Drawing to learn shows positive effects on learning performance compared with non-generative and text-focused learning strategies¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2–r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Drawing combined with other strategies produced significant positive effects on transfer, retention, and drawing tests compared with reading-based strategies. → Dechamps 2025 q2 i? Drawing during learning from a biology text significantly increased knowledge on all tests compared with a reading control group. → Dechamps 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Dechamps 2025¶

Dechamps, T., & Skulmowski, A. (2025). The Effective Design of Tasks Involving Learning by Drawing: Current Trends and Methodological Progress in Research on Drawing to Learn. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10026-2

q2 · i? · review · r3

The review reports that in Schwamborn et al. (2010), participants read, drew, highlighted, or mentally imagined main ideas from a science text on the chemistry of laundering, and "significant positive effects of drawing on all three tests" (transfer, retention, drawing) were found.

"The results showed significant positive effects of drawing on all three tests (Schwamborn et al., 2010)."

Dechamps 2025 (2)¶

Dechamps, T., & Skulmowski, A. (2025). The Effective Design of Tasks Involving Learning by Drawing: Current Trends and Methodological Progress in Research on Drawing to Learn. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10026-2

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports that in Schmeck et al. (2014) Experiment 1, participants read a text on the biology of influenza or additionally drew pictures, and "a significant increase of knowledge in the drawing group for all tests" was observed relative to the control group.

"The results of Experiment 1 showed a significant increase of knowledge in the drawing group for all tests compared to the control group."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Generating drawings is effective for university students but largely ineffective for elementary-school children unless instructional support is extremely high — related
• Prompting learners to self-explain, one generative strategy, improves learning by a moderate average amount; other generative activities are not tested by the evidence recorded here — related
• Concept mapping improves learning over most comparison conditions by a moderate average amount, but not over time-matched retrieval practice — related
• Instruction followed by either self-generated or provided illustrative examples outperformed instruction only on knowledge retention and transfer in student teachers — related
• Combining drawing with mentally imagining produces a negative effect of drawing, qualified by a significant interaction — related