Prior conceptual knowledge and textbook search

Abstract In the present paper, the conceptual and procedural knowledge related to textbook search was examined. It was assumed that certain aspects of conceptual knowledge would help students search texts more quickly and efficiently. Two experiments were conducted to explore this proposal. In Experiment 1, college students were interviewed to determine the extent of their conceptual knowledge of human anatomy. Results revealed that the properties of organs provided by students fell into seven categories: an organ's function, location, parts, importance, diseases, appearance, and tissue type. This information was used to design Experiment 2 in which students were asked to find answers to two questions about anatomy using one of two anatomy texts. Half of subjects were given a standard text which arranged organs into traditional systems. The other text arranged organs in a way unlikely to be familiar to students. Results showed that conceptual knowledge facilitated search only when subjects were given the standard text. These results are discussed in terms of their support of the conceptual vs procedural knowledge distinction.

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