Argues that the use of visuals specifically designed to complement printed instruction can significantly improve student achievement of certain types of educational objectives, but that visualization itself represents only a mild rehearsal strategy which will not always optimize student achievement of the more complex levels of learning. (RS)

Examines the effect that learners' prior knowledge has on long-term retention of information. Study (200 undergraduates) found no differences in long-term retention when prior knowledge was controlled, no interaction between prior knowledge and advance organizer strategies, no increased long-term retention with advance organizers, and no increased…

A study of 132 university students in four treatment groups using instructional modules on the human heart found little interaction between prior knowledge and instructional treatment. The visuals-only group produced higher scores than others on each dependent measure. Concludes prior knowledge affects achievement but how it interacts with…

A study of 144 college students divided into high and low prior-knowledge groups and assigned to four treatment groups found (1) little interaction between prior knowledge of the human cardiovascular system and treatment and (2) significant effects on the drawing test. Terminology and elaboration tests revealed little effects among treatments.…

Investigates the instructional effects of varied visual interactive strategies in facilitating student achievement and the effect of identical instructional presentations on students possessing different levels of prior knowledge. Participants were 178 college students. Results indicate that different types of interactive visualization strategies…

This article reviews the literature of hypermedia research. Several perceived problems are identified, including: irrelevant assessment of outcome variables; weak methodological design in conducting experimental research; lack of theoretical foundations in designing hypertext systems; lack of specification of precise learning outcomes; and lack of…

This study divided 119 undergraduates into low and high prior knowledge groups and assigned them to three instructional treatments (control, instructor-provided imagery, learner-generated imagery) of the human cardiovascular system. Determined that there was no interaction between student prior knowledge and imaging strategy and that all imagery…

To investigate the effectiveness of integrating abstract and realistic visualization, the effectiveness of four treatments was measured for: (1) facilitating student achievement of different kinds of educational objectives; (2) students possessing different levels of student ability; (3) externally paced and self-paced methods of instruction; and…

Describes study of undergraduates at Pennsylvania State University that was conducted to investigate the instructional effectiveness of integrating rehearsal activity into visually complemented prose instruction. The effect of students' prior knowledge on learning is examined, and the effect of visual/verbal testing on information retrieval is…