1. 體現動態視覺化對中學生學習 代數式基本運算的影響 Effects of Embodied Dynamic Visualization on Middle-school Students’ Learning of Algebraic Manipulation
- Author
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左台益 Tai-Yih Tso, 呂鳳琳 Feng-Lin Lu, and 李健恆 Kin Hang Lei
- Subjects
代數式基本運算 ,概念隱喻 ,過程概念 ,體現動態視覺化 ,體現模擬 ,algebraic manipulation ,conceptual metaphor ,procept ,embodied dynamic visualization ,embodied simulation ,Education ,Theory and practice of education ,LB5-3640 - Abstract
動態視覺化易於解說與展演抽象概念和程序過程,經常作為促進個體認知理解的一項途徑。然而,其所伴隨的瞬變效應可能不利於學習者在短時間內進行感知及認知處理,以致無法顯現預期的學習效果。相關研究建議體現動態視覺化,意即結合手勢等體現模擬的展演方式,有助於個體在動態視覺化過程中進行有意義的學習。因此,本研究旨在探討體現模擬、圖像動畫與靜態圖示等不同展演方式對七年級學生在學習代數式基本運算的認知面與情意面之影響。研究方法採用準實驗設計,對96位七年級學生隨機提供一種展演方式進行自主學習, 並透過前、後測與學習感受問卷分析效果。結果發現:一、體現模擬或圖像動畫能明顯幫助學生在基本題、迷思概念及近遷移和遠遷移的學習效果;但靜態圖示在遠遷移部分則未能顯現學習效果;二、對高數學學習成就學生來說,體現模擬在基本題方面的學習效果會明顯優 於圖像動畫,在遠遷移方面的學習效果則會明顯優於靜態圖示;三、對低數學學習成就學生來說,體現模擬或圖像動畫在基本題方面的學習效果均明顯高於靜態圖示;四、展演方式與數學學習成就兩變項對學生在學習感受上具有明顯的交互作用。根據本研究結果,對體現動 態視覺化在數學教學與學習上的應用與方向提出建議。 Mathematical objects are artifacts of abstract thinking achieved by both conceptual and procedural knowledge. Mathematical thinking is usually communicated and constructed with external representations such as texts, symbols, or diagrams. Since it is difficult to demonstrate the dynamic nature of mathematical objects using static representations, teachers and instructional designers often apply dynamic visualization to present abstract or complex content in digital learning materials. While this illustrates abstract concepts and procedures with mathematical discipline, the accompanying transient effects may impede perceptual and cognitive processing over the short term, such that the intended learning effect may not be achieved. These transient effects are more pronounced for mathematical content with a high intrinsic cognitive load which require the integration of concepts and procedures. Relevant studies have suggested that the learning effect of dynamic visualization can be enhanced using physical experiences such as moving the body while learning. This includes demonstrating learning content using embodied simulation, which means combining gestures and actions in the process of dynamic visualization. This approach is termed embodied dynamic visualization. To facilitate the connection between physical gestures and procedural knowledge in the creation of mathematical meaning, this study adopted conceptual metaphor theory to develop related research instruments, including learning materials for embodied simulation. In addition to determining whether students can successfully integrate mathematical concepts and the processes of calculation in the cognitive process of procept formation, we investigated affective factors. Affective factors which have been shown to affect learning outcomes include aspects of cognitive load, mental effort, self-efficacy, learning strategies, and degree of initiative. Therefore, this study applied a quasi-experimental design to explore the effects of different demonstration methods (i.e., embodied simulations, instructional animations, and static illustrations) on the cognition and emotions of seventh-grade students learning algebraic manipulation. Criteria for inclusion in the experiment were participation in the whole process of the instructional experiment and a score of less 85% in the pre-test (to ensure the subjects had not already mastered the basic concepts and problem-solving skills relevant to algebraic manipulation). Based on these criteria, we recruited 96 seventh grade students, who were randomly provided with embodied simulations, instructional animations, or static illustrations. They were expected to engage in self-regulated learning of content related to algebraic manipulation. Data on both cognitive and affective aspects was collected and analyzed. For the former, students’ comprehension of algebraic manipulation was evaluated using a pre-test and a post-test. For the latter, students completed a self-reported questionnaire on their learning perceptions. Cronbach’s α for these two aspects were .743 and .887, respectively, thereby confirming reliability. Our results were as follows: (1) Students’ overall learning outcomes can be significantly enhanced by including embodied simulation, instructional animation, or static illustration. All three types of demonstration helped students solve problems related to basic algebraic manipulation. They also increased the positive learning effects on misconceptions and near-transfer problems as well as far-transfer problems. However, static illustrations did not have a significant effect on the learning performances of the seventh-grade students in solving far-transfer problems. This type of demonstration illustrates the algorithm and structure of algebraic manipulation; however, the procedure and approach to calculation are not shown. Therefore, students must depend on their own imagination to determine how these algebraic expressions are calculated based on the result alone. This places a high cognitive demand on students and may thus hinder the learning effects on far-transfer and other applications relevant to algebraic manipulation. (2) For high-performing students, exposure to embodied simulation enabled the students to perform significantly better on basic questions related to algebraic manipulation than did exposure to instructional animation. Moreover, students exposed to embodied simulation performed significantly better on far-transfer problems than did students exposed to static illustration. This indicates the value of using different gestures to simulate the operations involved in the calculation process, such as distribution expansion or the merging of similar items. This enabled high-performing students to acquire basic operating rules and calculation skills more effectively. In addition, embodying the process of the calculation exerted a more positive learning effect for high-performing students solving far-transfer problems than did exposure to static illustrations. This is because embodied simulation not only offers a form of dynamic visualization, but also connects the elements of the calculation based on operation processes. In addition, the simulated gestures help students understand the meaning of the operations, thereby generating meaningful dynamic mental images. (3) For low-performing students, exposure to either embodied simulation or instructional animation resulted in significantly better performance in the solution of basic questions related to algebraic manipulation than did exposure to static illustration. This means that dynamic visualization methods such as embodied simulation or instructional animation help improve understanding of procedural knowledge of algebraic manipulation for low-performing students. However, a lack of sufficient prior knowledge or proficiency at solving basic problems hampered the learning effects for low-performing students in the topic of far-transfer problems. For these, the results of exposure to embodied simulation or static instruction did not differ from those of exposure to static illustration. (4) We found significant interaction effects in terms of students’ learning perceptions among the different forms of demonstration and high and low performance groups. That is, for different forms of demonstration, students’ learning perceptions differ according to their level of mathematics learning achievement. To be specific, for high-performing students, exposure to instructional animation enable the students to perceive significantly better on the degree of initiative than did exposure to embodied simulation.However, for low-performing students, exposure to instructional animation showed significantly better on the self-efficacy and learning strategies than did exposure to static illustration. Based on these results, we make the following recommendations for future studies into the use of dynamic visualization in mathematical instruction: (1) The current study focused on embodied simulation, instructional animation, and static illustration. It would be worth exploring whether other forms of dynamic visualization (such as an instructional video with a human instructor) could help students in the learning of algebraic manipulation, enabling them to successfully integrate the concept and process of algebraic manipulation. (2) In the current study, students studied algebraic manipulation using non-interactive demonstration. In future studies, it would be worth investigating the effects of interactive gestures on students’ learning performances and perceptions. (3) As the complexity of algebraic manipulation problems may have been too low for high-performing students, it would be worth exploring the effects of embodied simulation or interactive gestures on other algebraic topics of higher cognitive complexity, such as solving square-root equations or completing the square, as well as geometric calculation and geometric reasoning.
- Published
- 2022
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