The Effects of Self-Explanation Prompts and Diagram Comprehension Ability on Task Performance in Multimedia Learning

• In Event: 73.062 - Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: 73.062-2 - Motivational and Cognitive Processes: Language, Literacy, Communication, and Reasoning

Abstract

The Instructional Fit Hypothesis (Nokes et al., 2011) proposes that variations in self-explanation prompts stimulate different cognitive processes. The effectiveness of these prompts is then determined by how well matched these processes are to the task and interactions with relevant individual differences. This hypothesis is tested here with college students studying multimedia. Participants in three experimental conditions that received different explanation prompts and two control comparison conditions completed three posttest tasks. Participants were also divided into groups of high and low diagram comprehension ability (DCA). The interaction between condition and task was significant as was the main effect of DCA. The results confirm that variations in prompts lead to differences in cognitive processing.

Authors

• Peggy N. Van Meter, The Pennsylvania State University

• John R Waters, The Pennsylvania State University

• Chelsea Cameron, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park