The interactive opportunities of new media can enhance learning in a variety of manners. Beyond just spreading information media-based tools are developed, that support learners in a variety of tasks and improve learning processes and outcome. As cognitive tools they can organize learning and communication processes and thus create more options for knowledge construction. But those processes need certain competencies to work. Thus, our approach is to find the most adequate tools, enabling both teachers and students to be able to use those tools and to decide when to use them.

Components

• Tools, strategies and methods
• Considering individual preferences and differences (e.g. priorknowledge, gender)
• In an usecase for schools, universities and companies

The research area "Facilitating learning with media" is all about designing, implementing and evaluating tools, strategies and methods to support the knowledge construction of individuals and groups. These aspects are adaptive for individual preferences and differences and can be deployed in education and companies.

Examples

• Use of content schemes and cooperation scripts for network-based learning in an academic context
• Methods to facilitate digital literacy in a school context to support genderspecific equal opportunities

Example for a content scheme

Improving Learning with Media

Eye-tracking study

Learning environment on electrical circuits

The study evaluates different kinds of videos regarding the mode of instructions and explanations given - one being textbased and one being based on audio.

What has been examined?

The study focused on a variety of aspects, but especially on how long learners are able to pay attention to the learning environment and what elements of the videos awake attention most.

Publications