Design of computer-based visualization and animation: What theories of learning apply?

CHED 383

Elizabeth M. Dorland, dorland@wustl.edu, Departments of Chemistry and Biology, Washington University, 100 Brookings Drive, Campus Box #1137, St. Louis, MO 63130
The visualization of chemical structures and processes is an area where computers can provide powerful images. Determining how and what students learn from animations and visualizations is a complex challenge partly because the images cannot be completely accurate representations of a reality that is too small to be observed directly. A wide variety of styles have evolved within various scientific communities, and students must build up the visual literacy required to interpret the computer representations of molecular structures and processes. Multi-media presentations can include text, sound, and still or animated images that may help or overwhelm the student. This presentation will provide an overview of some theories of learning that have been used to inform the development of visual materials, and the research that attempts to explain how and whether the desired learning takes place. Examples include Cognitive Load and Social Constructivist Theories.