Learning with Multiple Representations

Arthur B. Markman, Department of Psychology, University of Texas
...the volume explores a wide range of important topics that deal with multiple representations, and thus provides a nice introduction to research in this area. This strength must be emphasized, as the coordination of multiple representations is topic that has not received as much attention in cognitive science as it deserves....the book will be of value for researchers who are already well-versed in general issues of representation and are interested in the state of the art in research on the role of multiple representations in education and expert performance....it is clear that expert performance requires the coordination of multiple representations and that the education of future expert performance requires the coordination of multiple representations and that the education of future experts will require understanding of how to teach people to carry out this coordination. There is clearly a gap that must be bridged between current educational systems, in which the use of multiple external representations may actually hamper learning, and expert performance, which is characterised by the ability to shift among different internal representations of a situation. This book will be a valuable resource for psychologists (and educational psychologists) who are interested in these issues.
British Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 70, Part 1