Background: Online collaboration tools have been identified as potentially effective means for enhancing student learning, motivation, and engagement in science education. However, their effectiveness in improving science education outcomes among middle school students remains uncertain. Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the impact of…

The presentation of extraneous (i.e., irrelevant or unnecessary) information may hamper learning with multimedia. The present study examined whether people can learn to ignore unnecessary information with increasing experience with the task and whether this depends on the layout of that information. In two experiments, participants learned about…

The abundant scientific resources on the Web provide great opportunities for students to expand their science learning, yet easy access to information does not ensure learning. Prior research has found that middle school students tend to read Web-based scientific resources in a shallow, superficial manner. A software tool was designed to support…

We investigated whether and how prior knowledge activation improves learning outcomes for high school (less experienced learners) and university students (experienced learners) in a hypertext environment. Map coherence was defined as the extent to which relationships between the concepts in the map were made explicit. Therefore, we classified the…

A computer-based concept mapping system was developed that provides two learning environments: "construct-by-self," where the system provides students with evaluation results and hints for feedback, and "construct-on-scaffold," where students also receive an incomplete concept map. The "construct-on-scaffold" had better effect for learning…

Investigated the effects of presentation format (animation, still graphics, text) and the students' prior knowledge on learning a computer-based physics lesson in grades eight and nine. Results of an analysis of covariance indicated that specific presentation formats are not equally effective for the different prior knowledge groups. (Author/LRW)

Compares collaborative problem solving by learners sitting side-by-side with computer-mediated learning at a distance. Three aspects are studied: high school students' problem- solving strategies and interpretation of the teaching situation; their use of components of the situation; and the cognitive processes involved in understanding domain…