Development and evaluation of a visualization system to support meaningful e-book learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study presents an ontology-based visualization support system for e-book learners which promotes both meaningful receptive learning and meaningful discovery learning. To examine the system effectiveness, two learning modes are used: (a) reception comparison mode, where at the outset learners are shown complete versions of expert-generated topic maps; and (b) “cache-cache comparison mode,” where at the first stage of learning all information concerning relations is concealed, and at the second stage learners are encouraged to actively create those relations before comparing the learner-generated and expert-generated relations. The 50 control group participants studied in reception comparison mode while the 146 experimental groupparticipants studied in cache-cache comparison mode. Differences in learning perception and achievement between the two groups are examined, as is the effect of learner expertise level on learning mode effectiveness. Although the control group reported significantly more pressure and less satisfaction than the experimental group, no significant learning achievement differences were found between the two groups. However, in cache-cache comparison mode, the performance of learners with low prior knowledge increased more than that of learners with high prior knowledge; on the other hand, for learners with high prior knowledge, no significant effect of learning mode on learning achievement was found.