Prior knowledge in learning from a non-linear electronic document: Disorientation and coherence of the reading sequences

Abstract

a b s t r a c tA study was carried out to investigate the effects of prior knowledge on learning with a non-linear electronic document including an interactive conceptual map. Cognitive Load Theory was used as theoretical framework to investigate effects on cognitive load and disorientation in learning from non-linear documents. Forty-four future high school biology teachers were required to learn the multiplication cycle of a virus from either a hierarchical structure (organisational links) or a network structure (relational links). For the low prior knowledge learners, the results showed that the hierarchical structure supported better free recall performance and reduced feelings of disorientation. In contrast, the high prior knowledge learners performed better and followed more coherent reading sequences in the network structure. However, no interaction effect between prior knowledge and the type of structure was observed on mental effort and disorientation ratings. The results and the construct of disorientation are discussed in light of the processing demands in non-linear documents.

Exploratory Study of Relations Between Prior Knowledge, Comprehension, Disorientation and On-Line Processes in Hypertext

“…Nevertheless, other studies did not observe any effect of prior knowledge on subjective disorientation [12,[36][37][38][39]. Furthermore, difficulty to prove relations between disorientation and prior knowledge is illustrated by [40].…”

“…Similarly to a previous study [12], the assessed coherence of reading orders was temporal-causal (i.e. navigating respecting the temporal and causal relations between elements and events of the virus' multiplication cycle exposed in the different text sections).…”

“…High prior knowledge helps learners to follow more structured navigational patterns [22] and less sequential exploration [23]. One explanation is that high prior knowledge learners would be able to identify semantic relations between text sections and, hence, to construct more coherent reading orders [12].…”

“…According to Cognitive Load Theory, disorientation could reflect an extraneous cognitive load in learning from hypertexts because it is the consequence of ineffective processes in learning [12,27]. Extraneous cognitive load is a form of cognitive load that should be avoided to reach efficacy material for learning [33].…”

“…Whether readers have to process semantic relations between text section to make decision and to follow a reading order, they are also involved in processing the semantic relations to construct a representation of the contents structure [10,11]. Although more and more studies consider coherence issues in reading orders [12][13][14][15], clues about the processes engaged in construction of a representation of the contents structure are less investigated. In sum, to understand the information conveyed by a hypertext, readers would have to establish semantic relations between the nodes and to construct a representation of the semantic hypertext structure.…”