The Cognitive Representation of Computer-Supported Instructional Tools

Two studies are reported whose aim was to assess whether undergraduates' cognitive representations of the psychological correlates of computer-supported instructional tools (CSIT) vary according to the features of tools themselves. A questionnaire investigating participants' conceptions about motivational and emotional aspects of learning through CSIT, behavior during the learning process, required capacities, mental operations, metacognition, preferred style of thinking, cognitive benefits and learning outcomes was employed in both studies. In Study 1 undergraduates were requested to judge to what extent such issues are involved in different kinds (virtual simulations, Web forums, and so on) of CSIT, whereas in Study 2 the same issues were considered by making reference to different dimensions (hypertext, multimedia, and so forth) of CSIT. Results showed that students have a welldefined and deep-rooted conception about what CSIT can introduce into a learning process, by attributing different psychological correlates to different kinds of tools. However, undergraduates failed to recognize that distinct dimensions of CSIT involve different psychological correlates. Implications of these findings for education and tool designing are discussed.