Cognitive pathways: From language processing to pedagogical practice

This dissertation examines cognitive mechanisms underlying learning and evaluates strategies to optimize educational outcomes across three domains: single-word processing, flashcard-based learning strategies, and the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in postsecondary education. In the first investigation, a mixed factorial experimental design assessed whether recurrent childhood otitis media produced lasting phonological processing deficits in young adulthood. Participants completed a degraded speech word recognition task with varying phonological congruency while group differences were analyzed via mixed factorial ANOVA. Results revealed significant effects of congruency on word recognition accuracy but no residual phonological deficits attributable to early otitis media, suggesting the operation of compensatory cognitive mechanisms. The second investigation comprised three experiments evaluating flashcard-based learning strategies. Using between-subjects designs, retrieval practice, spaced practice, and the elaborative Flashcards-Plus method were compared in both paper-based and digital formats. Outcomes measured included test performance, Judgment of Learning (JOL) accuracy, test anxiety, and cramming tendencies. Across experiments, structured retrieval practice and elaborative encoding promoted superior retention, enhanced metacognitive monitoring, and decreased reliance on cramming compared to traditional study methods. The third investigation explored the application of GenAI tools in education. Experimental studies evaluated how AI-assisted learning influenced cognitive load, learning efficacy, metacognitive engagement, and test anxiety. Students critically assessed AI-generated explanations and writing samples, and quantitative analyses demonstrated that structured AI use improved learning outcomes and academic confidence while underscoring the need for AI literacy to prevent shallow cognitive processing. Collectively, the findings contribute to cognitive psychology, educational research, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) by elucidating the adaptability of cognitive systems, the efficacy of active retrieval-based study strategies, and the pedagogical opportunities and challenges presented by emerging AI technologies in higher education.