Using order analytic instructional hierarchies of mnemonics to facilitate learning Chinese and Japanese kanji characters

The effects of applying an order-analytical, multidimensional scaling metho d for determining hierarchies among a list of Chinese and Japanese kanji ch aracters and mnemonics were explored. The authors used those hierarchies to design a computer-assisted, instructional program for learning the charact ers. The participants were presented a series of kanji characters in a hier archical or random order, with and without mnemonics, Recall and recognitio n tests were administered immediately after the presentation and 48 hr late r. Characters that were arranged in a hierarchical sequence or those presen ted with mnemonics were better learned and remembered than those that were presented in a random order or without mnemonics. The interaction of sequen ce and mnemonics, however, did not yield significant effects for learning. The results suggest that techniques such as order analysis that scale and o rganize variables according to their variance contribution and dominance ca n be useful for designing effective instruction.