Top

Journal of Science Education and Technology

Published in:

01-10-2015

Cognitive Dissonance as an Instructional Tool for Understanding Chemical Representations

Authors: David Corradi, Geraldine Clarebout, Jan Elen

Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology | Issue 5/2015

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Previous research on multiple external representations (MER) indicates that sequencing representations (compared with presenting them as a whole) can, in some cases, increase conceptual understanding if there is interference between internal and external representations. We tested this mechanism by sequencing different combinations of scientific and abstract chemical representations and presenting them to 133 learners with low prior knowledge of the represented domain. The results provide insight into three separate mechanisms of learning with MER. (1) A memory (number of ideas reproduced) and (2) an accuracy (correctness of these ideas) effects occur when two representations are presented in a sequence. An accuracy and a (3) redundancy (number of redundant ideas remembered) effects occur when three representations are presented in a sequence. A necessary precondition for these effects is that descriptive formats are placed before depictive formats. The identified effects are analyzed in terms of the concept of cognitive dissonance.

previous article The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

next article Scientific Inquiry Self-Efficacy and Computer Game Self-Efficacy as Predictors and Outcomes of Middle School Boys’ and Girls’ Performance in a Science Assessment in a Virtual Environment

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Available only for authorised users

Ainsworth S (1999) The functions of multiple representations. Comput Educ 33:131–152CrossRef

Ainsworth S (2006) DeFT: A conceptual framework for considering learning with multiple representations. Learning and Instruction 16:183–198CrossRef

Ainsworth, S. (2011). Understanding and transforming multi-representational learning. In: EARLI 14th biennial conference

Ainsworth, S., & Iacovides, I. (2005). Learning by constructing self-explanation diagrams. In: 11th Biennial EARLI conference

Ainsworth S, Loizou AT (2003) The effects of self-explaining when learning with text or diagrams. Cognitive Science 27(4):669–681CrossRef

Aronson E, Wilson TD, Akert RM (2005) Social psychology. Pearson Education Inc, Upper Saddle River

Barnea N, Dori Y (1999) High school chemistry students’ performance and gender differences in a computerized molecular modeling learning environment. J Sci Educ Technol 8(4):257–271CrossRef

Ben-Zvi R, Eylon B, Silberstein J (1986) Is an atom of copper malleable? J Chem Educ 63(1):64–70CrossRef

Berthold K, Renkl A (2009) Instructional aids to support a conceptual understanding of multiple representations. J Educ Psychol 101(1):70–87CrossRef

Bodner GM, Domin DS (2000) Mental models: the role of representations in problem solving in chemistry. University Chemistry Education 4(1):24–31

Carney RN, Levin JR (2002) Pictorial illustrations still improve students’ learning from text. Edu Psychol Rev 14(1):5–26CrossRef

Chandrasegaran AL, Treagust DF, Mocerino M (2008) An evaluation of a teaching intervention to promote students’ ability to use multiple levels of representation when describing and explaining chemical reactions. Res Sci Edu 38:237–248CrossRef

Cokelez A, Dumon A, Taber KS (2008) Upper secondary French students, chemical transformations and the “register of models”: a cross-sectional study. Int J Sci Edu 30(6):807–836CrossRef

Cook MP (2006) Visual representations in science education: the influence of prior knowledge and cognitive load theory on instructional design principles. Sci Edu 90:1073–1091CrossRef

Cook MP, Wiebe EN, Carter G (2008) The influence of prior knowledge on viewing and interpreting graphics with macroscopic and molecular representations. Sci Edu 92:848–867CrossRef

Corradi D, Elen J, Clarebout G (2012) Understanding and enhancing the use of multiple external representations in chemistry education. J Sci Educ Technol 21(6):780–795. doi:10.1007/s10956-012-9366-z CrossRef

Corradi DM, Elen J, Schraepen B, Clarebout G (2014) Understanding possibilities and limitations of abstract chemical representations for achieving conceptual understanding. Int J Sci Edu 36(5):715–734. doi:10.1080/09500693.2013.824630 CrossRef

de Vries E, Demetriadis S, Ainsworth S (2009) External representations for learning. In: Balacheff N, Ludvigsen S, de Jong T, Lazonder A, Barnes S (eds) Technology-enhanced learning. Springer, New York, pp 137–154CrossRef

Devetak I, Vogrinc J, Glažar SA (2009) Assessing 16-year-old students’ understanding of aqueous solution at submicroscopic level. Res Sci Edu 9(2):157–179. doi:10.1007/s11165-007-9077-2 CrossRef

Egan K (2002) Getting it wrong from the beginning: our progressivist inheritance from Herbert Spencer, John Dewey, and Jean Piaget. Yale University Press, New Haven

Eysink THS, de Jong T, Berthold K, Opfermann M, Wouter P (2009) Learner performance in multimedia learning arrangements: an analysis across instructional approaches. Am Edu Res J 46(4):1107–1149. doi:10.3102/0002831209340235 CrossRef

Festinger L (1957) A theory of cognitive dissonance. Row, Peterson, Evanston, IL

Fisher JL, Harris MB (1973) Effect of note-taking and review on recall. J Educ Psychol 66(3):321–325CrossRef

Gabel DL, Samuel KV, Hunn D (1987) Understanding the particular nature of matter. J Chem Educ 64(8):695–698CrossRef

Gyselinck V, Jamet E, Dubois V (2008) The role of working memory components in multimedia comprehension. Appl Cogn Psychol 22:353–374. doi:10.1002/acp.1411 CrossRef

Harrison AG, Treagust DF (2002) The particular nature of matter: Challenges to understanding the submicroscopic world. In: Gilbert JK, Boulter CJ (eds) Developing models in science education. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 3–18

Hsu Y (2006) Lesson Rainbow’: the use of multiple representations in an Internet-based, discipline integrated science lesson. Br J Educ Psychol 37(4):539–557. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00551.x

Johnstone AH (2006) Chemical education research in Glasgow in perspective. Chem Educ Res Pract 7(2):49–63CrossRef

Kendeou P, van den Broek P (2005) The effects of readers’ misconceptions on comprehension of scientific text. J Educ Psychol 97(2):235–245. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.97.2.235 CrossRef

Kendeou P, van den Broek P (2007) The effects of prior knowledge and text structure on comprehension processes during reading of scientific texts. Mem Cognit 35(7):1567–1577CrossRef

Kintsch W (2004) The construction–integration model of text comprehension and its implications for instruction. In: Ruddell RB, Unrau NJ (eds) Theoretical models and processing of reading. IRA, Newark, pp 1270–1328

Kintsch W, van Dijk TA (1978) Towards a model of text comprehension and production. Psychol Rev 85(5):363–394CrossRef

Kolloffel B, Eysink THS, de Jong T, Wilhelm P (2009) The effects of representational format on learning combinatorics from an interactive computer simulation. Instr Sci 37(6):503–517. doi:10.1007/s11251-008-9056-7 CrossRef

Kozma RB (2003) The material features of multiple representations and their cognitive and social affordances for science understanding. Learn Instruct 13:205–226CrossRef

Kozma RB, Russel J (1997) Multimedia and understanding: expert and novice responses to different representations of chemical phenomena. J Res Sci Teach 34(9):949–968CrossRef

Kozma RB, Russel J (2005) Students becoming chemists: Developing representational competence. In: Gilbert JK (ed) Visualization in science education. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 121–145CrossRef

Lawrie, G., Appleton, T., Wright, A. H., & Stewart, J. (2009). Using multiple representations to enhance understanding of molecular structure: A blended learning activity. In A. Hugman (ed) Motivation science undergraduates: ideas and interventions. Uniserve Science Conference (pp. 65–71) Sydney: Uniserve Science

Lewis MW, Anderson JR (1985) Discrimination of operator schemata in problem solving: learning from examples. Cogn Psychol 17:26–65CrossRef

Marais P, Jordaan F (2000) Are we taking the symbolic language for granted. J Chem Educ 77(10):1355–1357CrossRef

Mayer RE (1997) Multimedia learning: are we asking the right questions? Educ Psychol 32(1):1–19CrossRef

Moore EB, Chamberlain JM, Parson R, Perkins KK (2014) PhET interactive simulations: transformative tools for teaching chemistry. J Chem Educ 91(8):1191–1197CrossRef

Neuwirth, C. M., & Kaufer, D. S. (1989). The role of external representation in writing process: Implications for the design of hypertext-based writing tools. In: Proceedings of the second annual ACM conference on hypertext (pp. 319–341) New York: ACM. doi:10.1145/74224.74250

Potts GR, Peterson SB (1985) Incorporation versus compartmentalization in memory for discourse. J Mem Lang 24:107–118CrossRef

Rappoport LT, Ashkenazi G (2008) Connecting levels of representation: emergent versus submergent perspective. International Journal of Science Education 30(12):1585–1603. doi:10.1080/09500690701447405 CrossRef

Recht DR, Leslie L (1988) Effect of prior knowledge on good and poor readers’ memory of text. J Educ Psychol 60(1):16–20CrossRef

Sadokski M, Paivio A (2007) Toward a unified theory of reading. Sci Stud Read 11(4):337–356CrossRef

Schnotz W (2005) An integrated model of text and picture comprehension. In: Mayer RE (ed) The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp 49–69CrossRef

Schnotz W (2008) Why multimedia learning is not always helpful. In: Schnotz W (ed) Understanding multimedia documents. Springer, New York, pp 17–42CrossRef

Schnotz W, Bannert M (2003) Construction and interference in learning from multiple representation. Learning and Instruction 13(141):156

Schunk DH (2007) Learning theories: an educational perspective, 5th edn. Pearson Education Inc, Upper Saddle River

Seufert T (2003) Supporting coherence formation in learning from multiple representations. Learning and Instruction 13(227):237

Shwartz Y, Ben-Zvi R, Hofstein A (2006) The use of scientific literacy taxonomy for assessing the development of chemical literacy among high-school students. Chem Educ Res Pract 7(4):203–225CrossRef

Stenning K, Oberlander J (1995) A cognitive theory of graphical and linguistic reasoning: logic and implementation. Cogn Sci 19:97–140CrossRef

Sweller J (2010) Element interactivity and intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load. Educ Psychol Rev 22:123–138. doi:10.1007/s10648-010-9128-5 CrossRef

Taber KS (2009) Learning at the symbolic level. In: Gilbert JK, Treagust DF (eds) Multiple representations in chemistry education: models and modelling in science education. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 75–105CrossRef

Taskin, V., Bernholt, S., & Parchmann, I. (2011). Understanding chemical formulae: how to develop successful strategies and supporting tools. In: Interdisciplinary workshop on cognitive neuroscience, educational research and cognitive modelling (pp. 264–270) http://www.h-w-k.de/1702.html?&L=1

Van Merriënboer J, Kirschner PA (2009) Ten steps to complex learning: a systematic approach to four-component instructional design. Routledge, New York

Warfa AM, Roehrig GH, Schneider JL, Nyachwaya J (2014) Role of teacher-initiated discourses in students’ development of representational fluency in chemistry: a case study. J Chem Educ 91(6):784–792CrossRef

Waterman CK (1969) The facilitating and interfering effects of cognitive dissonance on simple and complex paired associates learning tasks. J Exp Soc Psychol 5:31–42CrossRef

Title: Cognitive Dissonance as an Instructional Tool for Understanding Chemical Representations
Authors: David Corradi
Geraldine Clarebout
Jan Elen
Publication date: 01-10-2015
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Science Education and Technology / Issue 5/2015
Print ISSN: 1059-0145
Electronic ISSN: 1573-1839
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-015-9557-5

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Technik"

Other articles of this Issue 5/2015

Scientific Inquiry Self-Efficacy and Computer Game Self-Efficacy as Predictors and Outcomes of Middle School Boys’ and Girls’ Performance in a Science Assessment in a Virtual Environment

The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

College Students Constructing Collective Knowledge of Natural Science History in a Collaborative Knowledge Building Community

Training to Use the Scientific Method in a First-Year Physics Laboratory: A Case Study

Can Dynamic Visualizations with Variable Control Enhance the Acquisition of Intuitive Knowledge?

Empowering Prospective Teachers to Become Active Sense-Makers: Multimodal Modeling of the Seasons

Premium Partners