Effects of spatial ability and richness of motion cue on learning mechanically complex domains

Doo Young Lee, Purdue University

Abstract

The present study seeks to examine the effect of individual differences in spatial ability on learning in two mechanically complex domains. In two experiments, participants were classified as having either low- or high spatial ability on the basis of performance on the Kit of Factor Referenced Cognitive Tests. The instructional material to be learned was mapped into either theoretical or procedural knowledge, motivated by Haskell's taxonomy of knowledge of learning (2001). Verbal information was reinforced by a corresponding visual representation with three levels of the richness of motion cue (static images, static images with motion cues or animation). In Experiment 1 (n=60), theoretical knowledge was learned from textual explanation describing a four-stroke engine mechanism in a computer-based format. Understanding was measured by a problem-solving transfer test. Experiment 2 (n=72) involved learning and applying procedural knowledge presented with a step-by-step of printer cartridge replacement in a web-based format. Additionally, three levels of the richness of motion cue were evaluated for each level of verbal modality (visual or auditory) in order to examine the modality effect. The ability to carry out the procedural actions was directly measured in a realistic setting. The results from both experiments revealed that: (1) presenting verbal information with corresponding animation did not improve performance of the participants with high spatial ability in any of the learning conditions, (2) for the participants with low spatial ability, learning was enhanced by the use of animation, (3) merely adding motion cues to the static visual representation did not improve learning for the participants with low spatial ability, (4) use of animation helped participants with low spatial ability more than those with high spatial ability to understand a series of steps which must be undertaken to achieve a specific goal (decrease of 52.5% vs. 8.6% in error measure), however, this effect was less evident for learning of theoretical knowledge, and (5) participants were more satisfied with the audio-animation presentation than text-animation presentation when learning procedural knowledge. Future studies should investigate other cognitive factors (i.e., cognitive style and learning style) that would provide more insights into learning from verbal and visual information.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Lehto, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Industrial engineering

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