Research on the Use of Visual Cueing and Feedback to Facilitate Problem Solving

使用视觉线索和反馈促进问题解决的研究项目采用了严格的实验设计，以扩大对视觉线索和正确性反馈在本科生问题解决中的作用的理解，特别是数学和物理，以及线索和反馈之间的互动。该项目将问题解决的理论观点(表征变化理论)与多媒体学习的理论观点(多媒体学习的认知理论)以及视觉线索和反馈的实证研究相结合，以开发和提炼STEM问题解决的概念模型。这个项目中使用的表征变化理论声称有三种机制来打破僵局：(I)向问题中添加信息以丰富现有的表征(即精化)；(Ii)用不同的、更有成效的表征来取代现有的表征(即重新编码)；或(Iii)消除问题解决者经常自我施加的不必要的约束(即约束放松)。这个项目探索了视觉线索和反馈的使用来利用这三个因素中的两个因素(精化和重新编码)。多媒体学习的认知理论确定了从多模式信息中学习的三个不同阶段。选择是关注来自每一种通道的相关感觉信息。组织正在使用选定的信息来创建连贯的内部表示法。整合是将内部表征与激活的先验知识相结合。多媒体学习的三个阶段都受到学习者先验知识的影响。本研究的基本问题是：在解决STEM问题时，影响学习者使用视觉信息的可塑性因素(即我们可以控制的因素)是什么？我们如何改变这些因素来积极地影响学生在STEM中的问题解决？影响结果的调节因素是什么？为了探索这些问题，研究人员在大学数学和物理入门课程中进行了两项研究，以考察a)暗示、b)反馈和c)它们之间的交互对1)问题解决绩效和2)涉及图形的问题解决的眼动的影响。此外，本研究还考察了这些影响，包括：1)在培训期间和2)在转职期间。这些研究控制了学生先前的领域知识、初始问题解决技能和对问题的初始眼动。这个项目的更广泛的意义在于，它有可能影响图表在STEM问题解决中的使用，最初是在数学和物理中，并对更广泛的STEM学科产生影响。这项研究的一个好处是将认知心理学关于视觉线索的方法注入到STEM教育、教学和研究中。最终，该项目的发现将切实应用于在线教学，在线教学在STEM教育中正变得越来越普遍。

The Research on the Use of Visual Cueing and Feedback to Facilitate Problem Solving project uses a rigorous experimental design to expand understanding of the role of visual cues and correctness feedback on undergraduate problem solving, specifically mathematics and physics, as well as the interaction between cues and feedback. The project combines theoretical perspectives on problem solving (representational change theory) with theoretical perspectives on multimedia learning (cognitive theory of multimedia learning) as well as empirical research on visual cueing and feedback to develop and refine a conceptual model for STEM problem solving. Representational change theory, used in this project, purports three mechanisms to break an impasse: (i) adding information to the problem to enrich the existing representation (i.e. elaboration); (ii) replacing the existing representation with a different, more productive representation (i.e. re-encoding); or (iii) removing unnecessary constraints often self-imposed by the problem solver (i.e. constraint relaxation). This project explores the use of visual cueing and feedback to harness two (elaboration and re-coding) of these three factors.Cognitive theory of multimedia learning identifies three distinct stages involved in learning from multimodal information. Selection is attending to relevant pieces of sensory information from each modality. Organization is using the selected information to create a coherent internal representation. Integration is combining internal representations with activated prior knowledge. All three stages of multimedia learning are influenced by the learner's prior knowledge. They are all explored in this study.The foundational questions addressed by this project are: What are the malleable factors (i.e. factors that we can control) that affect learners' use of visual information while solving STEM problems? How can we alter these factors to positively influence students' problem solving in STEM? What moderating factors influence the outcome?To explore these questions, the researchers conduct two studies in introductory college mathematics and physics courses to investigate the effects of a) cueing, b) feedback, and c) their interaction, on 1) problem solving performance, and 2) eye movements of problem solving involving graphics. Furthermore, the study investigates these effects both i) during training and ii) at transfer. These studies control for students' prior domain knowledge, initial problem solving skills, and initial eye movements on the problems.The broader significance of this project, which engages researchers in STEM education and visual cognitive psychology, is that it has the potential to impact the use of diagrams in STEM problem solving, initially in mathematics and physics, with implications for broader STEM disciplines. A benefit of the research emanating from this project is the infusion of approaches from cognitive psychology regarding visual cueing into STEM education instruction and research. Ultimately, the findings of this project have tangible applications to online instruction which is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in STEM education.