The Instructional Functionality of Multiple Adjunct Aids.

Adjunct aids are instructional interventions inserted in textbooks in view of supporting learners to process the information. Different types of adjunct aids are assumed to support different cognitive processes. Research on adjunct aids has focussed on the learning effects of single types of adjunct aids. In this study, the learning effects of combinations of adjunct aids are studied. After completing a pre-test, 255 students studied a text presented on 21 separate computer screens in one of eight conditions. Their use of the adjunct aids was logged. After studying the text, a post-test was administered. Results show no impact of conditions on either knowledge or transfer items. However, when the use of the adjunct aids is considered, it is shown that this result can be explained by referring to the use of the aids at least for knowledge items.