
Contact Information
Email
Lab Website
(615) 322--8301
219B Hobbs
Research Area
Education
Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University, 1999)
Curriculum Vitae
Advising
Bethany Rittle-Johnson
Associate Professor of Psychology
Professor Rittle-Johnson's research focuses on understanding how knowledge change occurs. Her specific interests are in how children learn problem-solving procedures and key concepts in domains such as mathematics. For example, what roles do spatial diagrams or generating explanations have in promoting learning of concepts and procedures? This research bridges between psychological theory and educational practice, and Professor Rittle-Johnson also collaborates with teachers, cognitive scientists, and computer scientists to apply and test her research in educational settings.
Representative Publications
-
Rittle-Johnson, B. & Schneider, M. (in press). Developing conceptual and procedural knowledge of mathematics. In R. Kadosh & A. Dowker (Eds), Oxford Handbook of Numerical Cognition. Oxford Press.
-
Rittle-Johnson, B., Fyfe, E. R., McLean, L. E., McEldoon, K. L., (in press). Emerging understanding of patterning in four-year-olds. Journal of Cognition and Development. DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2012.689897
-
DeCaro, M. S. & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2012). Solving math problems prepares students to learn from instruction. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 113(4), pp. 552-568. doi 10.1016/j.jecp.2012.06.009
-
Durkin, K. & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2012). The effectiveness of using incorrect examples to support learning about decimal magnitude. Learning and Instruction, 22(3), pp. 206-214. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.11.001
-
Fyfe, E. R., Rittle-Johnson, B. & DeCaro, M. S. (2012). The effects of feedback during exploratory mathematics problem solving: Prior knowledge matters. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), pp. 1094-1108. doi: 10.1037/a0028389
-
Matthews, P. G., Rittle-Johnson, B., McEldoon, K. & Taylor, R. S. (2012). Measure for measure: What combining diverse measures reveals about children’s understanding of the equal sign as an indicator of mathematical equality. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 43(3), p. 316-350.
-
Rittle-Johnson, B., Star, J., & Durkin, K. (2012). Developing procedural flexibility: Are novices prepared to learn from comparing procedures? British Journal of Educational Psychology. 82, 436-455. DOI:10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02037.x.
- Rittle-Johnson, B., & Star, J. R. (2011). The power of comparison in learning and instruction: Learning outcomes supported by different types of comparisons. In J. P. Mestre & B. H. Ross (Ed.), Psychology of Learning and Motivation: Cognition in Education (Vol. 55). (pp. 199-222). Waltham, MA: Elsevier. DOI 10.1016/B978-0-12-387691-1.00007-7.
-
Schneider, M., Rittle-Johnson, B., & Star, J. (2011). Relations between conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility in two samples differing in prior knowledge. Developmental Psychology. 47(6), 1525–1538. doi: 10.1037/a0024997
-
Rittle-Johnson, B., Taylor, R., Matthews, P.G., & McEldoon, K. (2011). Assessing Knowledge of Mathematical Equivalence: A Construct Modeling Approach. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103 (1), 85-104.
- Rittle-Johnson, B., Star, J. & Durkin, K. (2009). The importance of prior knowledge when comparing examples: Influences on conceptual and procedural knowledge of equation solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101 (4), 836-852.
- Matthews, P. G. & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2009). In pursuit of knowledge: Comparing self-explanations, concepts, and procedures as pedagogical tools. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 104, 1-21.
- Rittle-Johnson, B, Saylor, M. & Swygart, K. (2008). Learning from explaining: Does it matter if mom is listening? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 100(3), 215-224.
- Rittle-Johnson, B. & Star, J. (2007). Does comparing solution methods facilitate conceptual and procedural knowledge? An experimental study on learning to solve equations. Journal of Educational Psychology. 99(3), 561-574.
- Rittle-Johnson, B. (2006). Promoting transfer: The effects of direct instruction and self-explanation. Child Development. 77(1), 1-15.