Attention and Encoding in Physics Learning and Problem Solving

This dissertation presents several studies designed to probe the mental representations that physics experts and novices form when interacting with typical instructional materials, such as diagrams and problem statements. By using recognition tasks and a change detection task, the mental representations of experts and novices are studied in a more direct way than with tasks such as problem sorting or interviews. Results show that the experience and knowledge of physics experts influence the features of visual stimuli that they encode. However, a recognition task designed to probe physics experts' representations of physics problems revealed no evidence for the presence of physics principles. The final study in this dissertation used eye-tracking and a measure of cognitive load to determine that animating multimedia learning content can help to focus learners' attention towards relevant items on the screen and in some cases reduce cognitive load as well.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Feil, Adam John

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A.L.

• Education, Sciences

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3392010

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80116