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Designing computer-based learning contents: influence of digital zoom on attention

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Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the role of digital zoom as a tool for directing attention while looking at visual learning material. In particular, we analyzed whether minimal digital zoom functions similarly to a rhetorical device by cueing mental zooming of attention accordingly. Participants were presented either static film clips, film clips with minimal zoom-ins, or film clips with minimal zoom-outs while eye movements were recorded. We hypothesized that minimal zoom-ins should lead to more gaze coherence, to longer dwell times as an indicator of more elaborative processing, and to fewer transitions as an indicator of less mental integration. Zoom-outs, on the other hand, were expected to have opposite effects. Results showed that zoom-ins increase gaze coherence and dwell times on the center parts of the depictions while decreasing transitions of pictorial elements from the center and the context areas. In contrast, patterns of results from zoom-outs and static presentations were similar to a large degree, indicating that zoom-ins and zoom-outs do not operate in a complementary fashion. Theoretical and practical implications of the present results are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Schleichstr. 6, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany

    Manuela Glaser & Stephan Schwan

  2. Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, Postfach 101344, 03013, Cottbus, Germany

    Dominik Lengyel & Catherine Toulouse

  3. Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 8, 03046, Cottbus, Germany

    Dominik Lengyel & Catherine Toulouse

Authors
  1. Manuela Glaser
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  2. Dominik Lengyel
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  3. Catherine Toulouse
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  4. Stephan Schwan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manuela Glaser.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in the study involving human participation were in accordance with the ethical standards of the DGPs (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie, German Psychological Society) and the APA (American Psychological Association) and have been approved by the local Institutional Review Board.

Appendix: Instruction

Appendix: Instruction

Dear Participant,

Thank you for your participation in the present experiment.

In the following, 10 reconstructions of historical buildings of the ancient Greek city Pergamon will be presented to you, each for five seconds.

Your task is to watch all reconstructions carefully. Between the reconstructions, fixation crosses are presented. Please fixate them until the next reconstruction appears.

After you have watched all reconstructions, you will be asked some questions about them.

If you have any questions, please contact the experimenter.

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Glaser, M., Lengyel, D., Toulouse, C. et al. Designing computer-based learning contents: influence of digital zoom on attention. Education Tech Research Dev 65, 1135–1151 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9495-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9495-9

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