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Graphical displays are frequently used to express quantitative information in texts, but viewers are sometimes unable to comprehend and learn the relevant information. According to a cognitive analysis, graph interpretation involves (a) relatively simple pattern perception and association processes in which viewers can associate graphic patterns to quantitative referents and (b) more complex and error-prone inferential processes in which viewers must mentally transform data. Experiment 1 establishes that graphs can be redesigned to improve viewers' interpretations by minimizing the inferential processes and maximizing the pattern association processes required to interpret relevant information. In Experiments 2 and 3, the researchers isolated ...

According to the modality effect in multimedia, a text accompanying a picture should be auditorily presented instead of visually in order to avoid split of attention. In two experimental studies (34 and 78 participants, respectively), the impact and possible compensatory effects of two aptitude variables, that is, memory strategy skills and working memory capacity, on multimedia learning were tested. Aptitude-treatment-interaction effects were found with respect to comprehension (Study 1) and transfer (Study 2). The modality effect was confirmed for less-skilled learners in memory strategy use but not for highly skilled ones. Memory strategy skills and working memory capacity differentially affected ...

According to the modality effect in multimedia, a text accompanying a picture should be auditorily presented instead of visually in order to avoid split of attention. In two experimental studies (34 and 78 participants, respectively), the impact and possible compensatory effects of two aptitude variables, that is, memory strategy skills and working memory capacity, on multimedia learning were tested. Aptitude-treatment-interaction effects were found with respect to comprehension (Study 1) and transfer (Study 2). The modality effect was confirmed for less-skilled learners in memory strategy use but not for highly skilled ones. Memory strategy skills and working memory capacity differentially affected ...

Multimedia learning environments combine multiple forms of representations like texts, static and animated pictures or graphs. Knowledge acquisition from multiple representations requires that the learner create referential connections between corresponding elements and corresponding structures in different representations. As this process is usually difficult, learners frequently fail to construct coherent mental representations and, thus, do not sufficiently understand the subject matter. This paper analyzes the effects of different kinds of instructional help on the process of coherence formation from multiple representations by learners with different prior knowledge. Three groups of university students with different domain-specific knowledge had to learn a complex ...

Multimedia presentations typically produce better memory and understanding than do single-medium presentations. Little research, however, has considered the effect of multimedia on memory for nonmultimedia information within a large multimedia presentation (e.g., nondepicted text in a large text with diagrams). To this end, the present two experiments compared memory for target text information that was either depicted in diagrams or not. Participants (n = 180) studied either a text-only version of a text about lightning or a textwith-diagrams version in which half the target information was depicted in diagrams. Memory was tested with both free recall and cued recall ...

Multimedia presentations typically produce better memory and understanding than do single-medium presentations. Little research, however, has considered the effect of multimedia on memory for nonmultimedia information within a large multimedia presentation (e.g., nondepicted text in a large text with diagrams). To this end, the present two experiments compared memory for target text information that was either depicted in diagrams or not. Participants (n = 100) studied either a text-only version of a text about lightning or a textwith-diagrams version in which half the target information was depicted in diagrams. Memory was tested with both free recall and cued recall ...

The effectiveness of providing a flow-chart to supplement traditional methods of delivering jury instructions was investigated using an experimental design. Two hundred and thirty-four mock-jurors listened to a case summary and judge's instructions (in one of eight formats) regarding the law of self-defence. They were then required to (a) write a description of the main elements of self-defence, (b) render a judgment as to the applicability of self-defence to the case heard, and (c) apply their knowledge to four novel scenarios. Mock-jurors performed relatively poorly when describing self-defence elements and in applying them to the case heard and the novel ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the maternal comprehension of two different growth charts and to identify the group of mothers with poor comprehension.DESIGN An experimental prospective study.SETTING A child welfare clinic at the De Soysa Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka.SUBJECTS 932 mothers were studied regarding their interpretation of the type of growth chart their infants had been allocated. A total of 413 mothers interpreted the ‘road-to-health’ chart and 519 mothers interpreted the revised chart. A validated scoring system was used to assess comprehension. The two groups of mothers were comparable.RESULTS 62.4% (324) mothers who interpreted the revised chart had good comprehension. ...

This article investigates whether different formats of visualizing information result in different mental models constructed in learning from pictures, whether the different mental models lead to different patterns of performance in subsequently presented tasks, and how these visualization effects can be modified by further external representations during task performance. A total of 80 university students learned from an illustrated text different day times and different dates exist simultaneously on the earth. One half of the participants received the text combined with pictures visualizing the earth as a kind of carpet (carpet pictures), whereas the other half received the text combined ...

In een eerder onderzoek werden geen effecten gevonden van de toepassing van Information Mapping methode op de prestaties of waardering van gebruikers. In drie vervolgexperimenten hebben wij tekst- en lezerskenmerken onderzocht die van invloed zouden kunnen zijn op resultaten van de IMAP-methode. Tekstlengte bleek een positief effect te hebben; in afwijking van het eerdere onderzoek, waarin gebruik werd gemaakt van een relatief korte tekst, bleek dat lezers met een IMAP-variant van een langere tekst wel effectiever en efficiënter werkten dan met de originele tekst; ook bleek hun waardering voor de IMAP-teksten hoger (experiment 1). Toevoegen van typische IMAP-vormkenmerken aan verder ...