Work

Cognitive Factors That Influence Children's Learning from a Multimedia Science Lesson.

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: The present study examined the cognitive factors that influence children’s physical sciencelearning from a multimedia instruction. Using a causally coherent text and visual models, wetaught 4th- and 7th- grade children about the observable and molecular properties of the threestates of water. We manipulated whether the text was read by a tutor (which supportssimultaneous encoding of the verbal and visual information, i.e., temporal contiguity) or whetherchildren read the text on their own (which supports self pacing and interpretation of theinformation). Children in each condition received either static or dynamic graphics. Resultsshowed that, regardless of the type of graphics, children demonstrated the greatest learninggains when the text was read to them by a tutor. This effect was more pronounced for theyounger children. Thus, conditions that promote integration of verbal and visual informationmay provide the greatest support to children’s learning from a causally coherent multimediascience lesson.

Source: lnternational Electronic Journal of Elementary Education

Authors: Florencia K. Anggoro, Nancy L. Stein, Benjamin D. Jee

Institutions: College of the Holy Cross, University of Chicago, National Opinion Research Center

Language: English

Topic: Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $350

Funder: National Science Foundation