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Can Dynamic Visualizations with Variable Control Enhance the Acquisition of Intuitive Knowledge?

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Abstract

An important feature of inquiry learning is to take part in science practices including exploring variables and testing hypotheses. Computer-based dynamic visualizations have the potential to open up various exploration possibilities depending on the level of learner control. It is assumed that variable control, e.g., by changing parameters of a variable, leads to deeper processing (Chang and Linn 2013; de Jong and Njoo 1992; Nerdel 2003; Trey and Khan 2008). Variable control may be helpful, in particular, for acquiring intuitive knowledge (Swaak and de Jong 2001). However, it bares the risk of mental exhaustion and thus may have detrimental effects on knowledge acquisition (Sweller 1998). Students (N = 118) from four chemistry classes followed inquiry cycles using the software Molecular Workbench (Xie and Tinker 2006). Variable control was varied across the conditions (1) No-Manipulation group and (2) Manipulation group. By adding a third condition, (3) Manipulation-Plus group, we tested whether adding an active hypothesis phase prepares students before changing parameters of a variable. As expected, students in the Manipulation group and Manipulation-Plus group performed better concerning intuitive knowledge (d = 1.14) than students in the No-Manipulation group. On a descriptive level, results indicated higher cognitive effort in the Manipulation group and the Manipulation-Plus group than in the No-Manipulation group. Unexpectedly, students in the Manipulation-Plus group did not benefit from the active hypothesis phase (intuitive knowledge: d = .36). Findings show that students benefit from variable control. Furthermore, findings point toward the direction that variable control evokes desirable difficulties (Bjork and Linn 2006).

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Concord Consortium for allowing us to use Molecular Workbench for this study. We also acknowledge Sascha Schanze for helping with earlier versions of the “German Chemical Reactions Project” in Molecular Workbench.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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  1. Institute of Educational Research, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Astrid Wichmann & Sebastian Timpe

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  1. Astrid Wichmann
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Correspondence to Astrid Wichmann.

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Wichmann, A., Timpe, S. Can Dynamic Visualizations with Variable Control Enhance the Acquisition of Intuitive Knowledge?. J Sci Educ Technol 24, 709–720 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9554-8

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