A Systematic Characterization of Cognitive Techniques for Learning from Textual and Pictorial Representations

Rolf Ploetzner,Richard Lowe,Sabine Schlag

doi:10.5539/jel.v2n2p78

Abstract

Pictorial representations can play a pivotal role in both printed and digital learning material. Although there has been extensive research on cognitive techniques and strategies for learning from text, the same cannot be said for static and dynamic pictorial representations. In this paper we propose a systematic characterization of cognitive learning techniques that is founded on both theoretical and empirical research. The characterization relates the learning techniques to classes of cognitive processes as well as to textual and pictorial representations. We show how successful strategies for learning from both plain text and illustrated text are covered by the characterization. We also exemplify how the construction of new strategies for pictorial representations can be informed by the characterization.

Highlights

In recent years, digital technology has revolutionized the production and use of educational materials
A feature of the resulting multimedia learning environments is that they are not restricted to using static pictures only – dynamic graphics such as animations play a pivotal role in these resources
A central goal of this paper is to provide a systematic and principled framework designed to help researchers construct additional cognitive techniques and strategies for learning from pictorial representations that complement those already developed for textual representations

Summary

Introduction

Digital technology has revolutionized the production and use of educational materials. The other side involves the cognitive processes that students apply to the learning material These processes are manifested in the techniques and strategies that students use when learning from text and pictures. Research on learning strategies was carried out at a time when written text was the dominant form of information representation It focused on textual representation with the main objective being to identify how successful and less successful learners differed in their strategic behavior during learning. The strategy employed by Schlag and Ploetzner (2009, 2011) is made up of a sequence of learning techniques that aim to address the text and pictorial components, and the relations between these different types of representation. Students who made use of the strategy learned significantly more than students who wrote a summary of the animated process

Theories of Learning from Textual and Pictorial Representations

Organization

Comprehensive scanning read systematically and completely

Discussion