How multiple external representations are used and how they can be made more useful

TLDR

Students often struggle with using multiple external representations, and this study addresses those difficulties. The authors conducted two experiments—an exploratory study with 16 participants measuring visual attention via gaze data to examine its relation to learning and beliefs, and a subsequent experiment with 30 participants testing whether informing students about diagram functions in worked examples improves learning, with visual attention mediating and prior knowledge moderating the effects. Students were initially unaware of diagram functions, but instruction about these functions significantly improved learning, partially through increased visual attention, and prior knowledge moderated both the instruction’s impact on attention and the attention–learning relationship. © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract In two studies, students' difficulties in using multiple external representations were effectively addressed. In a first explorative study ( N = 16), we investigated the allocation of visual attention (as assessed by gaze data) on external representations, its relation to learning and learners' beliefs on the representations' functions. Results confirmed that students were not aware of the functions. In a subsequent experiment ( N = 30), we analysed effects of informing students about the function of diagrams in worked examples on learning, mediating effects of visual attention and moderating effects of prior knowledge. The instruction had strong effects on learning, which were partially mediated by visual attention. Prior knowledge moderated both, the effects of the instruction on visual attention and of visual attention on learning. Implications for research into multiple representations and instructional design are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.