Abstract:
The current study was an exploration of why some novices are more successful
than their peers when learning from the Internet by examining the relations among time
spent with relevant information and changes in invested mental effort during Internet
navigations as well as achievement. Navigation behaviours and learner characteristics
were investigated as predictors of time spent with relevant information and changes in
mental effort. Undergraduates (N = 85, Mage = 20 years, 5 months) searched the Internet
for information corresponding to a low knowledge topic for 20 min while their eye gaze
and pupil size were recorded. Pupil diameter was used as an objective, continuous
measure of mental effort. Participants also completed questionnaires or computer tasks
pertaining to s e l f-regulated learning characteristics (general intrinsic goal orientation and
effort regulation) and cognitive factors (working memory control, distractibility and
cognitive style). All analyses controlled for general mental ability, reading
comprehension, topic and Internet knowledge, and overall motivation. A greater
proportion of time spent with relevant information predicted higher scores on an
achievement test. Interestingly, time spent with relevant information partially mediated
the positive relation between the frequency of increases in invested mental effort and
achievement. Surprisingly, intrinsic goal orientation was negatively related to time spent
with relevant information and effort regulation was negatively related to the frequency of
increases in invested mental effort. These findings have implications for supports when
novices guide their own learning, especially when using the Internet.
