Field Dependence and Contextual Organizers

The effectiveness of contextual organizers varying in format and placement was evaluated for subjects of three cognitive styles during computer-assisted instruction. In addition to the field-dependent and field-independent groups, consideration was given to the middle, field-intermediate, group. Treatments included written advance organizers, written postorganizers, illustrative advance organizers, illustrative postorganizers, and a nontreatment control condition. Major findings were that illustrative advance organizers were significantly more effective for field-dependent subjects, illustrative postorganizers were significantly more effective for field-intermediate subjects, contextual organizers increased in effectiveness as memory of the contextual organizers decreased; and, of particular importance to educators, the instructional needs of the field-intermediate group were qualitatively different and not a moderation of those of the extreme groups.