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This research investigated how fourth and fifth grade students spontaneously ‘unpacked’ a word problem when generating a graphic representation to aid in problem solution. Relationships among the type of graphic representation produced, spatial visualization, drawing ability, gender, and problem solving also were examined and described. Instrumentation developed for the study included several math challenge tasks, a spatial visualization task, and a drawing task. For one of the math challenge tasks, students were instructed to draw a picture to assist them with problem solution. These graphic representations generated by students were rated as pictorial or as displaying some level of schematic representation. Schematic representations included germane information from the problem supportive of problem solution. Pictorial representations included expressive and extraneous elements not necessary for problem solution, with no schematic elements. Findings indicated that the majority of students rendered schematic representations, with girls more likely than boys to use schematic representations at a statistically significant level. Students who used schematic visual representations were more successful problem solvers than those pictorially representing problem elements. The more “schematic‐like” the visual representation, the more successful students were at problem solution. Drawing a pictorial representation in the math challenge task also was negatively correlated to drawing skill.

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This research was conducted to examine the conditions under which learner‐generated illustrations serve as an instructional strategy promoting conceptual change. Specifically, the nature of students' misconceptions and the effects of student‐generated descriptive drawings on conceptual understanding of scientific principles associated with the law of conservation of energy were studied. Students were randomly assigned to groups in which they copied an illustration, generated a drawing, or wrote a description about the principles. A statistically significant difference on a posttest conceptual understanding measure was found between students who generated descriptive drawings and those who wrote in a science log. Students who copied an illustration also scored higher than the writing group, but not at a significant level. Also, the quality and number of concept units present in the drawing/writing log were significantly correlated with posttest and delay test scores. Findings suggest that under certain conditions, descriptive drawing is a viable way for students to learn scientific concepts, a finding which supports the use of generative drawings as a conceptual change strategy.