This project examines the relationship between gesture production and mental model (MM) formation in learning from text.

We investigate two novel hypotheses: (a) Gestures influence MM formation when learning from text, and (b) Gestures influence model-based reasoning about nonspatial as well as spatial concepts. These hypotheses will be rigorously tested in four experiments.

Learning from text is a primary way that people gain knowledge in formal, informal, and professional settings. By advancing our understanding of this process, the project will contribute to theories of instruction and curriculum design and to assessment practices in school settings, and online, ranging from course exams to high-stakes standardized tests (e.g., SAT, ACT, and AP tests).

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