Increasing amounts of text are read from various types of screens. The shape and the size of a typeface determine the legibility of texts. The aim of this study was to investigate the legibility of different typefaces displayed on LCD screens. Two typefaces (Georgia and Verdana), designed for screen renderings were analyzed by eye-tracking technology in 8 different sizes. Regardless of the font size, the text set in Verdana were read faster. For both typefaces the reading speed increased with increasing the font size. The number of fixation increased with the character size, while the fixation time was shorter.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3116912
The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between gender, previous knowledge, different personality traits, subject-specific motivational dimensions and students` math grade in secondary school. A total of 386 first-year students (142 boys and 244 girls) from secondary schools in Slovenia (mean age was 15.7 years) participated in the study. Different measures were used to assess students` previous knowledge, personality traits, subject-specific interest, self-efficacy, immediate action and procrastination/distractibility. Path analysis was used to test the model of direct effects of gender, previous knowledge and personality traits on math grade and indirect effects of previous knowledge and personality traits on the grade through subject-specific motivational variables. The results of path analysis revealed that we can explain 40 % of the variance in math grade with variables included in the research. Gender, previous knowledge and personality traits have direct and indirect impacts on achievement. Among personality variables, conscientiousness proved to be the most important direct and indirect predictor of math grade. A significant part of variance in math grade can be explained by taking into account more general individual differences on the one hand and subject-specific motivational processes, which act as mediators, on the other hand. In promoting students` math achievement, teachers should take into account students` personality traits and try to develop their motivational self-regulation.
COBISS.SI-ID: 56471906
In natural science education it is important that the macroscopic, submicroscopic and symbolic levels are interconnected in a student’s mind. Primary school children have the greatest difficulty in understanding the sub-microscopic, which is outside their experiential framework. This research examines the classroom application of the virtual laboratory in integrating macroscopic, submicroscopic and symbolic aspects of chemistry. Pupils of the seventh grade, aged between 12 and 13 years (N = 225), participated in the didactic experiment that was conducted in ten primary schools in Slovenia. The fundamental research question was whether pupils studying the same natural science content using the virtual laboratory performed better than those who did not. The results of the experiment revealed that in terms of knowledge acquisition the use of a virtual laboratory improved pupil performance in relation to those who did not use elements of dynamic visualisation in the classroom. In accordance with Bloom’s cognitive scale, it was demonstrated that in relation to basic, higher and advanced levels of knowledge and comprehension, the use of the virtual laboratory positively influences pupils’ understanding of selected concepts in chemistry.
COBISS.SI-ID: 10647881