Hazards for knowledge acquisition in presentations

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christof Wecker
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: from 2013 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236939085

Prior studies provided evidence for negative effects of projected slides on the acquisition of knowledge about information that was presented only orally. This project investigates whether with projected slides learners (a) process this information to a lesser extent than without slides or (b) process this information but regard itas less central and hence take notes about it less frequently, and thereby acquire less knowledge about it. In the second case this information should occur more frequently in notes taken on handouts containing the information presented on slides than in notes taken on plain paper. In the proposed study learners watch a life-size projection of the video recording of a presentation. The factors slide projection (without vs. with) and form of note-taking (on plain paper vs. on handouts) are manipulated experimentally. For one half of the learners in each condition the video is interrupted several times in order to measure the processing of information presented only orally. Furthermore, the learners' notes are analyzed for coverage of information presented only orally. Knowledge about the information presented only orally is tested immediately as well as two weeks later after a rehearsal phase for which the learners will use their notes. This allows for a decision between competing explanations and may yield suggestions for potential instructional cures.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants