The impact of observing lecturer hand motor actions on the learning of cognitive skills in higher education

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21284258
AutoresKatharina Rahnert (0000-0001-7347-9655, Karlstad University, autor de correspondencia), Gretha Steenkamp (0000-0001-8968-9403, Stellenbosch University), Niklas Jakobsson (0000-0002-7143-8793, Karlstad University), Juan Ontong, J M Ontong (0000-0001-5097-8988, Stellenbosch University)
Año2024
Volumen249
Páginas104483
Fecha de publicación2024-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaActa Psychologica (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104483
PMID39232361
OpenAlexW4402166556
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas35

Class demonstrations where the lecturer's hand motor actions are observable generally have a positive effect on the learning of motor skills because they trigger an effortless process of embodied simulations. Whether the learning of cognitive skills is likewise affected by such visualisations is yet to be investigated and might depend on the learning content as well as other factors. This study aimed to investigate whether showing the lecturer's hand via a document camera during an introductory financial accounting class affects student learning (transfer performance), cognitive load responses, and note-taking behaviour compared to a writing pad where the lecturer's hand is not visible. The study utilised a quasi-experimental design in an in-person setting, with a pre-test and post-test comparison of two groups of participants: one group that viewed a lecture video without the lecturer's hand being visible (n = 509), and another group that viewed the same lecture with the lecturer's hand being visible (n = 571). The results showed that the with-hand group had a significantly higher increase in test scores compared to the without-hand group. However, the visibility of the hand did not significantly impact cognitive load or note-taking behaviour. The findings have important practical implications for education, as incorporating non-verbal cues such as the lecturer's hand may effectively enhance learning cognitive skills

Class (philosophy) · Cognition · Cognitive Load · Cognitive psychology · Cognitive skill · Developmental psychology · Embodied cognition · Mathematics education · Motor Learning · Motor skill · Test (biology) · Visibility · Action Observation and Synchronization · Computer Science · Psychology · Social Psychology · Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts · Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes