When Students Conduct Research With Images and Text: The Role of Knowledge and Interest in Source Integration

• In Event: Comprehension and Integration of Text, Visual, and Multimedia Sources

Abstract

Theoretical and empirical research related to multiple source use suggests that source characteristics (e.g., type, author) and individual difference factors (e.g., knowledge, interest) influence how students select, use, and comprehend sources (Gil, Bråten, Vidal-Abarca, & Strømsø, 2010; Bråten & Strømsø, 2006). Although students frequently access a variety source types to complete academic tasks (Brand-Gruwel, Wopereis, & Vermetten, 2005), research has focused on text-based sources, to the exclusion of other common source types (e.g., graphs, images). Moreover, the degree to which students navigate sources across print and digital mediums has not been well examined, despite evidence that students commonly use sources from both mediums in their learning (Purcell et al., 2013). The present study examined students creating research presentations to investigate how students navigate and integrate multiple types of print and digital sources, and the role of knowledge and interest in this process.
Participants were 50 undergraduate students instructed to develop a PowerPoint presentation on the topic of Alzheimer’s Disease, which they were recorded presenting. Students were seated at a workstation with 16 available sources (8 print, 8 digital) of the various types (e.g., textbook, book, journal article, graph, image). Prior to the task, students completed measures of topic knowledge and topic interest. Students’ PowerPoint presentations were coded for whether each idea unit was borrowed (i.e., taken directly or paraphrased), transformed (i.e., an inference was made or material was combined in novel ways), or added (i.e., the information was not presented in the sources).
Students spent significantly more time using digital as compared to printed images (t(42)=3.42, p=.001), but more time using printed sources overall [F(1, 42)=5.37, p=.025]. On average, students included 1.04 images (SD=1.55) in their presentations and image inclusion was positively related to topic knowledge [β =.75, t(46)=2.36, p=.02]. Of the 50 students, only one used a printed image in the presentation and only two students integrated printed images by transforming them into text. Students were more likely to borrow images as compared to text-based sources and were more likely to transform printed as compared to digital sources [Mprint=2.44, Mdigital=1.33, t(47)=2.38, p=.02]. Students were particularly unlikely to make transformations that integrated images and text. Prior knowledge and individual interest did not significantly predict the amount of borrowed or transformed information included in the presentations.
Findings from this study indicate that the time students spend using sources and the degree to which they make inferences and connections across sources varies by the type of source (e.g., image, textbook) and the source medium (i.e., print, digital). Specifically, students were more likely to make inferences, combine information in novel ways, and spend more time with sources presented in print as compared to digital formats. Moreover, students were unlikely to combine material from images and texts, and rarely made inferences based on images, even when prior knowledge was high. Results suggest the potential for educators to capitalize on text-based and print sources to support students’ processing and integration across a variety of source types.

Authors

• Emily M. Grossnickle, Georgetown University

• Patricia A. Alexander, University of Maryland - College Park