The expertise reversal effect concerning instructional explanations

The expertise reversal effect occurs when learner’s expertise moderates design principles derived from cognitive load theory. Although this effect is supported by numerous empirical studies, indicating an overall large effect size, the effect was never tested by inducing expertise experimentally and using instructional explanations in a computer-based environment. The present experiment used an illustrated introductory text and a computer program about statistical data analyses with 93 students. Retention and transfer tests were employed as dependent measures. Each learner was randomly assigned to one condition of a 2 × 2 between subjects factorial design with the two factors expertise (novices vs. ‘experts’) and explanations (with vs. without). Expertise was induced by adding expository examples and illustrations to the introductory text to enhance text coherence and facilitate text comprehension. The expertise reversal effect was replicated for the dependent measure transfer, but not for retention. Results and implications for adaptive learning environments are discussed.     

The role of decorative pictures in learning

Three experiments with students from 7th and 8th grade were performed to investigate the effects of decorative pictures in learning as compared to instructional pictures. Pictures were considered as instructional, when they were primarily informative, and as decorative, when they were primarily aesthetically appealing. The experiments investigated, whether and to what extent decorative pictures affect the learner’s distribution of attention, whether they have an effect on the affective and motivational state and whether they affect the learning outcomes. The first experiment indicated with eye-tracking methodology that decorative pictures receive only a bit initial attention as part of the learner’s initial orientation and are largely ignored afterwards, which suggests that they have only a minor distracting effect if any. The second experiment showed that despite the small amount of attention they receive, decorative pictures seem to induce better mood, alertness and calmness with learners. The third experiment indicated that decorative pictures did not intensify students’ situational interest, but reduced perceived difficulty of the learning material. Regarding outcomes of learning, decorative pictures were altogether neither harmful nor beneficial for learning. However, they moderated the beneficial effect of instructional pictures––in essence: the multimedia effect. The moderating effect was especially pronounced when learners had lower prior knowledge. The findings are discussed from the perspective of cognitive, affective and motivational psychology. Perspectives of further research are pointed out.     

Critical materials: a reason for sustainable education of industrial designers and engineers

Developed economies have become highly dependent on a range of technology metals with names such as neodymium and terbium. Stakeholders have warned of the impending scarcity of these critical materials. Difficulties in materials supply can affect the high-tech industries as well as the success of sustainable innovation strategies that are based on sophisticated technology. Industrial designers and engineers should therefore increase their awareness of the limits in availability of critical materials. In this paper, it is argued that materials’ criticality can give a fresh impetus to the higher education of industrial design engineers. It is important to train future professionals to apply a systems perspective to the process of technology innovation, enabling them to thrive under circumstances of constrained material choices. The conclusions outline ideas on how to weave the topic into existing educational programmes of future technology developers.     

Development and evaluation of an e-learning course for deaf and hard of hearing based on the advanced Adapted Pedagogical Index method

Web-based and adapted e-learning materials provide alternative methods of learning to those used in a traditional classroom. Within the study described in this article, deaf and hard of hearing people used an adaptive e-learning environment to improve their computer literacy. This environment included streaming video with sign language interpreter video and subtitles. The courses were based on the learning management system Moodle, which also includes sign language streaming videos and subtitles. A different approach is required when adapting e-learning courses for the deaf and hard of hearing: new guidelines must be developed concerning the loading and display of video material. This is shown in the example of the e-learning course, ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence). The usability of the e-learning course is analyzed and confirmed using two methods: first, the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) evaluation method, and second, the Adapted Pedagogical Index (AdaPI), which was developed as part of this study, and gives an index to measure the pedagogical effectiveness of e-learning courses adapted for people with disabilities. With 116 participants, of whom 22 are deaf or hard of hearing, the e-learning course for the target group has been found suitable and appropriate according to both evaluation methods.     

Sind Modelle der Item-Response-Theorie (IRT) das „Mittel der Wahl“ für die Modellierung von Kompetenzen?

Item response theory (IRT) models can be subsumed under the larger class of statistical models with latent variables. IRT models are increasingly used for the scaling of the responses derived from standardized assessments of competencies. The paper summarizes the strengths of IRT in contrast to more traditional techniques as well as in contrast to alternative models with latent variables (e. g. structural equation modeling). Subsequently, specific limitations of IRT and cases where other methods might be preferable are lined out.     

Experience Field for the Development of the Senses: Hugo Kükelhaus' Phenomenology of Consciousness

This article (re)introduces the pedagogy of the German artist Hugo Kükelhaus (1900–84) whose interest in the psycho‐physiological substratum of learning led to theoretically and experimentally accomplished investigations of the conscious experience. Kükelhaus' most well‐known infant toy productions of the 1930s, the Allbedeut, and the ‘Experience Field for the Senses’ of the 1960s serve here as illustrations of the significance of his ideas to contemporary theories of intelligence; educational technology; and the design of learning environments. I examine some of the issues surrounding the conceptualization, realization and critical reception of these inventions. The article concludes that Kükelhaus' approach to the apparent contradiction of the sensuous idea offers practical and philosophical directions for the development of integrative, heuristic and archetypal tools and learning environments.     

Modellierung und kartographische Visualisierung von Geodaten mit XML-basierten Sprachen

Mit den XML-basierten Sprachen GML, XSLT und SVG lassen sich Geodaten nicht nur anwendungsorientiert modellieren, sondern auch karten?hnlich visualisieren. In dieser Fallstudie zeigen wir das, indem wir realistische Geodatenbest?nde der Landesvermessungs?mter zun?chst mit der Geography Markup Language (GML) nachmodellieren. So mit GML strukturierte Daten werden dann mit der Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformation (XSLT) auf Elemente der Sprache Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) abgebildet. Dabei wird der Prozess der kartografischen Visualisierung durch XSLT-Konstrukte modelliert und auch gleichzeitig implementiert. Als Ergebnis erhalten wir Grafiken, die den entsprechenden Karten der Landes?mter zumindest nicht un?hnlich sind.