Interactive Drawing

• In Event: Play, Maker Space, and Designerly Ways of Knowing

Abstract

In this study we explored whether learning from a scientific text on plate tectonics can be enhanced by learner generated drawing and/or by an interactive form of teacher generated drawing. 8th-grade students (N = 96, M = 13.34) of a Swiss- secondary school read a scientific text and answered questions on comprehension (transfer, retention and drawing). Instructions for studying the text varied according to a 2 x 2-factorial design with “learner-generated-drawings” (yes/no) and “interactive-drawings” (yes/no) as two factors. Results indicate that the interactive drawing groups performed significantly better in transfer, retention and drawing tests than the non-interactive groups who learned without interactive drawings. In sum, interactive teacher-generated drawings are a powerful method for fostering learning from scientific text.

Authors

• Cristiana Lardi, The University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

• Claudia Leopold, University of Fribourg