Graphic organizers as aids to text learning

Abstract

In recent years, advances in computer software have made it possible for persons with little knowledge of text design to construct graphic organizers (GOs) with the intention of helping students learn more effectively from textbooks. Consequently, the use of GOs in textbooks has increased dramatically. Unfortunately, the guidelines used in constructing GOs have not been based on empirical evidence, but rather on the authors’ intuition. This is probably due to the lack of consensus among educators regarding what makes a GO effective, because GO research has been nonsystematic. This paper provides a rationale for the use of GOs, traces their history and development, reviews sixteen studies that have used GOs as text adjuncts, and, unlike other recent reviews of GOs, discusses limitations that have made GO research nonsystematic and provides suggestions for how future research may answer the question, “How should GOs be constructed for use in classrooms?”