VISUAL-DISPLAYS AND CONTEXTUAL PRESENTATIONS IN COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTION

The effects of two instructional strategies, visual display and contex tual presentation, were investigated in the acquisition of electronic troubleshooting skills using computer-based instruction. Three types o f visual displays (animation, static graphics with motion cues, and st atic graphics without motion cues) were used to represent structures a nd functions of electronic circuits and troubleshooting procedures. Th e first hypothesis was that animation would be more effective than sta tic graphics, but that static graphics with adequate motional cues rep resenting the dynamic aspects of the task would accomplish results sim ilar to animation. Results supported this hypothesis. The second hypot hesis was that context-dependent instruction would be more efficient t han context-independent instruction for solving problems in similar co ntexts, but that context independent instruction would be more effecti ve in solving problems encountered in different contexts. The results supported this hypothesis. A general conclusion of this study is that the use of visual visual displays and contextual presentation should b e based on the learning requirements of the task and the expected role s of the strategy in the learning.