A Closer Look at Visual Manuals

Hans van der Meij

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Vol. 26, No. 4 (1996) pp. 371–83

Examines the visual manual genre, discussing main forms and functions of step-by-step and guided tour manuals in detail. Examines whether a visual manual helps computer users realize tasks faster and more accurately than a non-visual manual. Finds...

Reviews in instructional video

Hans van der Meij

Computers & Education Vol. 114, No. 1 (November 2017) pp. 164–174

This study investigates the effectiveness of a video tutorial for software training whose construction was based on a combination of insights from multimedia learning and Demonstration-Based Training. In the videos, a model of task performance was...

Language: English

The Role and Design of Screen Images in Software Documentation

Hans van der Meij

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 16, No. 4 (2000) pp. 294–306

Discussion of learning a new computer software program focuses on how to support the joint handling of a manual, input devices, and screen display. Describes a study that examined three design styles for manuals that included screen images to reduce ...

Advance organizers in videos for software training of Chinese students

Hans van der Meij

British Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 50, No. 3 (May 2019) pp. 1368–1380

The effectiveness of demonstration‐based training (DBT) videos for software training has been investigated for a Western audience. These studies have generally found that the demonstration videos significantly enhanced self‐efficacy and task...

Designing for user cognition and affect in software instructions

Hans van der Meij

Learning and Instruction Vol. 18, No. 1 (February 2008) pp. 18–29

In this paper we examine how to design software instructions for user cognition and affect. A basic and co-user manual are compared. The first provides fundamental support for both; the latter includes a buddy to further optimize support for user...

Language: English

Topics: Cognition

Animated Pedagogical Agents Effects on Enhancing Student Motivation and Learning in a Science Inquiry Learning Environment

Hans van der Meij; Jan van der Meij; Ruth Harmsen

Educational Technology Research and Development Vol. 63, No. 3 (June 2015) pp. 381–403

This study focuses on the design and testing of a motivational animated pedagogical agent (APA) in an inquiry learning environment on kinematics. The aim of including the APA was to enhance students' perceptions of task relevance and self-efficacy....

Demonstration-Based Training (DBT) in the Design of a Video Tutorial for Software Training

Hans van der Meij; Jan van der Meij

Instructional Science: An International Journal of the Learning Sciences Vol. 44, No. 6 (2016) pp. 527–542

This study investigates the design and effectiveness of a video tutorial for software training. In accordance with demonstration-based training, the tutorial consisted of a series of task demonstrations, with instructional features added to enhance...

A comparison of paper-based and video tutorials for software learning

Hans van der Meij; Jan van der Meij

Computers & Education Vol. 78, No. 1 (September 2014) pp. 150–159

Instruction on software usage has long been dominated by the paper-based tutorial. This dominance is now being challenged with the rise of facilities for producing and publishing recorded demonstrations (video). Typically, each instructional medium...

Language: English

Effects of Pictures, Age, and Experience on Learning To Use a Computer Program

Hans Van Der Meij; Mark Gellevij

Technical Communication: Journal of the Society for Technical Communication Vol. 49, No. 3 (2002) pp. 330–39

Examines the effects of pictures (screen captures and input devices) on documentation for older novice computer users (aged 26 to 69 years). Argues that screen captures help reduce memory load and support visual scanning for older users. Finds no...

Using e-mail to support reflective narration

Bregje de Vries; Hans van der Meij

International Journal of Educational Research Vol. 39, No. 8 (2003) pp. 829–838

This article presents an exploratory study of e-mail use for reflective narration. Narration is viewed from three perspectives: the narrating act, the narrative statement, and the story. These perspectives are used to characterize the 69 e-mails...

Language: English

The Importance of Design in Learning from Node-Link Diagrams

Marije van Amelsvoort; Jan van der Meij; Anjo Anjewierden; Hans van der Meij

Instructional Science: An International Journal of the Learning Sciences Vol. 41, No. 5 (September 2013) pp. 833–847

Diagrams organize by location. They give spatial cues for finding and recognizing information and for making inferences. In education, diagrams are often used to help students understand and recall information. This study assessed the influence of...

Supporting Motivation, Task Performance and Retention in Video Tutorials for Software Training

Hans van der Meij; Jan van der Meij; Tessa Voerman; Evert Duipmans

Educational Technology Research and Development Vol. 66, No. 3 (2018) pp. 597–614

Video tutorials for software training are becoming more and more popular, but their construction and effectiveness is understudied. This paper presents a theoretical model that combines demonstration-based training (DBT) and multimedia learning...

Hypervideo for Educational Purposes: A Literature Review on a Multifaceted Technological Tool

Florinda Sauli; Alberto Cattaneo; Hans van der Meij

Technology, Pedagogy and Education Vol. 27, No. 1 (2018) pp. 115–134

The term "hypervideo" has different interpretations in the scientific literature. The aim of this contribution is to define hypervideo as it is and can be (more optimally) used for teaching and learning purposes. Videos can promote...

In search of design principles for developing digital learning & performance support for a student design task

Lars Bollen; Hans van der Meij; Henny Leemkuil; Susan McKenney

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 31, No. 5 (Nov 19, 2015)

A digital learning and performance support environment for university student design tasks was developed. This paper describes on the design rationale, process, and the usage results to arrive at a core set of design principles for the construction...

Multimodal versus Unimodal Instruction in a Complex Learning Context

Mark Gellevij; Hans van der Meij; Ton de Jong; Jules Pieters

Journal of Experimental Education Vol. 70, No. 3 (2002) pp. 215–39

Compared multimodal instruction with text and pictures with unimodal text-only instruction as 44 college students used a visual or textual manual to learn a complex software application. Results initially support dual coding theory and indicate that ...