Speaker
Description
This study examined Croatian high school students’ understanding of the seasons and the effects of a short intervention using research-based or textbook images. A total of 142 first-year students participated, assigned to control and experimental groups. Students’ attention was monitored with eye tracking during pre-test, intervention, post-test, and interview stages. The experimental group showed greater post-test improvement, more transitions between text and images, and shorter fixation durations, indicating higher information integration and lower cognitive load. However, overall understanding of seasonal changes remained rather poor. Findings suggest that research-based visualizations with explanatory text enhance learning more effectively than standard textbook images.
| Education level | Age 12-15 (Secondary education) |
|---|---|
| Physics topic | Astronomy and Astrophysics |
| Research focus | Student conceptions / Preconceptions / Misconceptions |
| Research method | Mixed method (qualitative & quantitative) |
| Organizing preference criteria | Track |