Complementary Effects of Sense-Making and Fluency-Building Support for Connection Making: A Matter of Sequence?

Multiple graphical representations can significantly improve students’ learning. To acquire robust knowledge of the domain, students need to make connections between the different graphical representations. In doing so, students need to engage in two crucial learning processes: sense-making processes to build up conceptual understanding of the connections, and fluency-building processes to fast and effortlessly make use of perceptual properties in making connections. We present an experimental study which contrasts two hypotheses on how these learning processes interact. Does understanding facilitate fluency-building processes, or does fluency enhance sense-making processes? And consequently, which learning process should intelligent tutoring systems support first? Our results based on test data and tutor logs show an advantage for providing support for sense-making processes before fluency-building processes. To enhance students’ robust learning of domain knowledge, ITSs should ensure that students have adequate conceptual understanding of connections between graphical representations before providing fluency-building support for connection making.