Viewbrics Mental Model dataset
Description
Learners can experience difficulties to imagine how to master a complex skill using solely a text-based analytic rubric (TR) within formative assessment (FA). TR’s deficiencies for skill-mastery might be remedied by adding video-modelling examples with embedded self-explanation prompts, turning TR into a new type of rubric format, so-called ‘video-enhanced analytic rubrics’ (VER). The current study contrasted two experimental conditions (TR, N = 54; VER, N = 49) for fostering growth of learners’ mental model of complex skills using the FA supporting Viewbrics-app and one control condition using the assessment of the school’s curriculum (N = 50). Learners’ mental models for three complex skills were measured through their constructed concept maps (before project one (T1), after project one (T2), and after project two (T3)). Mental model quality was measured by awarding point towards the number of concepts (width), hierarchical levels (depth) and relationships (strength) of a concept map. The total amount of points represents the quality of the mental model. The Viewbrics-app was expected to foster learners’ mental models’ growth in both experimental conditions, in particular for the VER condition because moving pictures are remembered better, contain more and different information, provide more cues to aid retrieval from long-term memory, attract more attention of learners and increase learner engagement. A multivariate multilevel regression analysis showed learners receiving VER developed richer mental models for information literacy (11.88 points above the control and 7.11 above TR), collaboration (10.42 points above the control and 3.68 above TR) and presentation (11.52 points above the control and 11.42 above TR). Finally, learners receiving TR developed richer mental models for information literacy (4.67 points above the control) and collaboration (6.74 points above the control) skills than the control group.