Learning through Visual Illustration and Retrieval Practice

• Previous research has shown that studying with (vs. without) visual illustrations as well as taking tests (vs. restudying) is beneficial for learning. Both are well-known learning strategies, but they have not previously been investigated in combination and rarely in the classroom. In this study, 133 upper secondary students were given a lecture presented only verbally or with the aid of a visual illustration. The students processed the information again either by retrieval practice or by restudying it. Recall and transfer tests were conducted after some few minutes, after a week and after 10 weeks. Visuoverbal presentation resulted in better learning than verbal presentation only. Although a modest testing effect was found, this effect was considerably weaker than the multimedia effect. Retrieval practice did not improve the participants’ memory performance beyond the beneficial effect of visuoverbal learning. Presentation format proved to be a more important factor for learning than study strategy.   

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Multimedia learning

retrieval practice

testing effect

learning

visual illustration

Didactics

didaktik

Psychology

psykologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)