This study aimed to understand the relationship between mobile device screen display size (laptops and smartphones) and text segmentation (continuous text, medium text segments, and small text segments) on learning outcomes, cognitive load, and user perception. This quantitative study occurred during the spring semester of 2015. Seven hundred and seventy-one chemistry students from a higher education university completed one of nine treatments in this 3x3 research design. Data collection took place over four class periods. The study revealed that learning outcomes were not affected by the mobile screen display size or orientation, nor was working memory. However, user perception was affected by the screen display size of the device, and results indicated that participants in the sample felt laptop screens were more acceptable for accessing the digital chemistry text than smartphone screens by a small margin. The study also found that neither learning outcomes, nor working memory was affected by the text segmentation viewed. Though user perception was generally not affected by text segmentation, the study found that for perceived ease of use, participants felt medium text segments were easier to learn from than either continuous or small test segments by a small margin. No interaction affects were found between mobile devices and text segmentation. These findings challenge the findings of some earlier studies that laptops may be better for learning than smartphones because of screen size, landscape orientation is better for learning than portrait orientation in small screen mobile devices, and meaningful text segments may be better for learning than non-meaningful, non-segmented, or overly segmented text. The results of this study suggest that customizing the design to the smartphone screen (as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach) improves learning from smartphones, making them equal to learning from laptops in terms of learning outcomes and cognitive load, and in some cases, user perspective. / text

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of context-based problem solving instruction (CBPSI) on the problem solving performance of Grade 10 learners, who performed poorly in mathematics. A cognitive load theory (CLT) was used to frame the study. In addition, CLT was used to: 1) facilitate the interpretation and explanation of participants‟ problem solving performance; and, 2) influence the design of CBPSI to hone participants‟ problem solving skills. The study was conducted in the Gauteng province of South Africa and involved a two-week intervention program in each of the nine participating high schools. Participants consisted of 783 learners and four Grade 10 mathematics teachers. A non-equivalent control group design was employed, consisting of a pre- and post- measure. In addition, classroom observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers and learners. Teachers employed conventional problem solving instructions in four control schools while the researcher implemented CBPSI in five experimental schools. Instruction in experimental schools entailed several worked-out context-based problem solving examples given to participants in worksheets. The main aspects of CBPSI embraced elements of the effects of self-explanation and split-attention, as advocated by CLT. Due to the design of CBPSI participants in experimental schools became familiar with the basic context-based problem solving tasks that were presented to them through the worked-out example samples. In turn, the associated cognitive load of problem solving tasks was gradually reduced. The principal instrument for data collection was a standardized Functional Mathematics Achievement Test. The pre-test determined participants‟ initial problem solving status before intervention. A post-test was given at the end of intervention to benchmark change in the functionality of CBPSI over a two-week period. Using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and other statistical techniques the study found that participants in experimental schools performed significantly better than participants in control schools on certain aspects of problem solving performance. In addition, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations revealed that participants rated CBPSI highly. On the whole, the study showed that CBPSI is an effective instructional tool to enhance the problem solving performance of Grade 10 mathematics learners. / Mathematics Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

The purpose of the study was to investigate grade 11 learners’ problem solving skills and conceptual reasoning on concepts in stoichiometry. Two theoretical frameworks were used in this study namely, cognitive load theory (CLT) and typology of curriculum representation (levels of curriculum alignment). The explanatory sequential mixed method research design were applied where 410 physical sciences learners in their intact classes and eleven of their teachers participated in the study. The participants completed purposefully designed research instruments consisting of an achievement test (LAT), a teacher and a learner questionnaire (TSQ and LCQ), and a teacher lesson plan on stoichiometry-related concepts (TLP). Other instruments used include a semi-structured interview schedule (LIS), classroom observation schedule (COS) and learner work books (LWB). The study was underpinned by five research questions. Pearson correlations showed that the justifications given by learners for choosing right or wrong objective options were not due to chance and suggested a learner choosing the right objective option has the right conceptual reasoning. Findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between problem-solving skills and conceptual reasoning where conceptual reasoning statistically predicted learners’ problem-solving skills using Regression. Problem solving is an important cognitive activity in everyday and professional contexts. Therefore, it requires teachers to know where to focus their teaching and how to assess learners’ work to avoid unnecessary overloading of the working memory of learners which might affect their performance. Conceptual reasoning and problem-solving errors were made during the problem solving, for example, learners could not apply mole ratio, they were unable to do change of subject and they interchanged the meanings of chemical terms such as mole, molecule, atoms and mass. In terms of possible reasons for the errors, and how it linked to the way learners were taught, the curriculum levels were considered. Findings indicate that there is a mismatch between what is expected in stoichiometry from the CAPS curriculum termed intended curriculum and the implemented curriculum which includes teacher lesson plans, classroom observations and learner workbooks. The classroom observations schedule was designed in line with the teacher lesson plan. There were topics planned in the lessons that were not found in the learner workbooks. The analysis of the content of learners’ workbooks for topics treated under stoichiometry, revealed that 75.7% of concepts were being taught while 24.3% were not. The analysis showed that learners experienced difficulties with calculating the concept of limiting reactant. There is a mismatch between implemented and attained curriculum as well. In the TSQ, teachers indicated that the errors were due to misconceptions, misunderstanding, carelessness and misinterpretation. These were found during marking of the learner achievement test. In conclusion, this study did not find a direct link between the way the learners were taught and the errors they committed during problem solving based on the implemented (TLP, LWB and COS) and attained curriculum (LAT, LCQ, LIS and DoBE report) / Science and Technology Education / Ph. D. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

In 2016, the ATLAS experiment at CERN released data from 100 trillion proton-proton collisions to the general public. In connection to this release the ATLAS Outreach group has developed several tools for visualizing and analyzing the data, one of which is a Histogram analyzer. The focus of this project is to bridge the gap between the general public's knowledge in physics and what is needed to use this Histogram analyzer. The project consists of both the development and an evaluation of a learning resource that explains experimental particle physics for a general public audience. The learning resource is a website making use of analogies and two perspectives on learning: Variation Theory and Cognitive Load Theory. The evaluation of the website was done using a survey with 10 respondents and it focused on whether analogies and the perspectives on learning helped their understanding. In general the respondents found the analogies to be helpful for their learning, and to some degree they found the explanations based on Variation Theory to be helpful. The implementations of Cognitive Load Theory were considered to be helpful by the respondents who noticed them, but the majority did not, implying that improvements of the design are needed. The results indicate that analogies and the two perspectives on learning can be helpful for explaining experimental particle physics, but there might be other learning theories more suitable for this purpose. / ATLAS-experimentet på CERN släppte år 2016 data från 100 biljoner proton-kollisioner fritt till allmänheten. I anslutning till detta har ATLAS Outreach-grupp utvecklat ett flertal verktyg för att visualisera och analysera datan, varav en är en analys med hjälp av histogram. Fokus för detta projekt är att överbrygga klyftan mellan allmänhetens kunskaper i fysik och vad som behövs for att kunna använda Histogram-analysverktyget. Projektet består både av utvecklandet och utvärderingen av ett läromedel som förklarar experimentell partikelfysik med målgruppen allmänheten. Läromedlet är en webbsida som använder sig av analogier och två perspektiv på lärande, Variationsteori och Kognitiv Belastningsteori. Utvärderingen av webbsidan gjordes med en enkät med tio respondenter, med fokus på huruvida analogier och perspektiven på lärande hjälpte deras förståelse. I allmänhet fann respondenterna analogierna hjälpsamma för deras lärande, och de fann Variationsteori hjälpsamt i viss utsträckning. Implementeringarna av Kognitiv Belastningsteori ansågs vara hjälpsamma av de respondenter som lade märke till dem, men majoriteten gjorde inte det, vilket tyder på att förbättringar av implementeringen krävs. Resultaten indikerar att analogier och de två perspektiven på lärande kan vara hjälpsamma för att förklara experimentell partikelfysik, men det kan finnas andra lärandeteorier som uppfyller syftet bättre.

El propósito de esta investigación es estudiar las estrategias multimediales en seis diferentes vídeos educativos de YouTube que se dirigen a aprendices de español como lengua extranjera. Con este fin, la investigación se basa en la teoría cognitiva del aprendizaje multimedial (TCAM) y diez principios postulados por Mayer (2008) que sirven para mejorar el diseño de mensajes instruccionales multimediales como vídeos educativos. A partir de las preguntas de investigación el propósito es averiguar si los vídeos estudiados siguen los principios en concordancia con la TCAM y si se utilizan diferentes estrategias para cumplir con cada principio. La metodología es cualitativa y consiste en un análisis interpretativo de los vídeos y situaciones concretas de los mismos. Las observaciones muestran que los vídeos no siguen todos los principios y por lo demás se constata que ninguno de los vídeos cumple con los principios de redundancia y modalidad puesto que todos contienen texto añadido. Asimismo, se observa que es posible llevar a la práctica varias estrategias para implementar cada principio. En cuanto a estudios futuros se sugiere que se realizan investigaciones sobre cómo aquellas estrategias afectan a los aprendices en un contexto formal, es decir, en el aula. / The purpose of this essay is to study the multimedia strategies in six different educational videos on YouTube that are made for learners of Spanish as a foreign language. To this end, the study focuses on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) and ten principles postulated by Mayer (2008) that serve to improve the design of multimedia instructional messages, for example in educational videos. Based on the research questions, the purpose is to find out if the videos follow the principles in accordance with the CTML and if different strategies can be used to comply with each principle. The methodology is qualitative and consists of interpretative analysis of the videos and specific situations. The observations show that the videos do not follow all the principles and that none of the videos comply with the principles of redundancy and modality, since they all contain added text. Likewise, the study verifies that it is possible to put into practice several strategies to implement each principle. Regarding future studies, it is suggested that research on how those strategies affect learners in a formal context, that is, in the classroom, are carried out.

För att lyckas lösa problem och använda kunskap behöver en person först ha lärt sig grundläggande kunskap om problemområdet. Sådant lärande kräver att den lärandes arbetsminne inte överbelastas med oändamålsenlig information. Studien undersöker effekten av lärandetekniken worked examples, som visats vara effektiv för att inte överbelasta arbetsminnet inom ämnen som fysik och matematik. Worked examples kommer från cognitive load theory och här undersöks teknikens effekt inom biologiundervisning, med fokus på ämnesområdet ekologi. Högstadieelevers kunskap inom ekologi mättes, varpå de inom undervisning antingen arbetade med worked examples eller instuderingsfrågor. Därefter mättes deras kunskapsnivå återigen, för att på så vis jämföra metodernas effekt på deltagarnas lärande. Elever som lärts med worked examples visade på en större kunskapsutveckling gällande snarlika uppgifter som de övat på, medan kunskapsutveckling för frågor med andra lösningsmetoder gav tvetydigt resultat. Tekniken worked examples har härmed visats sig vara en användbar teknik inom ämnesområdet ekologi inom biologiundervisningen. Den kan med fördel användas under initial-inlärningsfas inom biologiämnet för att hjälpa elever förvärva kunskap.

Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)