Visualizing the Past: The Effect of Canva-Based Infographics on Students' Chronological Thinking in History Learning

Siti Kurniyah; Badarudin Badarudin; B. Fitri Rahmawati

doi:10.69875/djosse.v3i3.435

Authors

Siti Kurniyah Universitas Hamzanwadi
Badarudin Badarudin Universitas Hamzanwadi
B. Fitri Rahmawati Universitas Hamzanwadi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69875/djosse.v3i3.435

Keywords:

Chronological Thinking, Canva-Based Infographics, History Learning, Temporal Visualization

Abstract

Chronological thinking skills enable students to organize sequences, periodization, and temporal relationships in historical events. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of Canva-based infographics in developing students' chronological thinking skills in history learning. A quantitative approach was employed using a quasi-experimental method and a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 46 Grade 10 students at MA NW Kotaraja, comprising 22 students in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. The experimental group learned through Canva-based infographics, whereas the control group received regular instruction. Data were collected using a test that assessed students' ability to compare periodizations, construct temporal structures in narratives, and interpret timelines. The data were analyzed descriptively using normalized gain (N-gain) and inferentially using an independent-samples t-test. The experimental group's mean score increased from 37.86 to 67.23, with an N-gain of 0.47, whereas the control group's mean score increased from 45.54 to 48.42, with an N-gain of 0.03. The difference in N-gain between the groups was significant, t(44) = 7.062, p < .001, with a mean difference of 44.14 percentage points. These findings indicate that the use of Canva-based infographics was associated with a greater improvement in chronological thinking skills than regular instruction. Pedagogically, infographics can externalize temporal structures and help students organize historical information; however, their effectiveness depends on content accuracy, visual coherence, and the processing activities that accompany their use.

References

Adesope, O. O., & Nesbit, J. C. (2012). Verbal Redundancy in Multimedia Learning Environments : A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(1), 250–263. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026147

Ainsworth, S. (2006). DeFT : A conceptual framework for considering learning with multiple representations. Learning and Instruction, 16, 183–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2006.03.001

Alpizar, D., Adesope, O. O., & Wong, R. M. (2020). A meta ‑ analysis of signaling principle in multimedia learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(5), 2095–2119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09748-7

Brehmer, M., Lee, B., Bach, B., Riche, N. H., & Munzner, T. (2016). Timelines Revisited : A Design Space and Considerations for Expressive Storytelling. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 23(9), 2151–2164. https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2016.2614803

Canva. (2026). Tentang Canva Pendidikan. Canva for Education. https://www.canva.com/help/about-canva-for-education/

Cheng, C., Wu, Y., Wang, R., & Wang, Z. (2026). Seductive Details, Cognitive Load, and Learning Outcomes: A Multi-level Meta-analysis and MASEM. Educational Psychology Review, 38(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10099-z

Chi, M. T. H., & Wylie, R. (2014). The ICAP Framework : Linking Cognitive Engagement to Active Learning Outcomes The ICAP Framework : Linking Cognitive Engagement to Active Learning Outcomes. Educational Psychologist, 49(4), 219–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2014.965823

Clark, R. E. (1983). Reconsidering Research on Learning from Media. Review of Educational Research, 53(4), 445–459. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543053004445

Dara, M. C., & Setiawati, E. (2017). Pengaruh Penggunaan Media Timeline terhadap Kemampuan Berpikir Kronologis Pembelajaran Sejarah di SMAN 2 Metro. Jurnal HISTORIA, 5(1), 55–76.

Denny, M., Denieffe, S., & O’Sullivan, K. (2023). Non-equivalent Control Group Pretest–Posttest Design in Social and Behavioral Research. In A. L. Nichols & J. Edlund (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Research Methods and Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences: Volume 1: Building a Program of Research (pp. 314–332). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009010054.016

Dunlap, J. C., & Lowenthal, P. R. (2016). Getting graphic about infographics : design lessons learned from popular infographics. Journal of Visual Literacy, 35(1), 42–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2016.1205832

Eitel, A., Scheiter, K., Schüler, A., Nyström, M., & Holmqvist, K. (2013). How a picture facilitates the process of learning from text : Evidence for scaffolding. Learning and Instruction, 28, 48–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2013.05.002

Fardi, K. (2022). The concept of historical time in early childhood education : theoretical , methodological approaches and practice. History Education Research Journal, 19(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14324/HERJ.19.1.11

Fawns, T. (2022). An Entangled Pedagogy : Looking Beyond the Pedagogy — Technology Dichotomy. Postdigital Science and Education, 4, 711–728. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00302-7

Fiorella, L. (2023). Making Sense of Generative Learning. Educational Psychology Review, 35, 50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09769-7

Fiorella, L., & Mayer, R. E. (2016). Eight Ways to Promote Generative Learning. Educational Psychology Review, 28, 717–741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9348-9

Fiorella, L., & Zhang, Q. (2018). Drawing Boundary Conditions for Learning by Drawing. Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), 1115–1137. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9444-8

Groot-Reuvekamp, M. J. De, Boxtel, C. Van, Ros, A., & Harnett, P. (2014). The understanding of historical time in the primary history curriculum in England and the Netherlands The understanding of historical time in the primary. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 46(4), 487–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2013.869837

Hebert, M., Bohaty, J. J., Nelson, J. R., & Brown, J. (2016). The Effects of Text Structure Instruction on Expository Reading Comprehension : A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(5), 609–629. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/edu0000082

Hellenbrand, J., Mayer, R. E., Opfermann, M., Schmeck, A., & Leutner, D. (2019). How Generative Drawing Affects the Learning Process: An Eye-Tracking Analysis. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(6), 1147–1164. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3559

Holsanova, J., Holmberg, N., & Holmqvist, K. (2009). Reading Information Graphics : The Role of Spatial Contiguity and Dual Attentional Guidance. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23(9), 1215–1226. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp

Ilham, M., Mashuri, S., Hamzah, E. I., & Agustan, A. (2025). LIVING QUR’AN PERSPEKTIF PENDIDIKAN ISLAM: BELAJAR DARI TRADISI KEAGAMAAN ETNIS SASAK TRANSMIGRASI DI DESA KARYA MUKTI DONGGALA SULAWESI TENGAH. TA’LIM : Jurnal Studi Pendidikan Islam, 8(2), 258–275. https://doi.org/10.52166/talim.v8i2.10503

Jordheim, H. (2012). AGAINST Periodization: Koselleck’s Theory of Multiple Temporalities. History and Theory, 51(May), 151–171.

Kane, M. T. (2013). Validating the Interpretations and Uses of Test Scores. Journal of Educational Measurement, 50(1), 1–73. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/jedm.12000

Koning, B. B. de, Tabbers, H. K., Rikers, R. M. J. P., & Paas, F. (2009). Towards a Framework for Attention Cueing in Instructional Animations : Guidelines for Research and Design. Educational Psychology Review, 21, 113–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-009-9098-7

Kozma, R. B. (1994). Will Media Influence Learning ? Reframing the Debate. Ducational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 7–19. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299087

Lakens, D. (2013). Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science : a practical primer for t -tests and ANOVAs. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863

Lorenc, J., & Mrozowski, K. (2013). How is chronological thinking tested? Edukacja An Interdisciplinary Approach, 1, 84–97.

Lucero, M., Montanero, M., & Boxtel, C. Van. (2024). Semiempty collaborative concept mapping in history education: students’ engagement in historical reasoning and coconstruction. Instructional Science, 52, 557–581.

Mayer, R. E. (2024). The past, present, and future of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Educational Psychology Review, 36(1), 8.

Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2010). Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3801_6

Mccrudden, M. T., & Rapp, D. N. (2015). How Visual Displays Affect Cognitive Processing. Educational Psychology Review, 29(3), 623–639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9342-2

Noetel, Michael, Griffith, Shantell, Delaney, Oscar, Harris, Nicola Rose, Sanders, Taren, Parker, Philip, del Pozo Cruz, Borja, & Lonsdale, Chris. (2022). Multimedia Design for Learning: An Overview of Reviews With Meta-Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 92(3), 413–454. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211052329

Ofianto, O., Aman, A., Sariyatun, S., Bunar, B., Zahra, T. Z. N., & Marni, M. E. P. (2022). Media Timeline Development with the Focusky Application to Improve Chronological Thinking Skills. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 21(4), 114–133.

Oliver, M. (2011). Technological determinism in educational technology research: some alternative ways of thinking about the relationship between learning and technology. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 27(5), 373–384. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00406.x

Ozcelik, E., Karakus, T., Kursun, E., & Cagiltay, K. (2009). An eye-tracking study of how color coding affects multimedia learning. Computers & Education, 53(2), 445–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.03.002

Popa, N. (2022). Operationalizing Historical Consciousness : A Review and Synthesis of the Literature on Meaning Making in Historical Learning. Review of Educational Research, 92(2), 171–208. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211052333

Prangsma, M. E., Boxtel, C. A. M. Van, & Kanselaar, G. (2008). Developing a “big picture”: Effects of collaborative construction of multimodal representations in history. Instructional Science, 36(2), 117–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-007-9026-5

Rahmah, H., Takunas, R., & Hamzah, E. I. (2024). PENGUATAN PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER DALAM PEMBELAJARAN SEJARAH KEBUDAYAAN ISLAM DI MI ALKHAIRAAT POMBEWE KACAMATAN SIGI BIROMARU KABUPATEN SIGI. DISCOURSE: Indonesian Journal of Social Studies and Education, 2(1), 43–55. https://doi.org/10.69875/djosse.v2i1.153

Reisman, A. (2012). Reading Like a Historian: A Document-Based History Curriculum Intervention in Urban High Schools. Cognition and Instruction, 30(1), 86–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370008.2011.634081

Richter, J., Scheiter, K., & Eitel, A. (2016). Signaling text-picture relations in multimedia learning : A comprehensive meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 17, 19–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.12.003

Rinck, M. (2003). Processing of temporal information : Evidence from eye movements. Memory & Cognition, 31(1), 77–86.

Risko, E. F., & Gilbert, S. J. (2016). Cognitive Of floading. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(9), 676–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2016.07.002

Sailer, M., Maier, R., Berger, S., Kastorff, T., & Stegmann, K. (2024). Learning activities in technology-enhanced learning : A systematic review of meta-analyses and second-order meta-analysis in higher education. Learning and Individual Differences, 112(April), 102446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102446

Schneider, S., Beege, M., Nebel, S., Rey, G. D., & Schneider, S. (2017). A Meta-Analysis of How Signaling Affects Learning with Media. Educational Research Review, 23, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.11.001

Schroeder, N. L., & Cenkci, A. T. (2018). Spatial Contiguity and Spatial Split-Attention Effects in Multimedia Learning Environments : a Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), 679–701. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9435-9

Schurer, T., Opitz, B., & Schubert, T. (2020). Working Memory Capacity but Not Prior Knowledge Impact on Readers ’ Attention and Text Comprehension. Frontiers in Education, 5(6), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.00026

Seixas, P. (2015). A Model of Historical Thinking. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 1857(December), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2015.1101363

Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and Quasi-experimental Designs for Generalized Causal Inference. Houghton Mifflin. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=o7jaAAAAMAAJ

Speer, N. K., & Zacks, J. V. M. (2005). Temporal changes as event boundaries : Processing and memory consequences of narrative time shifts. Journal of Memory and Language, 53, 125–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2005.02.009

Stoel, G. L., Drie, J. P. van, & Boxtel, C. A. M. van. (2015). Teaching towards historical expertise . Developing a pedagogy for fostering causal reasoning in history. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 47(1), 49–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2014.968212

Sundararajan, N., & Adesope, O. (2020). Keep it Coherent : A Meta-Analysis of the Seductive Details Effect. Educational Psychology Review, 32(3), 707–734. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09522-4

Susanto, H., Amiruddin, K., Fathurrahman, Sriwati, Siswandari, & Akmal, H. (2025). Contributive Analysis Of The Use Of Digital Infographic Media On The Chronological Thinking Ability Of SMK Students. Jurnal Wahana Pendidikan, 12(2), 275–284. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25157/jwp.v12i2.18464

Sweller, J., Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design : 20 Years Later. Educational Psychology Review, 31(2), 261–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5

Traboco, L., Pandian, H., Nikiphorou, E., & Gupta, L. (2022). Designing Infographics : Visual Representations for Enhancing Education , Communication , and Scientific Research. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 37(27), 1–7. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e214

Tversky, B. (2011). Visualizing Thought. Topics in Cognitive Science, 3, 499–535. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-8765.2010.01113.x

van Drie, J., & van Boxtel, C. (2008). Historical Reasoning: Towards a Framework for Analyzing Students’ Reasoning about the Past. Educational Psychology Review, 20(2), 87–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-007-9056-1

Wilschut, A. (2019). Historical consciousness of time and its societal uses. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(6), 831–849. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2019.1652939

Wilson, K., Dudley, D., Dutton, J., Preval-mann, R., & Paulsen, E. (2023). A systematic review of pedagogical interventions on the learning of historical literacy in schools. History Education Research Journal, 20(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14324/HERJ.20.1.09

Wu, X. (2024). Exploring the effects of digital technology on deep learning: a meta-analysis. In Education and Information Technologies (Vol. 29, Issue 1). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12307-1

Zhang, Q., & Fiorella, L. (2019). Role of Generated and Provided Visuals in Supporting Learning from Scientific Text. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 59, 101808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101808