Martin G Graff

• PhD
• Lecturer at University of South Wales

Individuals are increasingly using the internet to communicate online with many of their interactions being persuasive. Whilst there is some evidence to suggest that persuasion can occur online it is still unclear as to the underlying mechanisms driving this process. The current study aims to address this by examining individuals’ attention to, and...

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder characterised by significant intellectual disability. Initial studies indicate that children with WS have a profound bias for information in the top left of visual arrays. Study 1, using a visuospatial memory test for items presented in a 3 × 3 matrix, found a significant top left bias in WS children r...

Abstract Laboratory-based experiments in online self-disclosure research may be inadvertently compromising the accuracy of research findings by influencing some of the factors known to affect self-disclosure behavior. Disclosure-orientated interviews conducted with 42 participants in the laboratory and in nonlaboratory settings revealed significant...

Mathematical difficulties (MDs) are frequently characterised by cognitive deficits such as ineffective problem solving strategies and a lack of computational fluency. The established literature indicates that mathematical achievement is not only a function of cognitive factors but it also points to the importance of affective factors for the develo...

This chapter considers the question of whether Web-based learning environments can be employed to effectively facilitative learning. Several questions are considered around this issue, principally whether variations in hypertext architecture, and individual differences in information processing are salient factors for consideration. Furthermore, wh...

Given that children in Germany with a lower socio‐economic status (SES) are over‐represented at general secondary schools, the present study aimed to examine the impact of children’s SES on attitudes towards computers. The results suggest that compared to average SES students, children from deprived socio‐economic backgrounds perceive the computer...

This chapter considers the question of whether Web-based learning environments can be employed to effectively facilitative learning. Several questions are considered around this issue, principally whether variations in hypertext architecture, and individual differences in information processing are salient factors for consideration. Furthermore, wh...

The present study researches the implementation of a web based intelligent tutoring system for mathematics at lower secondary schools. In recent years, there is growing concern about the worrying situation at German lower secondary schools. Data from large scale educational assessments in the county of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) show that childre...

Previous research has demonstrated that the effectiveness of hypertext-based systems for learning are to some extent dependent on the architecture of the system (Shapiro, 1998; MacDonald and Stevenson, 1999). However, it is also conceivable that the success of such systems for learning may depend upon an individual's cognitive style, which has been...

EFit is the first web based tutoring system for lower secondary school mathematics in Germany. It generates a systematic learning schedule to meet the individual demands of different students. In contrast to the more traditional Computer Assisted Instruction programs, the web-based eFit program is characterized by a high degree of adaptability. Giv...

This study explored the influence of a reflective–impulsive approach on wholist and analytic processing, by counterbalancing presentation of the embedded figures and matching figures subtests of Riding’s cognitive styles analysis (CSA). One hundred and ninety three participants completed a variation of the CSA test. The results revealed that the wh...

Purpose – This paper aims to review the literature on the utility of employing the construct of cognitive style in understanding behaviour in web-based learning environments. Design/methodology/approach – The paper initially examines whether the web architecture may be matched to an individual's cognitive style in order to facilitate learning, befo...

This study sought to investigate four separate issues regarding student performance in a blended learning environment in the delivery of a Psychology course to 140 University undergraduates. Firstly, to investigate the relationship between student performance on three different coursework assignments and their performance on interim online assessme...

There is now evidence to suggest that the degree to which hypertext or web-based instructional systems facilitate recall of information appears to be contingent on an individual's cognitive or information processing style. Concept maps also reflect the way in which individuals process infor-mation and therefore it is possible that cognitive style a...

The beneficial effects of learners interacting in online programmes have been widely reported. Indeed, online discussion is argued to promote student-centred learning. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that the benefits of online discussion should translate into improved student performance. The current study examined the frequency of online in...

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in web browsing strategies between older and younger participants and also between individuals displaying verbaliser and imager cognitive styles. Typically, verbalisers process information in word form, whereas imagers process information in terms of images. Ten minutes each were allowed to 5...

Classroom community may be referred to as the sense of trust and interaction between groups of learners, and it has been argued that sense of community is imperative to successful learning. The construct of cognitive style has frequently been used to explain differences in the educational attainment and has also been found related to social behavio...

Two of the principal issues, which have been addressed in assessments of the benefits of web-based instructional systems, are firstly, whether the segmentation of information provided by the web structure aids users in apprehending the interrelationships between the units of information featured in the web. Secondly, whether providing the user with...

The studies described in this paper sought to investigate several forms of online learning and assessment methods in terms their efficacy in facilitating student learning. The studies also sought to investigate how participants rated each method. Attitudes toward computer-assisted learning were not related to performance on each of the online metho...

From an instructional perspective, it is conceivable that employing an appropriate hypertext architecture should have the advantage of facilitating learning by representing logical- ly the interrelationships between the different pieces of infor- mation contained within the hypertext. Furthermore, there would appear to be a sound theoretical ration...

With the introduction of information and communications technology (ICT) into the school curriculum, students are now expected to use ICT efficiently within their lessons, regardless of subject, with teachers responsible for this integration. It has therefore become necessary to monitor how students perceive ICT and whether the increased usage with...