Individual Differences in Interacting With Hypermedia Manuals

Abstract : We examined individual differences in interacting and learning from diagrams, multimedia presentations and hypermedia instructional manuals and how these-individual differences related to spatial abilities and knowledge. In several experiments, we found that comprehension of mechanical systems from static and animated diagrams was quite limited, and often resulted in misconceptions about how the systems worked. Students learned more from static and animated-diagrams if they were augmented with verbal instruction, and students with high spatial ability and more background knowledge - learned more from these multimedia presentations than students with low ability and less knowledge. In all of our experiments, learning from static diagrams and text was equivalent to learning from animated diagrams and commentaries, when these materials contained the same information. There was no evidence that different formats of - instruction were more or less effective for individuals with different abilities and - knowledge.