ABSTRACT
Gestures using the index finger to point and trace have been found across a variety of studies to benefit learning. This study investigated the effects of pointing and tracing on learning from expository text and diagrams from the perspective of cognitive load theory. Thirty university students were instructed to gesture or not gesture while learning about the structure and function of the human heart; self-reported ratings of difficulty were used after each page to measure overall cognitive load. Participants in the gesture group performed significantly better than the non-gesture group on terminology and comprehension tests, and also rated the lesson as less difficult, indicating lower cognitive load. The results of this study suggest that instructions to point and trace while studying complex materials may lower cognitive load while improving learning outcomes. Future research should seek to determine the specific cognitive processes and sources of cognitive load underpinning the tracing effect.
