Hypermedia exploration stimulates multiperspective reasoning in elementary school children with high working memory capacity: A tablet computer study

The present study investigated learners' ability to explore and learn information as well as to engage in multiperspective reasoning in a multiperspective hypermedia environment (MHE) compared to a linear environment. Specifically, we hypothesized a moderating role of a thus-far empirically unattended but theoretically important learning prerequisite for multiperspective learning settings, namely, working memory (WM) capacity. Results revealed that fourth-graders (N = 186) with high WM capacity performed better in a multiperspective reasoning task after having explored an MHE than after having explored a linear environment, whereas there were no differences for students with low WM capacity. However, irrespective of WM capacity, students performed better in a set of exploration and factual learning tasks when working on the linear environment than when working on the MHE. To conclude, the exploration of an MHE stimulates multiperspective reasoning in fourth-graders with high WM capacity, although exploration and learning performance per se is decreased.