ERIC Number: EJ995690
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Nov
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-9359
EISSN: N/A
Technological Literacy Learning with Cumulative and Stepwise Integration of Equations into Electrical Circuit Diagrams
Ozogul, G.; Johnson, A. M.; Moreno, R.; Reisslein, M.
IEEE Transactions on Education, v55 n4 p480-487 Nov 2012
Technological literacy education involves the teaching of basic engineering principles and problem solving, including elementary electrical circuit analysis, to non-engineering students. Learning materials on circuit analysis typically rely on equations and schematic diagrams, which are often unfamiliar to non-engineering students. The goal of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of the integration of equations into circuit diagrams on the learning of non-engineering undergraduate students. This experimental study compared three integration designs. In the cumulative integrated design, as each practice problem solution progressed, the equations were cumulatively integrated into the circuit diagram. In the stepwise integrated design, only those equations relevant to the present step of the problem were integrated into the circuit diagram; previously displayed equations were moved to an adjacent frame and recorded there. The nonintegrated design recorded all equations in the adjacent frame throughout each of the problems. Student learning was measured with a problem-solving near-transfer and far-transfer post-test. Students rated the helpfulness of the diagrams and difficulty of the instructional program. Results indicated that participants in the cumulative integrated condition scored significantly higher on the near-transfer post-test and marginally significantly higher on the far-transfer post-test compared to the stepwise and nonintegrated conditions. Findings indicate that circuit analysis instruction for non-engineering students should integrate equations into circuit diagrams in a cumulative fashion so as to avoid the split-attention effect for both the previously displayed equations as well as the equations for the present problem step. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Multimedia Materials, Comparative Analysis, Equations (Mathematics), Technological Literacy, Undergraduate Students, Problem Solving, Transfer of Training, Recall (Psychology), Units of Study, Instructional Materials, Short Term Memory, Educational Technology, Multimedia Instruction, Computer Software Evaluation, Computer Assisted Instruction, Instructional Design, Engineering Education, Teaching Methods, Instructional Effectiveness, College Instruction, Pretests Posttests, Questionnaires, Statistical Analysis, Electronics, Nonmajors, Visual Aids
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Tel: 732-981-0060; Web site: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=13
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A