Project VokSi
Learning vocabulary with all the senses
Vocabulary learning is easier when the learner is active, either by making a prediction about the possible translation of the foreign word, or by making gestures at the same time. The aim of this project was to investigate these learning activities in more detail and to look more closely at the effects of their interaction.
There is a clear learning advantage in vocabulary acquisition when the learner is active, either by making a prediction about the possible translation of the foreign word or by simultaneously making or observing appropriate gestures that illustrate the concept of the vocabulary being learned. The aim of the project was to investigate these two learning activities in more detail and to examine the effects of their interaction. In particular, the feasibility and benefits of the two strategies in a digital learning context, specifically when using a learning app. Pupils at the beginning of their vocabulary learning experience, i.e. those in grades 3 to 5, were studied.
Key questions
- Do the positive effects of the above-mentioned learning activities of making predictions and performing gestures come into play in the same way when learning with interactive media?
- Does the combination of the two strategies lead to additive effects? This question was particularly interesting because the mechanisms of action proposed for making predictions on the one hand and executing gestures on the other are very different. The advantage of making predictions is often associated with the retrieval and linking of prior knowledge, while the positive effect of using gestures is mainly explained by the benefits of multisensory learning.
Selected Publications
Brod, G., Hasselhorn, M., & Bunge, S. A. (2018). When generating a prediction boosts learning: The element of surprise. Learning and Instruction, 55, 22–31. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.01.013
Ebert, C., Ebert, Ch., & Hörnig, R. (2018). Vocabulary learning improves with interactive finger gestures. In: Rothkopf, C., Balfanz, D., Galuske, R., Jäkel, F., Kersting, K., Macke, J., & Mohler, B. (eds.), 14th Biannual Conference of the German Society for Cognitive Science, 11.