Graphicacy: Do Readers of Science Textbooks Need It?

Betrancourt, M.; Ainsworth, S.; De Vries, E.; Boucheix, J.; Lowe, Richard

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2012

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Conference Paper

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Abstract

In contrast to literacy and numeracy, graphicacy is under-explored. Yet it is not only linked to fundamental cognitive abilities, but is also important in all areas of instruction. This paper reports an analysis of the graphics that appear in K-12 science school books. The questions were the following: what skills might school students need to understand these graphics? Do books provide guidance or instructions to help students process these graphics? We found that many graphics required a high level of graphicacy, in terms of strategies and skills required to understand them. Moreover, strategic guidance or instructional help were rarely provided.

Citation

Bétrancourt, Mireille and Ainsworth, Shaaron and De Vries, Erica and Boucheix, Jean-Michel and Lowe, Richard K. 2012. Graphicacy: Do Readers of Science Textbooks Need It?, in de Vries, E. and Scheiter, K. (ed), Staging knowledge and experience: how to take advantage of representational technologies in education and training? EARLI SIG 2 meeting, Aug 28-31 2012, pp. 37-39. Grenoble, France: Universite Pierre-Mendes-France.

Source Title

Staging Knowledge and Experience: How to Take Advantage of Representational Technologies in Education and Training