Designing Reciprocative Dynamic Linking to improve learners\u2019 Representational Competence in interactive learning environments

Mrinal Patwardhan,Sahana Murthy

doi:10.1186/s41039-017-0046-8

Abstract

Learning from interactive learning environments enriched with multiple external representations (MERs) is often beneficial. The learning benefits of MERs highly rely on the development of Representational Competence. Representational Competence refers to an ability to translate and see relations between MERs. The relevant research findings have consistently reported learners’ difficulty in relating and translating in MERs due to insufficient development of Representational Competence. Although dynamic linking is one of the strategies recommended to address this issue, it offers mixed results. This paper reports design of a new interaction feature that overcomes some of the limitations of traditional dynamically linked representations. We designed an additional interaction in dynamically linked MERs to support learners’ cognitive demands; we refer to this as Reciprocative Dynamic Linking. The goal of this additional affordance was to strengthen learners’ cross-representation cognitive linkage by promoting Representational Competence. The paper reports the study conducted to investigate effects of Reciprocative Dynamic Linking on students’ Representational Competence. The said study was conducted in a course on Signals and Systems from Electrical Engineering program (N = 24). The subjects were assigned to two conditions: a Simulation and a Simulation with Reciprocative Dynamic Linking. The representation competence was assessed with an instrument for measuring Representational Competence within Signals and Systems domain. The effect of Reciprocative Dynamic Linking on learners’ cognitive load was also investigated. The results confirmed that Reciprocative Dynamic Linking could lead to improvement in Representational Competence and thus, higher learning for “Apply and Analyze Procedural knowledge” categories of tasks. Reciprocative Dynamic Linking also promoted germane cognitive load of learners, as it could offer the required cognitive support to improve learners’ Representational Competence. The findings from semi-structured interviews and screen capture analysis corroborated the results. This paper provides details of how to design Reciprocative Dynamic Linking in interactive learning environments and its effect on learners’ Representational Competence. Apart from establishing learning effectiveness of Reciprocative Dynamic Linking, the study further contributes by confirming the role of cognitive processing of learners while learning from interactive learning environments. The findings from the study suggest designing strategies not for just creating highly interactive learning environments but equipping a given learning environment with conducive interaction features that foster learning.

Highlights

Various forms of computer-based learning environments prevalent in education include animation, interactive simulation, gaming environment, smart boards, adaptive learning environments, ubiquitous learning environments, and various system simulators
The study was set with the objectives to investigate the role of “Reciprocative Dynamic Linking in developing students” Representational Competence and to investigate its effect on students’ learning in an interactive learning environment
The results confirmed that Reciprocative Dynamic Linking contributed in the development of Representational Competence as needed for higher cognitive level tasks

Summary

Introduction

Various forms of computer-based learning environments prevalent in education include animation, interactive simulation, gaming environment, smart boards, adaptive learning environments, ubiquitous learning environments, and various system simulators. We refer “interactive learning environments” (ILEs) to computer-based learning environments; which present content dynamically in an interactive manner, permitting interactions between a learner and a learning material with the help of different kinds of interaction features. ILEs are often enriched with multiple external representations (MERs) to explain relevant scientific concepts and phenomenon. Learning with MERs facilitates and strengthens learning process by providing several mutually referring sources of information (Moreno and Durán 2004). ILEs include a variety of multiple representations in the form of audio, videos, animations, tables, and graphs. Learners can integrate concepts from different representation formats and sensory modalities into one meaningful experience (Moreno and Mayer 2007). The coordination of different representations in a cohesive manner and explicit identification of their relations support students’ understanding at a deeper level

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