Effects of visual cues and self-explanation prompts: Empirical evidence in a multimedia environment (original) (raw)
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Enhancing learning from different visualizations by self-explanations prompts
The purpose of the two experiments was to investigate the potential effects of different types of visualizations and self-explanation prompts on learning human cardiovascular system in a multimedia environment. In Experiment 1 and 2, 70 and 44 college students were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in a 2 x 2 factorial design with visualization type (animated vs. static) and prompting self-explanations (prompts vs. none) as the between-subjects factors. The results of Experiment 1 revealed a positive effect of prompts on learning outcomes. Experiment 2, in which the no-prompts conditions were re-designed, partially replicated the results of Experiment 1. In addition, it revealed a significant interaction between the two factors on learning time, learning outcomes, and goal-driven self-explanations. The results of both experiments suggest that instructional designers should pay attention to learners’ cognitive aspects, and utilize the combination of animated visualizations and self-explanation prompts when designing multimedia environments.
Enhancing Learning from Different Visualizations by Self-Explanation Prompts
Journal of Educational Computing Research, 2013
The purpose of the two experiments was to investigate the potential effects of different types of visualizations and self-explanation prompts on learning human cardiovascular system in a multimedia environment. In Experiments 1 and 2, 70 and 44 college students were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in a 2 × 2 factorial design with visualization type (animated vs. static) and prompting self-explanations (prompts vs. none) as the between subjects factors. The results of Experiment 1 revealed a positive effect of prompts on learning outcomes. Experiment 2, in which the no-prompts conditions were re-designed, partially replicated the results of Experiment 1. In addition, it revealed a significant interaction between the two factors on learning time, learning outcomes, and goal-driven self-explanations. The results of both experiments suggest that instructional designers should pay attention to learners' cognitive aspects, and utilize the combination of animated visual...
Computers & Education, 2010
This study investigated whether learners construct more accurate mental representations from animations when instructional explanations are provided via narration than when learners attempt to infer functional relations from the animation through self-explaining. Also effects of attention guidance by means of cueing are investigated. Psychology students were given retention, inference, and transfer tests after studying a cued or an uncued animation of the cardiovascular system with learner-generated selfexplanations or with externally provided instructional explanations. Results indicated that cued animations were more effective than uncued animations. Furthermore, results on retention and transfer indicated no differences between self-explaining and providing instructional explanations, but instructional explanations accompanying animations led to higher inference scores. It is concluded that whether explanations are generated or presented may be less important than the provision of cues that enable focused processing of presented or produced explanations.
One standard reason for using computers in the science class is the need to visualize or simulate dynamic processes, which are otherwise difficult to handle in the classroom. Self-regulated learning is assumed to be more effective for gaining deeper understanding if learners are motivated. Two versions of a learning environment 'Functions of the Nerve Cell' were used to study the effect of animations vs. still images with textual descriptions. It is assumed that learner's success in improving factual knowledge and deeper understanding not only depends on the mode of presentation and the degree of self-regulation but also on the learner's motivation and visual vs. verbal learning preferences. The dependent variables, factual knowledge and understanding are assessed by means of a paper & pencil based tests in the post-treatment phase. The results of this experimental study with college entry level students will be presented in this talk.
How Much Cueing Is Needed in Instructional Animations? The Role of Prior Knowledge
Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2020
This study explored the effects of prior knowledge and cueing on the learning (retention, transfer, and matching) and mental effort of learners who studied an instructional animation with accompanying narration about photosynthesis. A 4 × 2 betweensubjects factorial design with four levels of cueing (no cueing, label cueing, picture cueing, and label and picture cueing) and two levels of prior knowledge (low vs. high) was used. A total of 216 undergraduate students from various majors in a large Southwestern university volunteered to participate in this study. The results revealed no significant effect of cueing on learning or mental effort. However, high prior knowledge learners outperformed low prior knowledge learners on a retention test and reported investing more mental effort than low prior knowledge learners. Although it was not significant, high prior knowledge learners had higher transfer and matching scores when no cues were provided.
Effects of Segmentation and Self-Explanation Designs on Cognitive Load in Instructional Videos
Contemporary Educational Technology
This experimental study examined the effects of segmentation and self-explanation designs on cognitive load in instructional videos. Four types of instructional videos (segmentation, self-explanation, combined, and control) were created and tested by 121 undergraduate students randomly assigned to one of four research groups. The results of students' self-ratings on the cognitive load survey showed that the segmenting design produced a significantly less germane cognitive load than the two non-segmenting designs (self-explanation and control). The self-explanation design did not produce a significantly more germane load than the control design. However, students' dispositions toward segmentation and selfexplanation designs were generally positive and supported the theoretical justifications reported in the literature. The findings are discussed, along with segmentation dilemmas, limitations, and future study implications.
Attention cueing in an instructional animation: The role of presentation speed
Computers in Human Behavior, 2011
Research has shown that guiding learners’ attention in animations by cueing does not necessarily improve conceptual understanding. This study investigated whether the number of elements that are presented per unit of time influences the effectiveness of cueing by showing a cued or an uncued animation about the cardiovascular system at a high or at a low speed. It was hypothesized that cueing would be most helpful for learning when the animation was shown at a high rather than at a low speed. Unexpectedly, students showed equal performances on comprehension and transfer tests irrespective of cueing and the animation’s speed. However, the low speed groups invested more mental effort to obtain this performance than the high speed groups. The findings and their implications for the design of animations are discussed in terms of cognitive load theory.
Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2007
This study used cognitive load theory to investigate whether an animation about the cardiovascular system can become a more effective educational tool by designing it with sensitivity to the capacity limitations of working memory. To manage the high extraneous cognitive load imposed by the need to process series of successive and transient information elements, a sequence of static key frames from the animation was presented to learners directly after the animation. Two interactive instructional conditions, which required learners either to construct or reconstruct the sequence of key frames, were compared to a non-interactive condition. It was hypothesised that the interactive activities would lead to more efficient transfer performance. The results confirmed the hypothesis, indicating that the interactive conditions required less mental effort to attain the same performance as the non-interactive condition. Instructional design implications for learning from animations are discussed.
Making instructional animations more effective: A cognitive load approach
Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2007
This themed issue consists of seven empirical papers, as well as an introduction and discussion, and has its genesis in three symposia, organised by the authors of this article and presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in San Francisco, California. The papers investigate a number of conditions under which instructional animations may be effective. This article uses cognitive load theory (CLT) to provide an explanation for why animated instructions have not currently produced the learning benefits expected. A brief overview of the papers with a focus on how they accommodate critical aspects of cognitive load is given. The issue finishes with a discussion on each paper and identifies some common principles and recommendations for instructional design and research into animations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Attention cueing as a means to enhance learning from an animation
Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2007
The question how animations should be designed so that learning is optimised, is still under discussion. Animations are often cognitively very demanding, resulting in decreased learning outcomes. In this study, we tried to prevent cognitive overload and foster learning by focusing the learners' attention to one element (i.e. process) of an animation using a cueing technique. Psychology students viewed an animation of the cardiovascular system and were subsequently given a comprehension test and a transfer test. One group studied the animation without a visual cue, while for another group a visual cue was added to the animation. Results indicated that cueing not only enhanced comprehension and transfer performance for cued information, but also for uncued information. It is concluded that cueing can be used as a technique to improve learning from an animation. Results are interpreted in terms of cognitive load theory (CLT).