Physics Learning Environments: The Impact of Auditive and Visual Cues on Outcomes and Cognitive Load

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Testing Technology-Based Enhancements and Interventions

Abstract

This paper focuses on the influence of cue modality (visual/auditive) on the understanding of electric circuits in a physics learning environment. Dealing with electric circuits is often problematic for students/learners, especially for novices. Cues could serve as external guidance, but they may also impose further cognitive load.
The present empirical study is a contribution to the research on learning with external representations, namely electrical circuits. This work focuses on the effect of cue modality on cognitive load and learning outcomes (recall and transfer) while accounting for prior knowledge.
Results showed that prior knowledge and cognitive load were main factors for recall, while for transfer prior knowledge had the highest impact, while cue modality and cognitive load scored noticeably lower.

Authors

• Bernhard Matthias Ertl, Universität der Bundeswehr München

• Bianca Watzka, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Andras Csanadi, Universität der Bundeswehr

• Christoph Hoyer, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Raimund Girwidz, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München