Jean-Michel Boucheix

What Animated Illustrations Conditions Can Improve Technical Document Comprehension in Young Students? Format, Signaling and Control of the Presentation

We study the comprehension of a multimedia technical document about gear functioning by young pupils. The research is focused on the effect of three factors on the construction of a mental model: illustration format (animated versus static) signaling cues (presence versus absence) learner-control of information delivery (three rhythms of presentation: speed, slow and self-controlled). The experimental procedure, conducted with 123 children, follows three phases: pre-test, individual passation of the lesson, comprehension test, delayed post-test. The goal of the pre-test is the evaluation of prior knowledge about gears, but also the control of spatial and verbal working memory aptitude and reading performance. The results show an effect of the animated format, of signaling cues and of the rhythm on the immediate comprehension test and delayed test. For the immediate comprehension test, these effects are different according to the kind of comprehension question (recall, transfer, explanation). These effects are maintained at the delayed post-test, for the self-controlled condition and for the pupils with low prior knowledge. The factor information delivery rhythm shows an effect for the delayed post-test. Our observation device of the behaviour of the child during the lesson was specially designed to explore the reading strategies between the medias.RésuméCet article porte sur la compréhension d’un document technique multimédia concernant le fonctionnement des engrenages pour de jeunes élèves. Nous étudions le rôle de trois facteurs: le format de présentation de l’illustration (dynamique ou statique) les signaux d’orientation attentionnelle (présence ou absence de guidages) et le contrôle par l’élève sur le déroulement de la leçon à travers trois rythmes de présentation (rapide, lent et auto-contrôlé). Une procédure expérimentale en quatre phases est conduite auprès d’une population de 123 élèves de primaire: pré-test, consultation individuelle de la leçon, épreuve de compréhension immédiate, post-test différé. Le pré-test comporte l’évaluation des connaissances préalables, des épreuves de mémoire de travail (verbales et spatiales) et une épreuve de lecture. Les résultats montrent un effet des animations, des guidages attentionnels ainsi que du rythme de présentation en compréhension immédiate et au post-test différé. En compréhension immédiate, ces effets sont différenciés selon le type de question (rappel, transfert, explications). Ils se maintiennent au post-test dans la condition d’auto-contrôle et surtout pour les élèves ayant de faibles connaissances préalables. La variable rythme de présentation à un effet au post-test différé. Le dispositif d’observation du comportement de l’élève permet d’explorer les stratégies de traitement des différents médias.

Benefits of computer screen-based simulation in learning cardiac arrest procedures

Medical Education 2010: 44: 716–722

Quality control in the optical industry: From a work analysis of lens inspection to a training programme, an experimental case study.

A cognitive work analysis of quality inspection in the optical industry has been carried out in order to devise a training programme. The task concerned the inspection of high quality human eyeglass lenses. We conducted an experimental investigation of defect detection and acceptability decision-making tasks in 18 experts and novice inspectors. Detection and decision-making were investigated together and separately in two experimental sessions. We showed the effect of expertise on reaction times and errors, and we described the cognitive processes of novice inspectors. On the basis of the processing differences between the two groups, a training programme for new inspectors was devised and described. Finally, training effects were tested.

A Composition Approach to Design of Educational Animations

The educational effectiveness of conventionally designed animations that portray complex, unfamiliar subject matter in a behaviorally realistic fashion too often falls well short of expectations. Previous research indicates that the veridical dynamic properties of these comprehensive animations make a major contribution to their lack of effectiveness. Due to these dynamics, there is a substantial mismatch between the processing demands these animations impose on learners and the characteristics of the human information processing system. As a result, the quality of the mental models that learners are able to construct is compromised. Interventions intended to improve learners’ processing of such animations have met with only limited success. This chapter argues that substantial gains in the educational effectiveness of animations will require a fundamental change in the assumptions underlying how they are designed. An alternative design approach based on the Animation Processing Model (APM) is outlined that aims to facilitate the learner’s composition of an internal representation by adopting a different perspective on the characteristics of the animation as an external representation. This Composition Approach presents learners with information in an incremental, cumulative manner that is better matched with their processing capacities. The practical application of this approach is illustrated and implications for future research are canvassed.

Supporting Relational Processing in Complex Animated Diagrams

The psychological utility of different approaches to cueing key information within complex animated diagrams remains relatively unexplored. Because of the varied processing demands required to comprehend such representations, it is likely that providing a range of different cue types would be best for supporting effective user information extraction. Traditional cueing approaches used with static diagrams may need to be reconsidered in order to meet the new design challenges associated with their animated counterparts.

Dynamic diagrams: a composition alternative

A major problem that learners face in comprehending animated diagrams is in decomposing the presented information into a form that furnishes appropriate raw material for building high quality mental models. This paper proposes an alternative to existing design approaches that shifts the prime focus from the nature of the external representation to the internal composition activity learners engage in during mental model construction.

Manipulatable models for investigating processing of dynamic diagrams

Existing approaches for collecting process data on human diagram comprehension have limited effectiveness. Analogue models that allow participants to manipulate diagram components offer powerful ways to capture the non-verbal and dynamic aspects of processing that are not available with some other approaches. Examples drawn from a variety of different domains illustrate the utility of model manipulation for revealing otherwise inaccessible aspects of how people process animated diagrams of complex content.

Reducing the transience effect of animations does not (always) lead to better performance in children learning a complex hand procedure

When large amounts of information are presented in long-section animations, or videos, depicting hand procedures, a transient information effect has often been shown to potentially weaken the superiority of dynamic visualizations over static graphics and to increase cognitive load. In the present paper, 103 ten-year-old children learnt to tie complex nautical knots from either a video of hand movements or from a static graphics presentation. Experiment 1 extended previous studies in the field using a conventional sequential presentation of the knots, under four conditions (long-section animation, short-section animation, long-section static graphics and short-section static graphics), but in a more ecological learning task than the majority of previous studies, involving a combination of observation and practice. In Experiment 2, with the same task and the same conditions, transience was reduced using animated simultaneous presentations. Results showed that long-section animation did not always lose its superiority over static graphics in this type of learning task. In addition to the transient information effect of the cognitive load theory, complementary explanations in terms of inhibition processes, attentional continuity and task affordance are suggested. Animation superior to static graphics in learning by observation and practice.Learning times shorter in short section than in long section presentations.Long section animation did not lose superiority over long section static graphics.Simultaneous animations impair learning of procedure with temporal order.Explanations in terms of inhibition processes and task affordance are suggested.

Demonstration Tasks for Assessment

Learning from animations is conventionally measured using static assessment tools such as multiple choice tests or extended answer questions. These tools tend to rely heavily on textual information both for presenting the assessment items and as the medium for learner response. However, such assessments are not well aligned with the defining dynamic, pictorial characteristics of animated learning materials. This chapter considers the potential of demonstration tasks to offer more appropriate assessments of learning from animation. In these tasks, learners interact with a manipulable model of the animation’s subject matter to provide an explanatory account of how it changes over time. Although demonstration tasks have the advantage of allowing learners to directly represent the subject matter’s dynamics, there are various practical issues to be addressed if this approach is to be effective. Example demonstration tasks are discussed to illustrate challenges in the design, administration, and analysis of this form of assessment.

Emergency medical triage decisions are swayed by computer-manipulated cues of physical dominance in caller's voice.

In humans as well as other animals, displays of body strength such as power postures or deep masculine voices are associated with prevalence in conflicts of interest and facilitated access to resources. We conduct here an ecological and highly critical test of this hypothesis in a domain that, on first thought, would appear to be shielded from such influences: access to emergency medical care. Using acoustic manipulations of vocal masculinity, we systematically varied the perceived level of physical dominance of mock patients calling a medical call center simulator. Callers whose voice were perceived as indicative of physical dominance (i.e. those with low fundamental and formant frequency voices) obtained a higher grade of response, a higher evaluation of medical emergency and longer attention from physicians than callers with strictly identical medical needs whose voice signaled lower physical dominance. Strikingly, while the effect was important for physician participants, it was virtually non-existent when calls were processed by non-medically-trained phone operators. This finding demonstrates an unprecedented degree of vulnerability of telephone-based medical decisions to extra-medical factors carried by vocal cues, and shows that it may not simply be assumed that more medical training will shield decisions from such influences.