[Role of a graph in constructing situation models during learning from expository text: why do graphic aids facilitate learning?].
This study investigated how graphic aids facilitate learning from text by examining what kinds of representations might be constructed when readers read either a text containing a line graph or the text only. Undergraduates (n=106) read a text concerning digitization. Then, they were asked what they had thought about while reading in order to examine whether they constructed graphical mental representations. Next, a comprehension test was administrated (pre-test). Next, they were shown either part of the text contained a line graph (graph group) or part of the text only (text group). Finally, the same test was administrated again (post-test). The results showed that when the readers had insufficient graphical representations, the graph group performed better on the post-test than on the pre-test, but text group did not. In contrast, when readers had elaborate graphical representations, there were no differences between the pre-test and the post-test for both groups. These findings suggest that graphic aids help readers to construct graphical representations, which might comprise the situation models that readers build for learning from text.
Iwatsuki
Keiko
K
Faculty of Education, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University, Takakuwanishi, Yanaizu-cho, Gifu 501-6194, Japan. iwatsuki@ha.shotoku.ac.jp
D000328:Adult; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation