Effects on Learning of Learner-Generated and Instructor-Provided Graphic Organizers in K-12 Schools: A Meta-Analysis

• In Event: If You Build It: Investigating Knowledge Construction and Generative Learning Strategies

Abstract

This meta-analysis examines the effects on learning of learner-generated and instructor-provided graphic organizers in K-12 schools, particularly those related to text rhetorical structures (e.g., compare-and-contrast). The findings indicate that students who created their own graphic organizers showed significant improvements in memory (g+ = 0.45) and comprehension (g+ = 0.67) compared to a control group that only studied the text. Similarly, students who read a text with an adjunct graphic organizer demonstrated significant average improvements in memory (g+ = 0.75) and comprehension (g+ = 0.55) compared to a control group that only studied the learning material. These results highlight the effectiveness of graphic organizers as both a learning strategy and an instructional design feature, aligning with generative learning theory.

Author

• Hector R. Ponce, University of Santiago of Chile