Abstract:

In informal learning settings, learners are often surrounded by information that is arranged in the three-dimensional space, as, for example, museum exhibitions or historical sites. Additionally, virtual learning environments (VLE) offer a wide range of possibilities how to arrange information units in the three-dimensional space surrounding the learner. These information units are often related to each other and sometimes it is expected that learners not only successively concentrate on each single information unit, but also actively make connections between them. The question is, if the cognitive process of connecting information units can be enhanced by the arrangement of the information in the three-dimensional space.

Theoretically, Gestalt Psychology (Palmer, 1992) and theories from spatial cognition (McNamara,1986) indicate, that the spatial arrangement of information units influences which units are perceived as belonging together thereby influencing cognitive processing. And empirically, a former series with three experiments showed that pairs of pictures were memorized better if the two pairlings were arranged on the same wall of a room instead of being arranged on two adjacent walls, i.e. on walls to the left and to the right of a corner.

Based on the metaphor of the attentional beam (e.g., Posner, Snyder & Davidson, 1980), the research question in this study was, if lighting could influence how participants process information in a highly immersive environment. In virtual rooms several picture pairs of everyday objects were arranged on the walls, and the rooms were either lit evenly or with a brighter beam in the corners. The two pictures forming a pair could be arranged within one wall or across two adjacent walls, i.e. with a corner between the two pictures. Findings replicated the detrimental effect of corners on the memory of picture pairs, but there was no influence of lighting on this effect: Participants memorized picture pairs significantly better, if both pairlings were arranged on the same wall instead of on two adjacent walls, but lighting did not influence this effect.

These findings showed the importance to consider how to arrange information in three-dimensional surroundings, if connections between several units of information should be made, for example, when designing high immersive VLE.

Keywords:

Virtual learning environments, informal learning.