Fully Iterative Versus Partially Iterative Visuospatial External Representations of Abstract Physics Concepts

• In Event: Roundtable Session 40
  In Roundtable Session: Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning SIG Roundtable 1: Issues in Knowledge Representation

Abstract

Students were presented with a module on circuits in text and diagram format only (control-text condition), text and diagram with an animation of the voltage and currents in parts of series and parallel circuits (partially iterative visual representation condition), or they were given the an animation of the voltage and current throughout the entire circuit (fully iterative visual representation condition). Students in the partially and fully iterative visualization conditions performed significantly better than the control-text conditions on questions of free recall but only the fully iterative visualization condition performed significantly higher than control on definition recall, multiple choice and drawing questions. This evidence suggests providing fully iterative visual external representations is important when teaching abstract physics concepts.

Authors

• Satyugjit Singh Virk, Teachers College, Columbia University

• John B. Black, Teachers College, Columbia University