Is Learning From Media Distinctive? Examining Children’s Inferencing Strategies

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of different media on children’s interpretations of stories. Two studies are reported that examine whether different inferencing strategies are elicited with different media presentations. Study 1 explored the inferencing strategies children use across text and video by asking 2 fifth graders to think aloud as they read and viewed episodes from two mystery stories. A qualitative analysis identified a range of inferencing strategies. Study 2 examined the extent to which 83 fifth-grade high and low achievers used these strategies and whether there were strategy differences across media presentations. High and low achievers were randomly selected to either read or watch brief episodes of stories and to report verbally on their predictions and thinking processes. Results indicated that there were no significant differences for medium or achievement; nor were there interaction effects. Rather, a similar pattern of inferencing strategies appeared to be employed by children in both print and video forms. These results suggest that the interpretive process may be similar across different media presentations and that the medium per se may have little direct influence in cognition and learning.