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Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 9218984 Exploring the relationships between visual experience, learner traits, memory and styles of visual presentation Jackson, Evelyn Kay, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1992 UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VISUAL EXPERIENCE, LEARNER TRAITS, MEMORY AND STYLES OF VISUAL PRESENTATION DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Evelyn Kay Jackson, B.A., M.A. The Ohio State University 1 9 9 2 Dissertation Committee: Approved by T. A. McCain D. J. Cegala Adviser S. R. Acker Department of Communication In memory of my Father for all he taught me ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express sincere appreciation to my adviser, Dr. Thom McCain for the encouragement he gave me to be creative in my approach to research. Thanks go to the other members of my advisory committee, Dr. Stephen Acker and Dr. Donald Cegala, for their suggestions and comments. The technical assistance of John, Sally, Andrew, and Andy is gratefully acknowledged. Gratitude is also expressed to Dr. Ron Compesi, Dr. Phil Kipper, and Hamid Khani for lending their expertise in video production analysis. The emotional support of a few key people helped me through some of the difficult stretches of this project. A special thanks is extended to my colleague, Dr. Rick Houlberg because completion of this project from such long distance would have been most difficult without his invaluable insight and encouragement. Many kudos to Virginia Bicknell for her genuine friendship. Thanks also to Winston Tharp for his sensitivity and timely but gentle prodding. To my sisters, Linda and Peggy, a warm thank you for their consistent and creative emotional support. Last but certainly not least, the uttmost grattitude to my husband, Tim, for his unshakable faith in me and unmeasurable support. VITA October 19, 1959 Born - Lake Charles, Louisiana 1981 B.A., Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 1983 M.A., Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 1984 Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 1985 Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1986 Research Assistant, Instruction & Research Computer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1987-1989 Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 1989 - Present Assistant Professor, Broadcast Communication Arts Department, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California VITA (continued) FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Mass Communication Mass Communication Theory Dr. Thomas McCain New Technologies Dr. Stephen Acker Interactive video Dr. Marge Cambre Learning styles Dr. Marlin Languis Individualizing Instruction Dr. Robert Belland v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION...........................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................. iii VITA .......................................................................................... iv LIST OF TA BLES ......................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................... xi CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION........................................................ 1 Purpose of This S tudy ..................................................4 Visual Processing T heories .......................................8 How Human Vision System W o r k s ............................8 Direct Theory of Visual Processing ............................9 Constructionist Theory of Visual Processing . 1 0 Visual Messages & the Development of Schemas . 1 2 Visual and Spatial S k ills ..........................................14 Predictors of Career Success ....................................16 Connectionist Approact to Memory . .17 Learning Style: Concept & Implementation . .1 9 The Roots of Kolb's Learning Theory . .2 1 The Stages of Kolb's Learning Cycle .... 21 Kolb's Four Learning S ty le s ....................................23 Application of Kolb's Learning Theory . 25 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER PAGE Film and Video Production Elements . .27 L ig h tin g ....................................................................2 8 Camera and Lens M o tio n ........................................2 9 Camera A n g l e .........................................................3 0 Camera Perspective............................................. 3 1 E d i t i n g ....................................................................3 2 The Concept of Video Styles .................................. 3 5 Video Styles: The Producer's Perspective . 3 9 Video Styles and Learning .................................. 41 Structuring Video for Learners .......................4 5 Concrete/Abstract = Editing Style ....................... 4 6 Reflective/Abstract = Camera Perspective . 4 7 Visual Experience and L earning .......................4 9 Defining Visual E x p erien ce .................................. 5 0 A Connectionist Perspective on Visual Experience . 5 1 Purpose of This Study ............................................. 5 3 II. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS .................................. 5 5 The Production of Four Visual Treatments . .55 Measuring Instruments Spatial Visualization and Spatial Orientation . 6 7 Memory: Memory and Recall Recall M e a s u re s ...................................................6 8 Recognition Measures ............................................. 6 9 Learning Style Inventory ........................................7 0 Learner T y p e s .........................................................7 1 Learner T r a its .........................................................7 2 Visual Experience Inventory ............................ 7 2 S u b j e c t s ....................................................................7 5 P r o c e d u r e s .............................................................. 7 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER PAGE III. RESULTS ..............................................................................81 Descriptive Statistics .................................................81 Research Questions ........................................................84 Post Hoc A nalysis ........................................................89 IV. DISCUSSION ................................................................... .100 What are the dimensions of visual experience which are related to learning styles? . .100 What are the relationships between a person's visual and spatial orientation and the dimensions of their visual experience? .102 What are the relationships between a person's visual experience and their ability to remember information presented visually? .103 What are the relationships between a person's learning style and their ability to remember information presented visually?. 105 When presented stimuli in various styles, what is the relationship between learning style and memory? ................................................... 105 Implications ........................................................ 107 Visual Experience In v en to ry .......................... 107 Corporate Media Producers ............................ 108 Future Research................................................... 110 vm• • • TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER PAGE APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Floorplan for the production of the four visual treatments of SALLY . .114 APPENDIX B: Storyboards for visual treatments .116 Figure 9: Storyboard for First Observer visual treatment ......................................................117 Figure 10: Storyboard for Experienced Observer visual treatm ent ...............................124 Figure 11: Storyboard for Experienced Participant visual treatment ...............................130 Figure 12: Storyboard for