The effects of procedural and conceptual knowledge on visual learning

Even though past research suggests that visual learning may benefit from conceptual knowledge, current interventions for medical image evaluation often focus on procedural knowledge, mainly by teaching classification algorithms. We compared the efficacy of pure procedural knowledge (three-point checklist for evaluating skin lesions) versus combined procedural plus conceptual knowledge (histological explanations for each of the three points). All students then trained their classification skills with a visual learning resource that included images of two types of pigmented skin lesions: benign nevi and malignant melanomas. Both treatments produced significant and long-lasting effects on diagnostic accuracy in transfer tasks. However, only students in the combined procedural plus conceptual knowledge condition significantly improved their diagnostic performance in classifying lesions they had seen before in the pre- and post-tests. Findings suggest that the provision of additional conceptual knowledge supported error correction mechanisms.