Thesis Proposal: Reflective Abstraction in the Modern Day School Curriculum

Running head: REFLECTIVE ABSTRACTION IN THE MODERN SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Reflective Abstraction in the Modern School Curriculum
Jacob Ryan Stotler
Educational Research 504-82
Spring 1, 2020
University of West Alabama

REFLECTIVE ABSTRACTION IN THE MODERN SCHOOL CURRICULUM 2
Abstract
With support from writing and research in neurology and psychology, it is becoming more
widely accepted that thinking exercises and reflective abstraction (reflecting about previous
experiences and thinking about thoughts to gain new knowledge), may be a viable way to
increase student performance and memory. These supported methods may assist students to
organize applications and ideas about information, and regarding the teachings of the modern
school curriculum. The research proposal introduces this research as a means of incremental
validity of investigating the enhancement of scholar performance after allowing students time in
the classroom, solely for reflecting and drawing individual strategies around the educational
materials in which they are learning. The research project will act as a mixed experimental
research study and will measure the apprehension, performance, and memory of students, in an
educational curriculum in which allows them a period of time to reflect, and to think to
themselves about the material in which they are learning. Students will also be examined on any
reported learning difficulties, before and after the treatment. The research study proposes that
allowing students time solely for reflective abstraction, this congruent event within the average
day of school may instigate supplementary associations with the material, and may promote
better performance and memory in the classroom, intellectually and neurologically.

Chapter 1: Research Problem
Introduction
We can begin understanding the required education methods of people of our modern age
by analyzing principles in neuroscience, “the rate of learning or memory formation varies per
individual, and relevant to the individual’s moment-to-moment fluctuation of brain state” (Yoo,
et al., 2012).
Evidence supports the idea that spending time solely thinking about material and
spending time with personal associations of material assists in the learning process and with
certain types of performance and achievement. It is acknowledged in current literature that
students who have more experience in associations, combinations, and projections of concepts
and materials, will therefore have more understanding and memory than others (Wafiquoh &
Kusumah, 2019). This kind of application of mindfulness may benefit students in the classroom
significantly.
Within the domain of psychology there are many names for the thinking process in which
attends to the process of thinking to build apprehension and insight. We can reference these
terms as signifiers of the science and theories that support the process of learning by thinking
about what we are learning, and producing mental imagery for issues in which we have not yet
achieved.
Among those terms, theories and evidences, we can derive the idea that spending time
with our knowledge and thinking about our thoughts is very productive in terms of what we
know, and how we know it. It seems that in our modern-day schooling curriculum, and even with
science evincing the importance of spending time with what we already know, there is not much
time solely for thinking and/or imagining in the modern-day classroom. The importance of

thinking and imagining when it comes to learning can be supported with numerous dimensions
of science, and within the domain of psychology and neuroscience.
Thus, the term reflective abstraction, clarified by psychologist Jean Piaget, refers to an
“ability of a person [finally achieved] in adolescence that allows the person to acquire new
knowledge and understanding, simply from thinking about their own thoughts and abstracting
from these reflections” (Galotti, 2017, p. 39).
Information processing theory is another term in psychology that assists the
understanding that thinking is doing. Information processing theory is an extensive theory
summarized by the statement that “cognition is a process in which information flows through a
system, is stored and transformed in various places [and while and during] different processes
take place”. Information processing theory states, in essence, that information is stored and
processed in the brain, and learning is the attainment or organization of these “stores,” and from
a “flow” of what was once fresh information (Galotti, 2017, p. 47).
Another clear example of scientific evidence that points to the absolute benefit of
spending time on thinking, and reflecting educational material is that of the scientific finding of
Odreman & Dawn (2019). Their research states that “concept mapping has been shown to
increase analysis, thoughts, feelings, critical thinking, and connections to concepts” (p. 1). As
mentioned above, current research utilizing brain imaging to measure brain states, also supports
the idea that learning and functioning can be a product of the current state of the person’s
psychology / brain state.
With all of this support for spending specific time on thinking, the modern day schooling
curriculum seems not to allocate any specified periods of time for students to solely to think

about the materials and lessons that they are learning about, yet there is a signifying time
represented in the average school day that could allow such activities.
Currently, students do not have an allocated period of time to think collectively, about
what the material introduced in the classroom means to them. The current educational curriculum
may completely disregard teaching and implementing thinking strategies for students. Not
implementing such time to think, imagine, reflect, question, answer and digest, may hinder the
students from learning thinking strategies and may inhibit personal dependence, growth and
ability, relevant to personal strategies of conceptualization, memory, and the abilities involved in
associating materials intellectually.
Proposal of Research
Problem
Upon propagation of this research, investigation has accentuated a definite shortage of
research in which defines the amount of time that students are allowed to reflect, think and invest
in digesting educational materials in the modern-day school day. There too, seems to be a
research gap in which would define the effectiveness of implementing critical thinking and
cognitive reflection strategies in the classroom. The problem this study will address is that of the
absence of allowable time in which students are given, or prompted, to spend time thinking, and
drawing mental imagery, and forming personal connections to the materials in which they are
learning about; in addition to this problem, the proposal confronts the current lack of research
regarding these types of approaches in the classroom.
Cognitive reflection, personal imagery and utilizing time solely to associate lessons in
learning could be means for children, or scholars in general, to gain valuable insight, memory
and perspective into the materials in which they study. The problem that we will address is to

define the evidence in which supports or denies support in implementing thinking strategies, and
paying tangible attention to utilizing one of two systems of the Dual Processing Theory (DPT),
and implementing personal reflection strategies, in students, and in the modern-day classroom, in
regards to their current education.
There is an absence in the current standardized curriculum in which calls for students to
spend time, during the school day, and during school hours, to solely think and reflect about the
materials in which they are learning. This may result in a material overload for some students.
The current problem within the school platform is that that students are expected to
continually invest in learning, and memorizing materials, though without an allowance of time to
think and reflect about what they have learned or are learning. Many students may miss out on
how to conceptualize these ideas for further association and implementation, in which is key for
some subjects in school such as mathematics (Wafiqoh & Kusumah, 2019).
Purpose
The weakness being discussed has been discovered throughout research in psychology
and during the researcher’s personal pursuits for numerous credentials in academia. New age
articles and hypes have highlighted the adoption of ancient wisdom, meditation and mindfulness,
and with these adoptions of practices of the ancient eras has come a large amount of research and
writing describing the benefits of such practices, including elaborations on thinking strategies,
evidence of operation from brain imaging studies and an increased attention from science,
psychology and neurology into the realms of mindfulness at all.
Some schools are starting to adopt mindfulness practices in the school curriculum, but
these periods of “mindfulness” are not required and/or are not provided opportunities to
everyone / every school (Dailey, 2019). Perhaps, a majority of modern-day students are missing

out an essential life skill, one that can serve them throughout their life, the skill to utilize thought
organization, enhance cognition by dimensional learning, and to utilize concept mapping
techniques or higher executive thinking processes, personally, during scholarly lessons.
If psychology, neuroscience, and science in general, support the idea that people are
better off in their education with such practices, and furthermore, if evidence declares that these
methods of thinking could advance student’s knowledge base and/or performance, time should
be allowed and allotted. These activities do not demand great effort from students but may bring
a valuable benefit. The purpose of the study is to investigate the advancement of learning and
memory due from students taking part in thought reflection exercises, in addition to, and fit
formally within their class / school curriculum.
The research is designed to attend to the data of any such increases in performance and
apprehension, and increases or decreases in student reported learning difficulties, due from the
specific reflective abstraction treatment.
Hypothesis
The research hypothesis in which this study is constructed to define is supporting: “Does
evidence support the use of abstract reflection, focusing on System 2 processing, and drawing
mental imagery in the classroom as a daily activity, as a form of educational enhancement or
performance enhancement?” Our hypothesis based on prior research, demands that we presume
that these thinking periods, and student implemented cognitive strategies, will profit learning
and/or performance enhancement in the experimental group.
Existing Data

(Columbia University, 2020)
This graph is constructed with the data gathered by Columbia University regarding their
research into “which students benefit more, students with longer or shorter days at school?”. The
data was compiled for this research and illustrates a teacher and student reported outlook on an
average day at school. As we can acknowledge, 66% of an average school day is said to be spent
focusing students on academic subject activities, including the daily lesson plans, lectures and
presentation. While other elements that make up the school day are recess at 7%, 12% of the day
being spent on enrichment activities, and a 15%, about one hour of a seven-hour school day is
spent on maintenance activities. Mindfulness, reflection, and learning enhancement by imagery
would fit constructively, in the maintenance category. The study is certified and available at the
Columbia University website and is copyrighted of the year 2020.
The data and source and information derived is held to be superiorly reliable, as this data
was conglomerated from actual daily journals of teachers throughout a selected school day, at
numerous schools, and involving about 553 elementary school students from 1st
- 5th
grade. This
66%
15%
12%
7%
ACTIVITIES OF A SCHOOL DAY
Academic Subject Activities
Maintenance Activities
Enrichment Activities
Recess

data is gives us a clear view of how much time is allotted for such material and learning
maintenance activities.
Although we do not plan to introduce a long term, specified period of time for students to
be allowed thinking, it can be reflected that out of one hour a day allocated, students do currently
have the time to reflect about the material being presented. According to this research, time is
present to allow and teach students to reflect and ideate about their current lessons, yet these
activities are not currently promoted in the classroom.
(Jati & Pardjono, 2019)
This bar graph is a superb resource for us to acknowledge student’s reported causes, and
problems that students face, when students have learning difficulties or difficulties at all in the
classroom. As we can acknowledge from the graph, these reports are not exclusive, thus, some
students may register on more than one bar.
At all, this graphical data identifies that 34.01% of students report problems in school
involving the student themselves. This may include the student not understanding the materials
they are being confronted with, or not having proper study strategies to accommodate the
working school load. This may include the student not having a wide enough or bold enough
34.01
29.44
25.3
34.39
24.98
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
REPORTED SOURCE OF STUDENT DIFFICULTIES (PERCENT)
Subject Matters
Facilities
Environment
The Teacher
Student Themselves

grasp of the material in which they are expected to know, and/or this may involve students not
having ample amount of time to digest the material, or to think about the material and how it is
associated with other information and stores of information that they have already attained.
The study in which fructified the graph above, involved only 50 students by interview
and questionnaires, the research is published in the Journal of Physics. The research was
presented from findings from Yogyakarta State University in Indonesia. This part of their
research inspires us to utilize their findings as a structured and supported questionnaire in which
assists our investigation to examine identified areas of student learning difficulties in which
students face and self report.
At a scale of generalizability, and in investigation of the school day at all, both of these
resources are helpful to acknowledge what students across the globe face in the average school
day. Both of these sets of data presented, allow us to examine where thinking fits into the school
day, and how thinking about the materials, and reflective abstraction may act to be a solidified
solution to modern day problems in learning and schooling.
The Problem, Trends, and Patterns
Jati and Pardiono (2019) allow us to examine the self-report problems found in a school
setting, and furthermore they identify the belief or self-reported root of learning difficulties.
From self-report, interview and/or questionnaire, they identified factors in which described why
they faced learning difficulties, and according to the student’s reports. The students identified
that about 34% of problems root from the students themselves, about 29.4% of the problems
involve their teacher, while 25.3% of their problems were relevant to their environment, and
about 24.9% involved problems relating to the subject matter. This data allows us to examine the
severity of personal factors in learning difficulties. This, where the majority of all reports

included that the student themselves were the, or were major factors in the difficulties in learning
that they faced.
This is very important to the scientific evidence that can be presented, the research
indirectly recommends that thinking about and associating lessons and multi-dimensional
learning may promote better learning and better memory performance. This research involves the
scrutinization of current teaching approaches that may benefit from allowing students to involve
themselves more into the materials and lessons that they learn.
Columbia University (2020), allow us to examine the percentages and make up of
an average school day, and the time allotted or dedicated to the specific learning
activities. This data allows us to examine an actual report involving 553 students and the
teachers of these students, while they illustrated how much of the school day is devoted to
which activities, by recording a journal during an average school day.
The data presented that over one hour of a seven-hour school day is actually
devoted to maintenance learning activities, while between recess and maintenance
learning activities, about 22% of the day is segregated to allow students to maintain their
education and spend free time. Although, with the numbers presented, it is not currently
known how many schools, or how much reflective learning, brain health or personal
focus activities are available and presented to students during the learning hours.
Student Achievement
The lack of availability and opportunity for students, in grades elementary to college, to
be instructed about critical thinking, and to be allowed time to spend thinking, applying
understanding, and reflecting / being mindful about the topics and subjects that they are learning

about, may have drastic negative influence on how many students do not understand the
scholarly materials in which they have learned.
The bar graph above shows the majority of reports, identifying the root cause for student
learning difficulties as actually due to the student themselves. Therefore, if the problem of about
34% of student’s reporting that they are a major factor in their learning difficulties is not
confronted, we as a society are essentially demanding as a majority, that these students having
difficulties, should figure out themselves what ultramodern science reports about mindfulness,
psychology, neurology, neuropsychology and brain functioning.
It seems as though, as if these problems go unaddressed, they system is simply failing to
implement the knowledge and abilities that the system has and can offer. There is ample
evidence and scientific support to provide these scholars what they need – lessons and time to
implement critical thinking, and concept mapping strategies to promote better and more
dimensional learning abilities. These student’s grades and overall performance and achievement
may be suffering by a factor of negligence of the educational system to accommodate for what is
known about brain functioning and the need for self-reflection of educational material.
About 34% of students as represented from the data presented above, may be having
personal problems with the educational rubric and educational system, because of the lack of
knowledge about the importance of affiliating and associating new material with prior material,
and allowing themselves to rest and digest, and think abstractly or personally about their lessons
and education.
Therefore, a vast number of student’s educations may be suffering because of rushing
through the material, without acknowledgement that they would benefit from thinking about the

materials they are studying and testing on, and/or by instigating a better association with these
material, multi-dimensionally by abstract thought.
Methods
The research methodology used in this study utilizes a mixed experimental study
including both quantitative data and qualitative data, where a control group and
experimental group are sampled by utilizing the target population of 9-12th
grade
students. These students will be chosen by convenience sampling, of an in-session science
class, from two separate classes of the same Science course. The groups will be measured
quantitatively on achievement and percentage scores of their materials, and qualitatively
about their feelings and confidence about the material, after personal time was, or was not
allowed to focus on mindfulness, mental imagery and abstract reflection exercises.
Both groups will also conduct a survey before and after the research is conducted
in which signifies the purpose of the bar graph above and will include the survey
questions written by Jati & Pardjono (2019). This report / questionnaire will in turn
measure experimental and control group student’s reports of “source of student
difficulties,” before and after the experiment. Lastly, both group’s performance will be
conducted by standard tests given by the educational program and will be measured in
appropriation with the material being learned, and the time allotted or not allotted to focus
on mindfulness / reflective abstraction exercises.
The two separate groups will be measured and compared to reflect the benefit of
abstract reflection thinking lessons in education, in which where both groups were
learning within the current / local standards of the modern-day high school science
curriculum in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Chapter 2: Literature Review
Introduction
Within the domain of psychology there are many names for the thinking process
in which attends to the process of thinking to build erudition and insight. The current
curriculum in the modern classroom does not pay institutional or instructional
recognition to these ideas or relevant evidence (of the benefit of implementing thinking
processes to enhance educational outcomes).
Some of the research that has been gathered provides institutional or
administrative access to understand current teaching curriculums, and pinpoints some
information about the current curriculum in which a gap is found where thinking
strategies, and implementing reflective abstraction in the classroom may belong. It may
be said that we are currently in a blind while understanding how much time children
have or need to have, to adequately digest any educational lecture or lessons.
Evidence in psychology and neuroscience support the implementation of thinking
practices and abstract reflection strategies towards educational skill and performance
enhancement. Some research supporting thinking strategies in the classroom include that of the
research conducted by Yoo, Hinds, Fen, Thompson, Whitefield-Gabrieli, Triantafyllou, &
Gabreili (2012).
Yoo and colleagues (2012) present a clinical neuropsychological specialty / perspective
of the evidence and support presenting the enhancement in student learning by paying focus to
brain state, and analyzing brain state in the educational process by fMRI. They identified the
default mode network (DFMN) as a “good brain state” for learning, as well as they reported that
this research could be a gateway towards “enhancement of learning by measuring brain states (p.

851) and initiating a recognition of “good” and “bad” brain states for learning” (p. 849).
As the future sets vision before it, it becomes an important issue to our school boards,
educational and current schooling curriculums to allow students the education and time to
understand that thinking, associating, and abstract reflection strategies while learning, may be
valuable tools that will benefit their education throughout their lives. Currently and now, there is
near to no recognition of implementing such maintenance activities in the learning curriculum.
This research intends to confront this issue and bring knowledge, proper practice and statistics
about such practices.
Modern-day research around the thinking process
Research literature in these areas states blatantly, that “a greater understanding of how
students use classroom practices to reflect on their learning, and thus develop metacognitive
knowledge, would permit educators to make predictions about the development of
metacognition in a wider range of populations and environments” (Desautel, 2009, p. 2002). As
a futuristic answer to this problem, we attend to the teachings of modern-day textbook
psychology, neuropsychological research, and current knowledge in the areas of thinking,
mindfulness, and reflection exercises, regarding the enhancement of knowledge, apprehension
and performance.
Theories and Trends in Dual Processing Theory
Salmon, 2015 defines the importance of thinking about thinking where the researcher
states that “the twenty-first century world demands that children learn how to learn by becoming
reflective, self-regulating inquirers capable of metacognition [thinking about thinking]” (p. 480).
Further, Dual Processing Theory (DPT) is a psychological theory and term. The Dual
Processing Theory of higher order cognitive processing is an extremely wealthy application of

discussion in modern day literature, research and definition. DPT is defined by Evans, 2008 as
an application of two different types of thought / decision processes in which include System 1
and System 2 processing. Evans, 2008 provides us the definition of both:
A. System 1 processing: defined as a level of mind and cognition that involves automatic,
emotional and implicit cognition.
B. System 2 processing: defined as a level of mind that includes more controlled, higher
order processing in which includes many elaborate factors of higher-level cognition,
processing and decision making.
Elaborating on Dual Processing Theory in Research and Application
Monteriro, Cherbino, Sibbald & Nornan (2019) describe the historic time in the 1980s-
2000 eras in which human problem solving become a specific concern of science. The
researchers describe that during these years, an emergence in literature and belief in the
educational community evolved in which demanded that human problem solving was not a
matter more of having gained elaborate skills, but more so that problem solving depends on
simplistic strategies in which are orchestrated on extensive and rich knowledge networks,
becoming congruent systems [as are described in the System 2 processing of the Dual
Processing Theory].
These researchers too break down the automatic and incorrect bias of some readers,
that System 1 processing is all bad, while System 2 processing is always correct; this too may
be where the conglomeration and conclusion comes from, and written by Evans (2008). Evans
stated that System 2 processing (the cognition of more reflective and analytical processes) may
be made up of higher order processes, systematized with System 1 processes (the cognition of
heuristical operation and automacity).

Another beam of support in which the study has reviewed is that of the literature of
Gillard, Dooren, Schaeken, Vershcaffel (2009). The researchers define the processes and
relations in which are involved in combining cognitive psychology and [mathematical]
education. They identify one thinking problem in which is relevant to both student’s reporting
that they are a source of educational difficulty to themselves, as well as an issue relevant to
allowing students time for abstractive reflection / mindfulness in the course curriculum.
The authors identify the problem of the found heuristic, identifying that sometimes
people fail to solve problems, puzzles and challenges in which they should be able to solve,
due to their “domain specific knowledge”, training and skills. They are said to fail because of
faults in processing the problem / solution or because of ill tendency while attempting to do so.
The researchers then bring further archival evidence and support for the use of the Dual
Processing System as evidential, legitimate, clear and best practice, where they introduce that
modern neuroscience has defined brain activity being different and nearly opposing between
what was defined as System 1 processing (heuristic thinking) and System 2 processing
(reasoning and deciding analytically, (p. 101).
Brain Components and Neuroscience

Gillard, Dooren, Schaeken, Vershcaffel (2009) provide a conglomeration of literature
in which includes some of the first neuroscientific evidence of
the identified brain components, relevant to the Systems of
the Dual Processing theory (DPT). They state from prior
fMRI studies that Heuristic thinking (System 1 processing)
was found to activate the left
lateral temporal lobe [as seen in blue, violet, and green
compartmentalization above and left, Fig. 1] this is the same
localized component known to be associated with language,
near / including what is known as the “Wernicke’s” area (Weill
Institute for Neurosciences, 2020).
Opposingly, analytical thinking (System 2 processing)
was evidenced to activate the bilateral superior parietal lobe; multi-circuited brain components
[two parts of the superior parietal lobes together (dorsal side of head), as seen outlined in red
and violet above and to right, Fig. 2].
In addition to this, they note that when people resisted heuristic thinking, the right
lateral prefrontal cortex activated, as was seen by fMRI
[emboldened in umber and pink highlights in Fig. 3]. (Photos
enhanced, courtesy of Dolan DNA Learning Center, 2020).
Another reliable testament in which clarifies why DPT
is indeed best practice for this experiment and research with
high-school aged people is identified by Hendriana, Hidaya & Ristiana (2018). They define
that “deriving a measure of the extent in which a person’s level of understanding goes, can be
Fig. 3
Fig. 2
Fig. 1

known through the questions raised in their resolving steps” (p. 1). The researchers continue
to support DPT by metaphorical thinking and learning, by concluding in their research that
“learning and mathematical courage level factors influence student’s achievement in
mathematical questioning ability” (p. 4). Questioning may be a vital factor of reflective
thinking and post-processing for future intelligence or performance. The importance of
questioning too, may be a strategy in which is overlooked in the current school curriculum.
Time Span of Treatment
To justify and the teaching of DPT, reflective abstraction, and teaching metacognitive /
cognitive strategies and in the period of about eight weeks, we saw to the research stated by
Jang, Kim & Reeve (2015). Jang and colleagues collected evidence from research in which
delivered the purpose of orchestrating the eight weeks as they found that students need about
one month to become aware of and accommodate / or be affected by their teachers’ motivating
styles.
They also stated that by two months, students show longitudinal changes in their
motivation and engagements as a function of their teacher’s motivating style. The same
researchers found in their study, that may be the resolution to student difficulty in the
classroom, that by using a Dual process model, “student’s engagement stemmed from
autonomy support and need satisfaction” (p. 37).
Synthesis of Literature Review
Among this writing are exemplary and supporting definitions, theories and vocabulary
terms in which support the use and existence of both systems of the Dual Processing Theory.
This topic itself has evolved from theory, into comparison of the use of psychology as
comparable to computer processing, it has evolved as common application in psychology and a

topic of evolving interest in modern brain imaging studies.
We have reviewed such research and literature defining Dual Processing Theory (DPT),
System 1 and System 2 processing of higher order cognitive processing, and for the application
of social cognition, decision making, reasoning, and therefore, conscious thought of knowledge
and academic performance. We define DPT from Evans, 2008; Gillard, Dooren, Schaeken,
Vershcaffel, 2009, and Monteriro, Cherbino, Sibbald and Norman, 2019.
We have defined DPT as a justifiable theory for the application of reflective abstraction
and mindfulness in the classroom by the literature of explanatory examinations of fMRI, multiple
perspectives of the meaning and application of theory, and relative literature from Salmon, 2016.
We also included a review of Hendiraina, Hidayat & Ristiana’s research (2018) as connecting
interest of current theories of thinking devices, such as metaphorical thinking and learning, and
enhancing learning by strategic thinking.
Applications in teaching by promoting abstractive reflection and System 2 processing as
is stated in the DPT and identified by Evans (2008) and Monteriro, Sherbino, Sibbald & Norman
(2019). Yoo, et al. (2012) too, confirm that the default mode network (resting brain state
network) [DFMN] too, has a role of human performance, reaction time, and the affirm the
statement that “there has been a recognition of the increase in response time, when the neural
brain state systems are in a state of vigilance, as too where learning increased when the person
was in a state of prepared-to-learn” (p. 850).
Applying a specific focus on System 2 processing as a mindfulness activity in the
classroom, will bound the scientific community into investigating the effectiveness of
mindfulness / System 2 processing and abstract reflection and this influence on academic
learning and performance. The research will compare this influence by comparing an

experimental group to those who have not received this allowance of class time to reflect and
strategize about the courses in the classroom.
The utilization of teaching and applying periods of time for students to exercise System 2
processing will be a proactive and unique approach to solving the issue of the modern-day
curriculum, and will follow parallel recommendations and research gaps currently known in the
scientific community. The process of implementing System 2 processing, depends on an ongoing
and constant educational curriculum that exists without any set periods of time, and to allow
students to digest the current material, and to specifically reflect about the lessons and materials
in which they have learned.
This research supports and will support further, needed investigation into the
effectiveness of mindfulness, purposed brain state and reflective abstraction as a learning
technique to enhance performance and apprehension.
Chapter 3: Methodology
Introduction
Modern textbook psychology and ultramodern findings in research in global research,
clinical psychology, neurology and neuropsychology, as well as other branches of advanced
research, focus to explain an advantage, and even enhancement of education and performance
when there is time spent, solely on associating and reflecting about the relevancy, imagery and
intellectual placement of the learning process and educational materials.
As of now, there is an absence in modern day research in which examines the thinking
process in children in the modern day classroom and in the average school day, as well as there
is a lack of informed, standardized curriculum in which calls for students to spend time, during
the school day, and during school hours, to solely think and reflect about the materials in which

they are learning, to enhance and solidify cognitive processes and education.
Research literature in these areas states blatantly, that “a greater understanding of how
students use classroom practices to reflect on their learning, and thus develop metacognitive
knowledge, would permit educators to make predictions about the development of
metacognition in a wider range of populations and environments” (Desautel, 2009, p. 2002).
The current problem within the school platform is that that students are expected to
continually invest in learning and memorizing materials without an allowance of time to think
and reflect about what they have already learned and are learning. Students are not currently
taught about the existence or steps to device such processes in the classroom and in their
education, such as reflective abstraction. Abstractive reflection can be discussed to stand as one
of the conscious processes that initiate the DFMN resting brain state. The modern school
curriculum may be problematic in not associating mental health psychology strategies with the
current teaching curriculum.
The 11 step plan of action (below) is justified for ethical practice and a simplified plant to
assure that ethics are followed, and that procedures are set, and finally that all steps are
implemented to collect the data, in the right order and completely.
Population
The population targeted in this research, literature review, and proposal, is that of the
population of High Schoolers in mid-America / Wyoming state, in which are enlisted and
attending the High School grades of 9-12th
grade. This population fits well into the populations
in which our research has examined in the past, and includes a population in which by
psychological theory and physiological standards, includes teenagers, in which are said to have
evolved into mature beings / adolescents, in which have used “reflective abstraction” as is stated

by Jean Piaget.
Dr. Swyer, Dr., Azzopardi, Dr. Wickremarathne, and Dr. Patton (2018) stake claim that
adolescence would be most closely defined as the years of 10-24 years of age, while this span of
ages most closely corresponds with the phases and growth patterns in which are associated with
adolescence. The researchers stated that presuming adolescence period to be of this age group,
extending from the previously identified adolescent period of 10-19 years of age, is essential for
the appropriation of laws, policies and [governing] service systems (p. 223).
Further, the target population will be such that of the group of students in which range
from the ages of 10-24 years of age, and attend the relevant grade levels of these ages, such that
of High School-college age. In this study we will examine the sample of such individuals in
which are presently enrolled in High School and range the ages of 14-18. This does not stretch
the entire gap of the target population of “adolescent students in America,” but it does allow this
research project to examine one inner-population, of the three parts in which the adolescent
cohort can be identified. This research will cover the “high school division” of the three divisions
in which adolescents attend school. This is where two other divisions would be “pre-high school
grades,” and the last would be “post-high school grades / college level” students.
This provides a specific identify of the target population, provides an organized title to
represent our findings, and allows further research to examine the two other divisions of in-
school adolescent groups at a further time.
Sample
The sampling technique in which this study utilizes is convenience representative cluster
sampling. The convenience representative cluster sampling, is further focused on about 50
students, making up a numerically generalizable sample, of 50 participants, in which are chosen

by clustered random sampling of intact science classes of the grades of 9-12, at a local High
School in the Mountain states in which make up the United States of America. The sampling will
come specifically from a Cheyenne, Wyoming East High School science class of grades 9-12.
The control groups will be made up of the same population sharing the same or equivalent for
each grade’s science class, though differentiated by different class periods, and separated by
grade level.
The sample will consist of eight classes, a control group in each grade 9-12, an
experimental group in each grade 9-12 and thus totaling students of a sample around 100 large,
where 50 individuals will be adjudicated to the experimental groups, and 50 individuals will thus
be arranged to the control group (nontreatment receiving group). This sample is to be
representative of the high school adolescent population in which work within the United States
High School science classroom curriculum.
Sample Technique
The sampling technique is well justified for the basis of all rudimentary, scientific and
research reason. The method of sampling this population as a means of convenience
representative cluster sampling, is justified as this process allows for a definitive representative
sample of classrooms and curriculum within the United States, and further dedicates a
generalized focus onto adolescence and again of one rung of the three sectors in which make up
the “in-school” adolescent population.
This sampling is most convenient where this representative, yet randomly selected cluster
is representative, revolving around the six different classes, are already designed, organized,
segregated and in session. Where they are equivalent to each other by means of grade, and/or of
plans, goals and curriculum objectives in which represent the supported [science] curriculum in

the United States.
A justification behind the representative but random selection / cluster strategy is that the
criteria for selection could be of this protocol, the six different science classes based from 9-12th
grade, one class per each grade, being allocated to one experimental group, and one control
group, is a strategy that could be applied and is replicable in any school within the country or
world.
Cheyenne, Wyoming thus stands as a randomly selected representative population of the
country. Cheyenne, Wyoming being an identified location for the beginning trials of this
research, randomly, because it is centered in the middle of the country, and holds the seat
numbers of 19, 41, 52, 53, 71 and 76 out of 77 high schools identified in Wyoming’ s top high
school rankings. Wyoming has been ranked number 41 out of the 50 states in terms of best high
school education (Morse, 2019; SchoolDigger, 2019).
Role of Participants and Impact on Participants
There are definite precautions and ethical investments in which have inspired this
research. The research stands for movement in the scientific community, towards incremental
validity; the researchers are dedicated to performing this research in the eye of measure of the
least possible harm and threat to our participants, schools or any and all others.
We have dedicated our research to focus on best practice, evidence-based practice, and
conducting the research only after mitigating confounds of this mindfulness research, and
eliminating any harmful externalities. The research is designed to utilize proven methods of
practice, and to implement the research primarily and while emboldening the effectiveness that
this research may bring, because there is a lack of research in this domain, while even though
there is minimal harm in experimenting with these theories, practices and methods.

The data derived will compensate all participants, schools, local members or relatives of
the research by coding the location and classes, professors and courses, and will leave out all
personal information. Participants will leave no names or identifiers within the measures of the
research, and the representation of each individual will solely be quantitative and codified
through means of data and formulation.
While the device of this research is to investigate the positive effects of time allowed for
reflection and mindfulness, the research has been designed to be harmless to all measure and
practice.
The participants will assist the researchers by providing assessment results, pre- and post-
testing of the treatment group. The participants will provide data and a means for the researchers
to envision and quantitatively access any influences and effects that the experiment / treatment
has on the individuals.
The participants will provide quality data and will make it possible for the researchers /
scientists to assess what the effects the treatment has had on the individuals and the experimental
classes specifically. Furthermore, the participant’s honest investment in the courses being
assessed will make it possible to acknowledge any benefits or advances in functioning that come
with mindfulness / reflective abstraction exercises in the classroom curriculum.
Lastly, the participation of these individuals could provide evidence for the scientific
community and schools across the country, or world, to begin to acknowledge the possible
advancements in education that come from these exercises and could assist the scientific
community to accept mindfulness exercises in the learning environment as a stimulus for better
performance, erudition and cognitive benefit.
Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

The assessments in which will be given to all voluntary participants will track pre- and
post-treatment, self-reports of any influences and changes in perception of self/student
difficulties, as well as the research will examine by performance assessment, a measure and
report of effects or influences on performance and apprehension, and as is reportable within the
study.
The research is not risky, it does not aim to manipulate the health, psychology or
wellbeing of any students, and is designed to be completely harmless, with support of this by
scientific research and evidential means of the scientific community. The research aims to make
incremental progress to the scientific community through investigation of mindfulness on
scholarly performance and apprehension and nothing else.
Variables
The variables within the study include the control group – the group(s) and class(es)
receiving no experimental treatment, and the experimental group – the group(s) and class(es)
receiving the “mindfulness, DPT, System 2 processing lessons and exercises.”
The independent variable in the experimental group is the “mindfulness exercises.” The
independent variable in the control group is identified as “original teaching orientation / no
mindfulness exercises, and no allowable time for mindfulness / reflective abstraction exercises.”
The dependent variable in the experimental group(s) and the control group(s), are the
outcomes / percentages / results of the “Test no. 2” results, compared to the “Test no. 1” results,
and the reports found and identified in the “Student Difficulty Report & Questionnaire
(SDR&Q).” The dependent variables in the experimental group are hypothesized to have result
of higher percentage grades, thus assisting the researchers to determine that the experimental
treatment has had influence on the student’s apprehension, memory and/or performance.

Timeline
The steps involved to complete a successful study are as listed under the superordinate of
the named week totaling an eight-week study. These steps are further explained within all of the
previous chapters, while this is the organization and timeline for the study.
Week 1
1. Assure all students are willing. Recruit for the study by making agreements with the
classrooms intended and fit for the study and the sample selection criteria (providing IRB
approval numbers).
2. Assure that all students / participants sign a release / a release is signed by parents,
guardians, or POA.
Week 2
3. Conduct the study in all isolated groups.
4. Assign all groups, a “Student Difficulty in the Classroom Report and Questionnaire
(SDR&Q).”
5. Test all students on material already covered from traditional teaching method by
utilization of current exam issued by current teachers / instructors.
Week 3
6. Teach mindfulness / DPT System 2 processing strategies to experimental group(s). Begin
the mindfulness in the classroom exercises with experimental group, and resume science
class as usual for all groups.
Weeks 4-7
7. Maintain mindfulness exercises daily as written in the study, for eight weeks.
8. Assure that all experimental classes and control classes continue to be segregated, issuing

those who have resigned to a cohort in which is not acting in the research activities.
Week 8
9. Assign all groups a second: “Student Difficulty in the classroom Report and
Questionnaire (SDR&Q).”
10. Test all students on material studied and lectured, taught and covered in the course the
last 8 weeks, due by the current instructor’s / teacher’s course material exams.
11. Code by unique identifiers (UI), collect results, and organize data.
Constitutive and Operation Definitions
The importance of thinking, reflection, psychology and imagining when it comes to
learning, can be supported with numerous dimensions of science, and within the domain of
psychology and neuroscience. The inclusive constitutive and operational definitions of this research
project need to be defined.
Increases in memory, apprehension, reduction, edification and performance will be justified by
scores on the exam. The defining base for a “high score” will be a reflection of the current scoring
curriculum, where “A” and “B” scores are higher awarded scores, showing an increased ability in
memory, apprehension, reduction, edification and/or performance. “A”-“B” scores rate from 100%
“absolute A” to 80% “low B”.
Thus, the term reflective abstraction, clarified by psychologist Jean Piaget, refers to an
“ability of a person [finally achieved] in adolescence that allows the person to acquire new
knowledge and understanding, simply from thinking about their own thoughts and abstracting
from these reflections” (Galotti, 2017, p. 39).
Other terms we should define now are default mode network [DFMN] – a resting brain
state network recognized by fMRI and defined by psychologists, neuroscientists, researchers

and scientists, stating a recognizable resting brain state. Dual Processing Theory is defined by
Evans, 2008 as an application of two different types of thought / decision processes in which
include System 1 and System 2 processing. Evans, 2008 provides us the definition of both:
System 1 processing: defined as a level of mind and cognition that involves automatic,
emotional and implicit cognition. System 2 processing: defined as a level of mind that includes
more controlled, higher order processing in which includes many elaborate factors of higher-
level cognition, processing and decision making (perhaps involving more neural networks and
linkages between brain components).
Lastly, we should define student difficulties. Student difficulties will be assessed
in a formal assessment borrowed from Jati & Pardjono, (2019), and will include exactly
what their assessments had found as “major” sources of student difficulties. Carrying this
assessment on, the most popular reports of student difficulties were stated as: 1. Subject
matter. 2. Facilities. 3. Environment. 4. The Teacher. 5. Student themselves (and as seen
in Appendix C.)
All other relevant terms, determining factors, dependent and independent
variables within the study, have been defined clearly here and/or within the literature.
Description of Data (data needed)
The research study intends to be very articulate and purposeful about the data collected.
The data that is needed from the research is thus:
A. Number of participants.
B. Number of Groups.
C. Assigning of identifier to each student. Individual UIs.
D. Results of “Student Difficulty in the Classroom Report and Questionnaire

(SDR&Q)” given to all students – matching their UI.
E. Results of each student’s scores on first “course exam.”
F. Identification mark on classes that undergo the mindfulness activity.
G. Posting, summary of the course given to students, and the mindfulness activity /
Dual Processing-based reflection technique taught to students.
H. Quantitative time spent on the mindfulness activity per day.
I. Length of class period per day / per week.
J. Record of percentages of 100% time that the class(es) spent on different activities.
K. Length spent on mindfulness activity per day.
L. Results of SDR&Q given to all students – matching their identifier / post-treatment.
M. Results of each student’s scores on post-treatment “course exam.”
N. Measures of each individual’s scores, identifiers marking classroom, treatment or
control, and individual UI / particular collected statistics of these markings.
It is useful to state that the data collection process is not extensive compared to the data
that can be derived from the same materials. There are only four complete processes in which the
control group will undergo, two in which are the same as a normal semester in school. For the
experimental group there are a total of two additional exercises throughout the school semester
that would differ any from the original school curriculum, excluding the daily treatment exercise
that the study intends to explore.
Reliability and Validity of Instruments
To our knowledge, basic course testing does not examine or advertise validity and/or
reliability scores because the test items and material, are selected solely based from what has
been included in textbook, lecture, slideshow, or what the students have been guided to study,

read, attend to, and/or what they have been purposefully exposed to in the class to make up the
course curriculum. As mentioned, the “final exam” given after the eight weeks of treatment, is
institutionally designed, or designed and authored by the lecturer and professor in which has
taught the course over the semester. The course assessments thus, are assumed to have a very
high reliability in representation of knowledge based upon the course readings/materials.
One of the instruments to be used is the replicated self-report questionnaire in which is
identical to the highest reported items on the original “Student Difficulty in the Classroom
Report and Questionnaire (SDR&Q),” written and designed by Jati & Pardjono, (2019). Note:
the SDR&Q name was originated in this research proposal standing for the work of the authors
Jati & Pardjono (2019). Basing attention to reliability, the assessment could include a “write in”
slot, where students report any other source of student difficulty in which they may recognize in
their academic pursuits, doing so would assure that the test was reliable report of all student
account.
Collaborative Resources
The resources in this study involve the participants – students of the High School Science
classroom, ranging from 9-12 grades. Other resources involved are the schools involve, the
teachers, and the administrators of these programs. These resources make up and solidify the
research altogether, and the research is dependent on all of these people being present and
participating as is agreed. Another resource would be the parent or guardian of the participants
below the age of 18, these people will be needed to legalize the research and to break the bounds
for any lawful measures taken against the researchers or institutions involved.
Leverage Plan
The resources will be made by the reason of science. The resources are met and identified

to themselves as those fit for this research by the protocol and the qualifying measures explained
in this study. The problem will be clearly introduced, and the qualifying criteria for these
students and for these classrooms too, will be made transparent and provided as evidence for the
need for this research, now, and with these participants and resources.
The plan for acquiring or relating to these people as resources will be that of a written
letter to the administrators of the school, and short meetings with the individuals involved. The
researchers will introduce the research by means of writing a short letter requesting the schools
to participate and will include the research proposal, literature review and otherwise as a
delineation of the research plans, requirements, and sequences / steps involved to complete the
research designed.
Meetings will be conducted throughout the study and lessons will be given to the school /
relevant teachers regarding the mindfulness / DPT mindfulness exercises to assist in educating
the experimental group and thus to sensitively guide the institution in instruction of the activities.
Limitations
Limitations of the study would be mitigated if in fact the study was conducted exactly as
designed. Outside interferences to this study would be word of mouth exposure of control groups
students, learning about the experimental group’s education and additional lecture and focuses in
the classroom. Other limitations would be such things as accounting for dropouts of the study,
absences during the study, and alternative methods for completing the course and course
materials, and other test-retest bias in the consistency of reliability, such as feedback between
test, and participants gaining knowledge in preparation for the test due to what participants have
learned about the tests and test conditions, from the first attempt(s).
One last limitation of this study, that we are prepared to discuss and analyze is that of any

placebo effects in which may occur from student excitement becoming or being involved in a
major research project and study. The placebo effect is defined as improvements of participants
on symptoms or test results, becoming from an influence of the research or “experiment” itself,
even if the treatment contained no real assistance, mitigation, medicament or substance intended
for treatment. The placebo effect is known as a subjective response to an objective investigation
(Harvard Medical School, 2012).

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Appendix A: Consent Form
PARTICIPATION CONSENT FORM
YEAR OF 2020
UWA
OVERVIEW
The author of this study attends University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama and focuses in the
major of clinical mental health counseling. This project is a major long research assignment. The research
methods are designed to represent High School aged individuals (Adolescents). The study focuses on the
enhancement of performance, apprehension, and memory due to mindfulness activities. We are
attempting to pinpoint a correlation between time allowed in school, to process scholarly material, and
memory, performance and erudition on post-exams after the mindfulness activities. We appreciate your
cooperation and your feedback. Feedback is welcome on the last page of the questionnaire.
DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURES
Each participant will be expected to attend class normally. The experimental group will undergo a small
daily session of mindfulness, thought reflection strategy after receiving an initial education about
reflective abstraction and System 2 processing. The control group and the experimental group will be
separated by class, and both will be given:
1. Two short Student Difficulty Report & Questionnaire in the Classroom Assessments (SDR&Q).
2. Two course curriculum-based student learning assessments, in which are congruent and expected
within the course that they are participating already.

The SDR&Q questionnaire consists of five questions, one is fill in the blank, asking for a report of the
opinion of the student of “source of personal student difficulties in the classroom.” The form should last
no more than five minutes. Each participant will remain anonymous of the findings from the data. Each
participant will be provided a unique identifier to code each participants information, reports and test
results. Results and a debriefing statement of events can be found by emailing a request to
stotlerj@uwa.edu after the eight week study is completed. (Please allow 2-3 weeks of processing time for
reply).
RISKS AND INCONVIENCES
This is a onetime testing experiment. The research is not risky, it does not aim to manipulate
the health, psychology or wellbeing of any students, and is designed to be completely harmless,
with support of this by scientific research and evidential means of the scientific community. The
research aims to make incremental progress to the scientific community through investigation of:
mindfulness on scholarly performance, memory, and erudition and nothing else.
BENEFITS
Benefits of the experiment are any correlations prominent in the data and the conclusions of the
study. The benefits should show us neatly and defined an answer to our any questions and
hypothesis regarding the data supplied (by you)!
COSTS and ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS / INCENTIVES
There is no price, payment or compensation promised. Incentives rest strictly on taking part in a
beneficial research study consisting of science, research possibly helping bring a more clear

understanding of the elements in question. All answers will be a respected element of the study
and be representative of this science, practice, area, school and population within this era.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All research will be kept confidential with researchers, authors and those presented with the data
throughout the investigation process. This hereby stands as proviso that of the experiment in
conduction. I as a participant grant over a full agreement to be held to my own responsibilities.
Each record made will ultimately be destroyed after data points are collected. No names will be
acquired and no personal data will be linked to your individual answers.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS
Each participant accepts that participation is strictly voluntary and that every participant is
welcome to leave the study at any time. There are no promises involved in the completion of the
study.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
I as a participant knowingly endorse this agreement with recognition that I understand my
responsibilities, I am not at need of any special accommodations or treatment or apart of any
special population. I am free to leave the experiment at any time and I understand this
thoroughly.
QUESTIONS and FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact information is available here for any questions or concerns regarding the study.

Jacob R. Stotler (Professor) Dr. L. Simmons office
(307) 677-1618 (313) 345-5354
Stotlerj@uwa.edu Lsimmons@uwa.edu
SIGNATURE
I AGREE TO THE TERMS ABOVE AND HOLD MYSELF RESPONSIBLE DURING THIS SHORT
QUESTIONNARE.
STUDENT (SIGN) / DATE
(PRINT)
STUDENT’S LEGAL PARENTS / GAURDIAN (SIGN) / DATE
(PRINT)

Appendix B: Permission to Study
To the administrators of Cheyenne East High School, Teachers and Parents,
Thank you for taking this. This is a letter requesting permission to study and permission
for viable scientific research to be conducted with you, your students and your school, in your
current and ongoing Science classroom of the grades 9-12.
I am a graduate student at the University of West Alabama and I am required by the
modernization of graduate standards to prepare and conduct a scientific experiment in which
investigates a known problem in the schooling curriculum, and to provide statistics, facts and
findings to provide a means to make adjustments where these problems lie. We have identified a
problem in which encircles the lack of research, evidence, statistics, data and investigation into
the “benefit of student achievement, memory and performance, due by mindfulness and thought
reflection strategies in the classroom.”
Our research has pinpointed a lack of available research and support for the actuality of
the benefit of thought reflection and the benefit of allowing students a specified period of time,
in the classroom, to utilize System 2 processing of the Dual Processing Theory (DPT) and
reflective abstraction (thought reflection) exercises in the classroom. Previous evidence of these
practices claims some sort of benefit or enhancement on learning from allowing people to spend
time in the brain state neuroscientists call “the default mode network (DFMN). The DFMN, in
which is said to be a network as a result of reflecting personal circumstance and previously
acquired knowledge, is said to be a “good” brain state to be in, while learning.
Among this investigation, we are dedicated to offer the scientific community, and all of
our society modern findings and statistics in which illustrate the benefits of mindfulness

exercises implemented in the classroom and associated with specified class and material. There
is a need for this research because this research may explain answers to current “student
difficulties in the classroom,” and may offer a natural and lifelong learning and performance
strategy in which students can utilize throughout their lives, to perform better, and to utilize for
mental health and to exercise healthy cognitive functioning.
Benefits of this study may provide us priceless answers in which may lead to extending
healthy cognitive functioning, and/or in promoting better memory, better performance, and
education in the classroom. With any supporting evidence, this study may assist some children to
fulfill their potential with the same materials, by learning to associate materials through a higher,
more executive range of processing. This experiment is precisely designed, is supported by
science as safe and of proper practice, and utilizes heavily covered theories of teaching,
reflecting and processing, known as the Dual Processing Theory (DPT).
We are asking you all to meet us in the middle, between assisting our research to gather
helpful data, but too, to assist us to benefit our children, our future and our school curriculum by
the means, practices and intentions explicitly involved in this study.
In the recent weeks we have paid close attention and have been very careful about
selecting you as a research site, and more carefully we have decided that the population of
children in which you teach may be the best or the archetypical students in which can assist us to
modernize this research, relevant statistics and conclusions.
This population is the key to unlocking the sciences that we are investigating.
In short, the study investigates a control class, and an experimental class in which
implements the daily mindfulness excercises. The groups attend the class the same otherwise. All

classes are then tested with the “Student Difficulty Report & Questionnaire (SDR&Q)” pre- and
post-treatment, and then they are tested by the course specified assessments both pre- and post-
treatments. This process lasts eight weeks. All participants, teachers and all included in the
research remain anonymous, yet the research is gathered from ~100 students.
We are not aware of any risks to any students, participants, or to your site; we feel
confident in conducting this study to further our knowledge and to one day further our current
educational curriculum at a national level, and due by this specific research topic, and by
working together as researcher(s) with you a globally recognized institution. The research will be
approved by the IRB, and the IRB approval code will be provided and as a means of legitimizing
our efforts, and your efforts as an institution. Please submit approval of this research to be
conducted, for the purpose of our evolution as a society.
Thank you and please reply,
Jacob Ryan Stotler No. 0401757
Stotlerj@uwa.edu
1 (307) 677-1618
University of West Alabama
Cc: Dr. L. Simmons (UWA professor)

Appendix C:
Copy of Student Difficulty Report & Questionnaire in the Classroom Assessments (SDR&Q).

Student Difficulty Report & Questionnaire in the Classroom Assessments (SDR&Q).
YEAR OF 2020
UWA
TEST No. 1 / 2
STUDENT’S UI: .
1. Many students report having serious difficulties in the classroom. These difficulties are
sometimes due to numerous sources. In your opinion and in your experience in
school, what are the major sources of student difficulties for you? (Please circle the
letter of all that apply).
a. Subject matter in the classroom.
b. The facilities in which I learn.
c. The environment in which I am expected to learn.
d. The teacher and the teacher’s strategies for teaching the materials.
e. Myself.
f. Other (Please state any other sources of your own difficulties in the classroom):

Thesis Proposal: Reflective Abstraction in the Modern Day School Curriculum

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