Encouraging the Active Integration of Information During Learning with Multiple and Interactive Representations

1. Daniel Bodemer & Rolf Plötzner Encouraging the Active Integration of Information During Learning with Multiple and Interactive Representations Knowledge Media Research Center Tübingen, Germany

2. Overview • Potentials, requirements and problems of learning with multiple and interactive representations • Facilitating learning • by reducing extraneous and encouraging germane cognitive load • with multiple representations • with dynamic and interactive representations • An experimental study

3. Learning with Multiple and Interactive Representations • Potentials • Requirements • Problems

4. Overview • Potentials, requirements and problems of learning with multiple and interactive representations • Facilitating learning • by reducing extraneous and encouraging germane cognitive load • with multiple representations • with dynamic and interactive representations • An experimental study

5. Cognitive Load Theory • Three sources of cognitive load • Intrinsic cognitive load • Extraneous cognitive load • Germane cognitive load • Decrease of extraneous load • Increase of germane load

9. Structured Testing of Hypotheses • Consider a certain initial situation • Consider a certain modification of theinitial situation • Formulate a hypothesis about theeffects of the modification • Carry out the modification • Observe the consequences of themodification • Evaluate and – possibly – reformulatethe hypothesis

10. Overview • Potentials, requirements and problems of learning with multiple and interactive representations • Facilitating learning • by reducing extraneous and encouraging germane cognitive load • with multiple representations • with dynamic and interactive representations • An experimental study

11. Research Questions • Can learning with multiple representations be improved when • learners actively relate different representations to each other (increase of germane load) and • produce step by step an integration of these representations (decrease of extraneous load)? • Can learning with interactive representations be improved when • learners test hypotheses in a structured and reflective way (increase of germane load) and • are provided with informative examples of data and their attention is guided to specific aspects of the representations (decrease of extraneous load)?

12. Integration of information Separated information Integrated information Actively integrated information Structuring of interactions 14students 14students 14students Free exploration 14students 14students 14students Structured testing of hypotheses Design

13. Procedure • Reactivation of pre-knowledge • Pre-test • Introduction to the visualizations • Relating different representations • Interacting with the visualizations • Post-test

14. Results (all questions)

15. Discussion • Mental coordination and integration of multiple and interactive representations has to be facilitated • Comprehension can be improved • by reducing extraneous cognitive load and by increasing germane cognitive load • by encouraging learners to integrate different representations interactively • by encouraging learners to test hypotheses in a structured, and reflective way • Difficulty of support measures: additional extraneous load

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