Bridging Principles of Multimedia Learning to Expository Writing: The Case of Spatial Contiguity and Signaling

• In Event: Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning SIG: Learning With Technology

Abstract

Providing students with a computer-generated concept map representation of their drafts, has been shown to help them successfully revise their texts for cohesion. However, the split-source presentation of the map may constrain the benefit students may reap from this external representation. Therefore, we experimentally investigated whether signaling and spatial contiguity would alleviate this problem. Results showed that spatially contiguous feedback improved students’ ability to revise for local cohesion, whereas signaled concept maps helped students revising for global cohesion. Signaling also led to more and longer fixations on the concept map and to more visual transitions between the two representations. Thus, both methods should be implemented to maximize students’ benefit of the concept map for revising their texts.

Authors

• Christian Burkhart, University of Freiburg

• Andreas Lachner

• Matthias Nückles, University of Freiburg