Combining drawing with mentally imagining produces a negative effect of drawing, qualified by a significant interaction¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? A significant interaction showed drawing combined with mentally imagining harmed performance, while drawing alone gave a slight advantage over reading. → Dechamps 2025

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 Leutner et al. (2009), learning the chemistry of water molecules with a multiple-choice comprehension test, "a negative effect of drawing was found when drawing was combined with mentally imagining" as shown by a significant interaction; drawing without additional strategies gave a slight advantage.

"a negative effect of drawing was found when drawing was combined with mentally imagining the learning contents as indicated by a significant interaction effect of these two factors."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Imagining worked examples benefits learners with adequate prior knowledge but harms performance for low-knowledge learners — related
• Drawing to learn shows positive effects on learning performance compared with non-generative and text-focused learning strategies — related
• Combining tracing with imagining (tracing with closed eyes) reduced problem-solving times compared to no tracing and imagining in worked-example mathematics learning — related