Learner expertise and mathematics different order thinking skills in multimedia learning. (April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chiu, Thomas K.F.; Mok, Ida A.C.
• Is Part Of: Computers & education. Volume 107(2017)
• Page Start: 147
• Page End: 164
• Publication Date: 2017-04
• Subjects: Learner expertise -- Multimedia learning -- Adaptive learning -- Mathematics; Education -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Computers -- Periodicals; Computer-Assisted Instruction -- Periodicals; Éducation -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 370.285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2017.01.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-1315

Abstract

Abstract: This experimental study used an instructional visual aid for algebra to investigate whether different order thinking skills – remembering, understanding and analyzing – affect the expertise reversal effect. One hundred and twenty-three secondary school students were assigned to an experimental condition, either with or without the aid. In the experiment, an aid that was designed for novice learners, and the materials were developed using multimedia learning principles to maximize the use of learner cognitive capacity. The results showed that the expertise reversal effect occurred in understanding (retention, more-structured), but not in remembering (transfer, more-structured) and analyzing skills (transfer, less-structured). A plausible explanation is less-structured environments that require heavier process of searching and/or selecting increased demand of cognitive load imposed. We suggest that designing adaptive environments should take order thinking skill, instructional format and learner expertise into account. Highlights: Multimedia presentations designed for novices learners interfere with the learning of advanced learners. Understanding how different presentation formats support different expertise is necessary. There are causal relationships between learner expertise and different order thinking skill. Adaptive environments are suggested to include order thinking skills and learner expertise to identify multimedia components.