Work

Image interpretation scaffolds support adolescents’ historical reasoning

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Background Image interpretation scaffolds and mind mapping may support students’ historical reasoning. Benefits of such approaches are, until present, not empirically tested. Aims This quasi-experimental study compared effects of three conditions: a sequenced image interpretation scaffold, a flexible image interpretation scaffold, and mind mapping on students’ historical reasoning about and with images. Sample Participants were adolescents (secondary school students, N = 145, M age 13.9 years). Methods Historical reasoning was assessed with a writing task. Participants interpreted three photographs over three time points. At T1, students had no support. At T2 and T3, students interpreted an image with the randomly assigned condition. Students’ interpretative essays were rated to assess historical reasoning. Results Image interpretation scaffolds better supported historical reasoning than mind mapping. Both interpretation scaffolds enhanced historical reasoning. Particularly the flexible image interpretation scaffold appeared to benefit contextualization and the description of the relevance of the image message for the present. However, effects of the flexible scaffold were not stable over time. Conclusions Image interpretation scaffolds seem beneficial to support students’ interpretation of historical images. Further research needs to investigate how image interpretation scaffolds support historical reasoning for different types of images.

Source: Learning and Instruction

DOI: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101993

Authors: Kevin van Loon, Monika Waldis

Institutions: University of Basel, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

Language: English

Topic: Educator Training and Historical Pedagogy

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,450