Interactive Interfaces:
Providing more interactivity in user interfaces appears to have a substantial positive effect on learning. Interactive interfaces allow learners to control, manipulate and explore material, or allow the computer to periodically ask learners to answer questions that help them to integrate the material, or both. Interaction may be useful because it encourages learners to elaborate more. For this to occur, the interaction must be cognitively engaging (i.e., not merely selecting hyperlinks).

Elaborative Processing: To "elaborate" means that users take more time to analyze and store the information. This extra cognitive processing of information helps to better integrate the material with prior knowledge, which helps to improve learning. Some media seems to enhance elaborative processing more than others. For example, graphics tend to elicit more elaborative processing of information than does text. The learning advantage for graphics may occur because graphics contain more features (than words) that are available for the extra processing. Also, reading text seems to cause learners to more actively process information than simply hearing verbal narration.

Here are several examples of learning materials that successfully create the kind of interactive interfaces that lead to elaborative processing. Each of these makes a strong use of visual elements, text, and audio, all of which make elaborate processing possible.

Tom Jenkins Statistical Simulation
Darden School of Business Administration, University of Virginia
 

The Tom Jenkins Statistical Simulator involves students by allowing them to actively examine their data. The students enter three sets of data that are calculated to give the final result. As well as providing an immediate answer, the simulator provides a visual display which shows the progress of the data being calculated. The students can then export their data into an Excel spreadsheet for further examination. With this model the students become involved with the process they are learning by manipulating their learning environment. The visual display that shows the processing of data provides additional information to understand the process they are learning.

Project Created With:
Macromedia Authorware

Additional Resources:
Additional multimedia items are available to integrate into your course material from Darden.

Phonetics Flash Animation Project
A collaborative effort of the Departments of Spanish and Portuguese, Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Academic Technologies at The University of Iowa.
 

The Phonetics Flash project was developed for instructors of articulatory phonetics, linguistics, and foreign languages. Students become involved in the material through animated images, audio, and video playback. The animated graphic allows students to see the physical actions inside the mouth and throat area, something that would normally not be possible to see.

Project Created With:
Macromedia Flash

Henry II and Thomas Beckett "Action Maze"
Mr. Fields, www.schoolhistory.co.uk
 

"Action mazes can be used for many purposes, including problem-solving, diagnosis, procedural training, and surveys/questionnaires." This software allows the educator to create an interactive learning situation by presenting questions that follows with additional questions and information specific to the individuals answers. The Action Maze model can provide a situation where students are able to analyze their knowledge and explore alternative directions.

Project Created With:
Quandry developed by the University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre.

Hiragana Chart
Quick Time movies created by Masayoshi Kanai.
 

The Hiragana Chart shows students how each character is written. For each character there is an animated graphic showing the steps required for writing. Through this animated process, students are able to learn by example, with the ability to reexamine each step.

Project Displayed With:
QuickTime

Anatomy Revealed
Medical College of Ohio, Center for Creative Instruction
 

Anatomy Revealed is an interactive CD which allows anatomy students to investigate and learn muscle, nerve, and bone structure through dissection in an animated environment. Students are able to explore at their own pace the various anatomical layers. Along with multiple image layers, students are provided with textual descriptions of the material they are learning.

Project Created With:
Macromedia Director

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