A comparison of combined and separate text-picture combinations on recall and application of information

Bennett, Ronald W. (1997) A comparison of combined and separate text-picture combinations on recall and application of information. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The study investigated the effects of presenting learners with combined textual and pictorial information, using two different presentation techniques. The study also investigated the possible influence of certain background variables on each of these techniques. In particular, Gender, as well as Vocabulary Ability, Reading Ability, Visual Materials Ability and Language Usage as measured on a grade four Canadian Test of Basic Skills were used. -- The two instructional treatments developed included a series of short descriptive text passages, each accompanied by a representative picture or illustration. Each treatment was then produced in two different formats, combined and separate referred to as Module 1C, Module 1S, Module 2C and Module 2S. The combined module in each treatment required that each text passage and associated picture be presented on the same page. The separate module required that the text passage and associated picture be presented on separate pages alternately. -- Two grade nine classes were chosen for this study each containing twenty-eight students. The selection was done on the basis of students having no previous exposure to the specific topics described in the study, and a random grouping of abilities in each class. Students were not placed in one group or the other based on any differences in their abilities. Both groups experienced Treatment 1 and Treatment 2, but not the same format for each. Group (A) received Module 1C (combined) and Module 2S (separate), while group B received Module 1S (separate) and Module 2C (combined). -- Student achievement on tests of recall and application of knowledge was determined by investigator constructed instruments. Student ability in the areas of Vocabulary, Reading Ability, Visual Materials and Language Usage were determined from grade four CTBS scores. The achievement test scores were separated into simple recall and application of knowledge. The relationships among achievement variables were analysed using multiple linear regression. The dependent variables were recall scores on tests 1 and 2 and application scores on tests 1 and 2. The independent variables were Treatment 1, and Treatment 2. The background variables investigated to determine possible influences on the independent variables were Vocabulary, Reading Ability, Visual Materials Ability, Language Usage and Gender. -- The results indicated that Treatments 1 and 2 produced no significant effect on measures of either recall or application when analysed independently of other variables. Treatment 1 showed no significant effect on measures of application when analysed in combination with the background variables. Treatment 2 did however show a significant effect on measures of application when analysed in combination with certain background variables. This effect indicated that text and pictures viewed separately produced significantly greater achievement on a test of application than text and pictures viewed together, when the subjects were males who had scored higher on Reading Ability, Visual Materials, and Language Usage. Another very important finding was that the background variables generally had a greater influence on achievement of both recall and application measures than either Treatment 1 or Treatment 2. This is significant in light of the fact that these variables were collected from a CTBS instrument administered five years earlier when the students were in grade four.

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