Modern educational theory suggests that the learning of a visual science concept is best taught using a combination of pictorial and verbal instruction describing these characteristics and examples and best evaluated using words and visuals not used during instruction. Recent research suggests a four-step instructional-testing model usable by…

The effect of pictures on reading comprehension under different levels of text organization was investigated. Sixth graders (N=132) read three science passages, presented with or without pictures representing text content. Picture condition was crossed with three levels of text organization. Multiple-choice test scores were analyzed using reading…

Two studies were conducted to describe how students perform direct current (D-C) circuit problems. It was hypothesized that problem solving in the electricity domain depends largely on good visual processing of the circuit diagram and that this processing depends on the ability to recognize when two or more electrical components are in series or…