Article:An Integrated Model of Text and Picture Comprehension
From unthinkMedia
When compared to spoken words, written text offers more control of the individuals cognitive process by allowing the learner to easily re-read difficult passages. This is not possible with spoken word (unless it is video taped)
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Forms of Representation
descriptive
These representations consist of symbols, that share no similarities to the content/object that it is referring to. Some example include:
- the word "BIRD" and a "real bird"
- Newton’s Second Law (describing the relation between force, mass and acceleration according to) and the formula F = m * a
Descriptive representations:
- works well for expressing abstract knowledge.
- have the advantage of being informationally complete.
depiction
Depictions are representations that consist of icons. These icons are associated to the content/object that it is referring to. This icons may share a common similarity or some another structural commonality.
- photographs
- drawings
- paintings
- maps
- miniature models
- graphs
Depictive representations:
- useful to draw inferences, because the new information can be read off directly from the representation
Mental Models
Learners construct multiple mental representations when they understand texts and pictures. These models have a specific architecture which includes multiple memory systems: working memory, sensory registers, and long-term memory
Suggestions
The integrated model and CTML make the following suggestions for instructional design:
- Multimedia principle: Use text combined with content-related pictures, when learners have low prior knowledge, but sufficient cognitive abilities to process both the text and the pictures.
- Spatial contiguity principle: If written text is used, present it in close spatial proximity to the picture.
- Temporal contiguity principle: If spoken text is used, present it in close temporal proximity to the picture.
- Modality principle: If animation is used, use spoken text instead of written text.
- Specific redundancy principle: Do not add written text that duplicates spoken text combined with pictures.
- Coherence principle: Do not use extraneous words and pictures. Do not add unnecessary sound or music.
Other Suggestions
- Picture–text sequencing principle: If a written text and a picture cannot be presented simultaneously, present the picture before the text rather than the other way round.
- Structure-mapping principle: If a subject matter can be visualized by different pictures in different ways that are informationally equivalent, use a picture with the form of visualization that is most appropriate for solving future tasks.
- General redundancy principle: Do not combine text and pictures if learners have sufficient prior knowledge and cognitive ability to construct a mental model from one source of information.
- Control-of-processing principle: If a static picture is combined with text, if the text is difficult to understand, and if learning time is not limited, use written text rather than spoken text.
Reference
Mayer
