Investigating the differential effect of static pictures versus dynamic animations on students’ performance in a chemistry learning task performed by Italian undergraduates

Abstract The ability to comprehend the sub-microscopic dynamics underlying macroscopic phenomena and to represent them through symbolic languages is often taken for granted in undergraduate students. Nevertheless, evidence shows that difficulties in connecting these three dimensions persist even at the university level. In recent years, several researchers have investigated whether visualization tools can help students overcome this challenge. However, the literature presents conflicting evidence, and a more comprehensive understanding could be achieved by incorporating information about students’ cognitive profiles. The present study investigates the effectiveness of different representation modalities (static pictures vs. dynamic animations) in a lecture on liquid crystals, and their relationship with students’ visuospatial and verbal working memory and fluid intelligence. We assessed 205 Italian students enrolled in scientific degree programs requiring at least one chemistry exam. Students watched a video-recorded lecture about liquid crystals and completed a multiple-choice test assessing their comprehension. In addition, students completed three standardized cognitive tasks measuring visuospatial and verbal working memory and fluid intelligence. Despite exhibiting lower cognitive abilities, students exposed to dynamic representations achieved equivalent results in the chemistry task. Furthermore, analyses demonstrated that dynamic animations benefit students with low visuospatial working memory capacity, levelling performance differences that emerged in the static condition.