Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Theoretical and instructional aspects of learning with visualizations

Scheiter, Katharina ; Wiebe, Eric and Holsanova, Jana LU orcid (2009) p.67-88
Abstract

Multimedia environments consist of verbal and visual representations that, if appropriately processed, allow for the construction of an integrated mental model of the content. Whereas much is known on how students learn from verbal representations, there are fewer insights regarding the processing of visual information, alone or in conjunction with text. This chapter uses a semiotics approach to provide a definition of visualizations as a specific form of external representation, and then discusses the differences between verbal and visual representations in how they represent information. Finally, it discusses how meaning is achieved when learning with them. The next section discusses basic perceptual and cognitive processes relevant... (More)

Multimedia environments consist of verbal and visual representations that, if appropriately processed, allow for the construction of an integrated mental model of the content. Whereas much is known on how students learn from verbal representations, there are fewer insights regarding the processing of visual information, alone or in conjunction with text. This chapter uses a semiotics approach to provide a definition of visualizations as a specific form of external representation, and then discusses the differences between verbal and visual representations in how they represent information. Finally, it discusses how meaning is achieved when learning with them. The next section discusses basic perceptual and cognitive processes relevant to learning with visualizations. This background is used to specify the instructional functions that visualizations have either as self-contained instructional messages or as text adjuncts. Moreover, the role of individual differences in processing visualizations is highlighted. The chapter ends with methodological suggestions concerning the important role of interdisciplinary research and assessment methods in this area.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Cognitive Effects of Multimedia Learning
editor
Zheng, Robert Z.
pages
22 pages
publisher
IGI Global
external identifiers
  • scopus:69249195934
ISBN
9781605661582
9781616925895
9781605661599
DOI
10.4018/978-1-60566-158-2.ch005
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d61a6bf8-f24a-46ba-93f7-6489e969370f
date added to LUP
2025-03-31 15:03:11
date last changed
2025-07-07 22:19:31
@inbook{d61a6bf8-f24a-46ba-93f7-6489e969370f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Multimedia environments consist of verbal and visual representations that, if appropriately processed, allow for the construction of an integrated mental model of the content. Whereas much is known on how students learn from verbal representations, there are fewer insights regarding the processing of visual information, alone or in conjunction with text. This chapter uses a semiotics approach to provide a definition of visualizations as a specific form of external representation, and then discusses the differences between verbal and visual representations in how they represent information. Finally, it discusses how meaning is achieved when learning with them. The next section discusses basic perceptual and cognitive processes relevant to learning with visualizations. This background is used to specify the instructional functions that visualizations have either as self-contained instructional messages or as text adjuncts. Moreover, the role of individual differences in processing visualizations is highlighted. The chapter ends with methodological suggestions concerning the important role of interdisciplinary research and assessment methods in this area.</p>}},
  author       = {{Scheiter, Katharina and Wiebe, Eric and Holsanova, Jana}},
  booktitle    = {{Cognitive Effects of Multimedia Learning}},
  editor       = {{Zheng, Robert Z.}},
  isbn         = {{9781605661582}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{67--88}},
  publisher    = {{IGI Global}},
  title        = {{Theoretical and instructional aspects of learning with visualizations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-158-2.ch005}},
  doi          = {{10.4018/978-1-60566-158-2.ch005}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}