Poster #87 - Video Instruction With Gesture Enhances Math Learning but Mostly for Children With Infrequent Media Experience

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Video math instruction with gesture improves learning for elementary school children compared to instruction without gesture (Koumoutsakis et al., 2016). This is because gestural imagery visually scaffolds the learning of abstract math concepts (e.g., manually depicting a balance movement when talking about the equal sign). In addition, research suggests children who play video games do well on complex spatial tasks (such as multiple object tracking; Spence & Feng, 2010). Since people are switching to online instructional venues and children are spending more time online playing games and watching videos, it is important to examine whether non educational media exposure may influence how children process online instruction. Therefore, we asked how experience with digital media influences the processing of gesture that is included in video math instruction. Chicago public school children (N=214; ages 7-9) completed a pretest, watched a video in which the instructor either gestured or did not gesture, and completed a posttest on problems reflecting the understanding of the equal sign (i.e., 3+4+5 = __+5). Parents reported how many hours per week their children spent on video games, media, and TV (screen time). Children were classified into two screen time groups: Low (<5 hours/week) and High (≥5 hours/week). We found: (1) Overall, children benefited significantly more from speech+gesture instruction than speech only instruction (31% vs. 13% increased in correct solutions, p = .03), (2) contrary to previous research, screen time did not significantly correlate with learning (Low screen time = 22% vs. High screen time = 26% increased in correct solutions, p = .62) and (3) there was an interaction between screen time and type of instruction (p = .002); low screen time children, but not high screen time children, benefited significantly from speech+gesture instruction (33% increased in correct solutions) compared to instruction without gesture (13% increased in correct solutions, p = .005). Gesture may have not benefited high screen time children because they were more habituated to visual spatial stimuli (Rankin et al., 2009; Thompson & Spencer, 1966). That is, the media that high screen time children were exposed to is so rich in detail that the gestures produced in instructional videos were simply not noticed. Gesture included in instruction may enhance learning for the low screen time children because it enables children to embody abstract math concepts, making math concepts more accessible (Hostetter & Alibali, 2008). One implication is that less media exposure leads to increased responsiveness to online instruction, especially on-line instruction that includes gesture.

Authors

• Grace Yun, Northeastern Illinois University
  Presenting Author

• Jelena Pantelic, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jennifer Sansone, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Suleima Bonilla Tank, Student
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yadira Alonzo, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Theodora Koumoutsakis, University of Chicago
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lisa Hollis-Sawyer, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Linda Rueckert, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ruth Breckinridge Church, Northeastern Illinois University
  Non-Presenting Author