The effects of visualization format and spatial ability on learning star motions

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 61 - 69
• Main Authors: Wang, Tzu‐Ling, Tseng, Yi‐Kuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 01.02.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Achievement tests; Astronomy; Cognitive Ability; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computers; Correlation; Course Content; dynamic visualizations; Elementary School Students; Grade 5; Individual Differences; Instructional materials; Knowledge acquisition; Learning; Learning Processes; Material Development; motions of stars; Outcomes of Education; Program verification (computers); Science Achievement; Science Tests; Scientific Concepts; Spatial Ability; static visualizations; Students; Teaching Methods; Visualization
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12390

The purpose of this study was to investigate not only the effectiveness of dynamic versus static visualizations on learning star motions but also the influence of students' spatial abilities with these two types of visualizations on their learning. We assigned 155 fifth‐grade students to either a dynamic or a static condition. We used a science achievement test to measure student learning outcomes by assessing knowledge acquisition. We classified students as having either a low or high spatial ability based on their test scores for primary mental abilities, specifically spatial relations. The results showed that dynamic visualizations were more effective than static visualizations for learning complex concepts involving star motions. Furthermore, learners' spatial abilities had a positive effect on their learning outcomes but did not moderate the effectiveness of dynamic versus static visualizations for learning in this domain. Our findings suggest that when designing instructional materials, the dynamic properties of visualizations should be aligned with the dynamic nature of the subject matter. We conclude that students' spatial abilities are beneficial to learning, especially when they are studying a complex domain that demands spatial changes and moving processes; therefore, our findings support the importance of assessing spatial ability in learning with visualizations. Lay Description What is already known about this topic: The individual differences such as spatial ability play a critical role that moderates the effectiveness of dynamic and static visualizations during learning. The impact of various computer‐based environments and students' individual differences on learning outcomes is inconsistent in the literature. The learning content is one important factor to affect the effectiveness of visualizations. What this paper adds: To synthesize the investigation of the impact of various visualizations on learning associated with spatial ability and a dynamic learning content. To verify the advantages of the computer‐based environment in various visualizations and extended the verification to the astronomy domain content. Implications for practice and/or policy: Dynamic visualizations are not only more effective for learning complex concepts of star motions than are static visualizations but also especially beneficial to students for constructing a deeper understanding of this dynamic domain involving change over time in space. Learners with higher levels of spatial ability are able to better comprehend the spatially complex content like motions of stars from either dynamic or static visualizations.