task make a difference?
Mary Ainley, Sarah Buckley, & J. Chan, University of Melbourne
--> Mary Ainley will also report on some of the highlights of the "10th International Conference on Motivation" at this session.
Nov 3: Influences on Students’ Learning Goals and their Capacity for Self-Regulation
Peter Sullivan, Monash University
Dec 1: No seminar this month - the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference is on during this time.
Details of Motivation & Learning SIG AARE Conference papers and other activities are provided here.
Come if you can!
Full details of the conference location in Adelaide and registration are located here