learning from text, verbal and nonverbal components, textbook use, university students

Learning from text and student´ learning strategies used have been widely analysed so far. However, a study, which focuses on learning techniques and learning from academic resources for tertiary education students, which is closely related to the above-mentioned research, has never been dealt with. The aim of the paper is to describe strategies which university student use when working with resources, and to find out which verbal and nonverbal components they use for their learning. These research findings will be important for further research, which is a comparison of the students´ preferences and the actual textbook use. The research will be based on the theory on learning from text. The qualitative methodology was applied. The main method, which was used, was a semi-structured interview with 10 students of Pedagogical Faculty of University of Ostrava in The Czech Republic. The respondents were chosen in accordance with the research method of maximum variability sampling (Cohen, Manion, 2018). The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Afterwards, the data analysis was performed through Open coding (Flick, 2006). ATLAS.ti, version 7, was used for analysing the qualitative data. Final findings were compared with the findings on the theory of learning from text, which had been done by eye-tracking technology allowing to detect the eye movement of the respondents. It is apparent that students prefer nonverbal components of the learning texts, especially pictures and graphic elements, which present new subject matter. Apparatus and methods for book handling seem to be of less importance. Students emphasise some of the features of the textbooks such as a good layout design and access to them.

Learning from text and student´ learning strategies used have been widely analysed so far. However, a study, which focuses on learning techniques and learning from academic resources for tertiary education students, which is closely related to the above-mentioned research, has never been dealt with. The aim of the paper is to describe strategies which university student use when working with resources, and to find out which verbal and nonverbal components they use for their learning. These research findings will be important for further research, which is a comparison of the students´ preferences and the actual textbook use. The research will be based on the theory on learning from text. The qualitative methodology was applied. The main method, which was used, was a semi-structured interview with 10 students of Pedagogical Faculty of University of Ostrava in The Czech Republic. The respondents were chosen in accordance with the research method of maximum variability sampling (Cohen, Manion, 2018). The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Afterwards, the data analysis was performed through Open coding (Flick, 2006). ATLAS.ti, version 7, was used for analysing the qualitative data. Final findings were compared with the findings on the theory of learning from text, which had been done by eye-tracking technology allowing to detect the eye movement of the respondents. It is apparent that students prefer nonverbal components of the learning texts, especially pictures and graphic elements, which present new subject matter. Apparatus and methods for book handling seem to be of less importance. Students emphasise some of the features of the textbooks such as a good layout design and access to them.