The effects of inspecting and constructing part-task-specific visualizations on team and individual learning

Authors:
Bert Slof;Gijsbert Erkens;Paul A. Kirschner;Michelle Helms-Lorenz
Affiliations:
University of Groningen, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands;Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands;Open University of the Netherlands, P.O. Box 2960, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands;University of Groningen, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
Venue:
Computers & Education
Year:
2013

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Abstract

This study examined whether inspecting and constructing different part-task-specific visualizations differentially affects learning. To this end, a complex business-economics problem was structured into three phase-related part-tasks: (1) determining core concepts, (2) proposing multiple solutions, and (3) coming to a single solution. Each phase was foreseen with a part-task-specific representational tool facilitating visualization of the domain-content (i.e., a conceptual, causal and simulation tool respectively for the subsequent phases). Whereas all teams of learners (N = 17) were scripted to carry out the part-tasks in the predefined order, teams were instructed to (1) inspect expert visualizations (n = 8) or (2) construct their own domain-specific visualizations (n = 9). Results indicate that constructing visualizations, in comparison to inspecting them, evokes more meaningful discussion of the domain-content beneficially affecting team complex learning-task performance and individual learning gains (i.e., higher post-test score).