Chinese Journal of Science Education


Vol. 13 No. 3 , Pages 317 - 345 , 2005

Integrate the Research Approaches of Analogy with Multiple Representations to Investigate the Design of Multiple Analogies Effecting Pupils’ Electricity Concepts Learning (Article written in Chinese)

Jing-Wen LIN & Mei-Hung CHIU

Abstract

Spiro et al. (1989) thought multiple analogies could overcome alternative conceptions, but care should be taken to avoid increasing cognitive load. Well designed multiple analogies could contribute to moderate possible cognitive loading. In order to investigate this issue, the authors designed instructional materials for teaching electricity. These materials were based on literature reviews which integrated the design views of analogy (Glynn, 1991; Gentner & Gentner, 1983; Zeitoun, 1984) as well as the transformation views of multiple representations (de Jong et al., 1998; Ainsworth, 1999; Ainsworth et al., 1998). Furthermore, researchers selected 32 middle achievement students from fourth grade and randomly assigned them to a control group, a single analogy group, a similar analogies group and a complementary analogies group to investigate the effect on pupils’ electric current learning achievement, measurements of cognitive loading and attitudes toward the designed teaching materials. The results showed that the teaching materials which integrated the approaches of analogy and multiple representations could promote understanding of electricity concepts, moderate possible cognitive loading, and positive attitudes toward concept learning as well as highlighting the differences between the analogy and target domain. It is noticeable that the design principles integrated with the research approaches of analogy and multiple representations could contribute to the design of multiple analogies teaching materials.

Keywords: analogy; multiple representations; the design principles of multiple analogies

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