Effects of Concreteness and Contiguity on Learning from Computer-based Reference Maps

Sribhagyam Srinivasan
Daphne D. Lewis
Steven M. Crooks
Texas Tech University

Abstract

Today’s technology has reached new heights that have not been fully implemented. One of the areas where technology has not yet reached its full potential is in education. This study examined the effects of concreteness of location names and contiguity of location names with textual information on learning from computer-based reference maps. The research was designed to be a 3 concreteness (concrete vs. abstract vs. non-familiar) X 2 contiguity (non-contiguous vs. contiguous) with six treatment levels. One hundred and sixty-seven college students studied a digital reference map presented to them. The results indicate that participants in the contiguous condition recalled significantly more feature-related facts than those in the non-contiguous condition. The results also indicate that the participants’ performance in recall, matching feature-fact pairs, as well as in the inference was significantly more for concrete features names and abstract feature names than the non-familiar feature names. A significant interaction effect was also observed for the matching of fact-feature pairs. The findings are not thoroughly consistent with the concreteness and conceptual peg effects associated with Paivio’s dual coding theory (DCT). More research needs to be done to continue investigating this phenomenon. However, this study will assist teachers and designers better understand how to design cognitive maps and spatial displays that facilitate learning.


About the Author(s)...

Sribhagyam Srinivasan is a doctoral student in Educational and Instructional Technology, Texas Tech University, Texas. She has a master's degree in Instructional Technology and a master's degree in Chemistry. Her research interests are in the areas of multimedia education, science education and diversity pedagogy. She is currently an instructor at the Texas Tech University and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Daphne D. Lewis, an instructor in the College of Education at Texas Tech University, received her masters in Educational and Instructional Technology from Texas Tech University. Currently, she is working on her dissertation focusing on computer-based learning environments. Her research interests are in the areas of multimedia learning, teacher technology, and diversity training. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Steven M. Crooks is Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at Texas Tech University. Dr. Crooks’ current teaching and research interests are in the areas of instructional design, instructional message design, educational psychology, and computers in education. He may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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