Multimedia Learning Theory Tommy Gober, MS LeTourneau University.

MultimediaLearning

TheoryTommy Gober, MS

LeTourneau University

Rich Mayer, PhD

• Professor of Psychology• University of California – Santa Barbara• Research science of learning• Father of “Multimedia Learning Theory”

Multimedia Learning Theory

• No CD-ROMs, tape reels, or “technology”• How we learn through various mediums• …or “Multimodal Theory of Learning”• How we learn through various channels

(primarily auditory + visual)

Three Principles to Draw From

Name Definition

Dual channels People have separate channels for processing verbal and visual material

Limited capacity People can process only small amounts of material in each channel at any one time

Active processing Meaningful learning occurs when learners engage in appropriate cognitive processing during learning (higher order, Blooms, etc)

Cognitive Theory

How Does Multimedia Learning Work?

Process Description Location

Selecting Paying attention to relevant words and pictures

Transfer information from sensory memory to working memory

Organizing Organizing selected words and pictures into coherent mental representations

Manipulate information in working memory

Integrating Connecting verbal and pictorial representations with each other and prior knowledge

Transfer knowledge from long term memory to working memory

Measuring Learning

Type of test Goal of test Definition Example

Retention Remembering Recall or recognize the presented material

Please write down all you remember about the device described in the lesson.

Transfer Understanding Evaluate or use the material in a new situation

How would improving the device you just learned about to make it more effective?

Three Kinds of Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Cognitive description

Retention test score

Transfer test score

No learning No knowledge Poor Poor

Rote learning Fragmented knowledge

Good Poor

Meaningful learning

Integrated knowledge

Good Good

Extraneous Processing Cognitive processing that does not support the objective

of the lesson; poor instructional design (multitasking)

Essential Processing Basic cognitive processing required to mentally

represent the presented material; complex material

Generative Processing Deep cognitive processing required to make sense of the

material; motivated learners, effort

Three Demands on Learners

Three Goals for Good Design

Reduce extraneous processing Manage essential processing Foster generative processing

DesignPrincipl

es

Coherence Principle

People learn better when extraneous words, pictures and sounds are excluded rather than included.

Signaling Principle

People learn better when cues that highlight the organization of the essential material are added.

Redundancy Principle

People learn better from graphics and narration than from graphics, narration and on-screen text.

Spatial Contiguity Principle

People learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen.

Temporal Contiguity Principle

People learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously rather than successively.

Enough with the animations!

Segmenting Principle

People learn better from a multimedia lesson is presented in user-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit.

Pre-training Principle

People learn better from a multimedia lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts.

Modality Principle

People learn better from graphics and narrations than from animation and on-screen text.

Multimedia Principle

People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.

Personalization Principle

People learn better from multimedia lessons when words are in conversational style rather than formal style.

Voice Principle

People learn better when the narration in multimedia lessons is spoken in a friendly human voice rather than a machine voice.

Image Principle

People do not necessarily learn better from a multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is added to the screen.

Examples

Narration on each slide,reads caption verbatim.

References

12 Principles of Multimedia Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved January 1, 2015, from http://hartford.edu/academics/faculty/fcld/data/documentation/technology/presentation/powerpoint/12_principles_multimedia.pdf

Mayer, R. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mayer, R., UC Santa Barbara. (2014, May 5). Retrieved January, 2015, from http://hilt.harvard.edu/event/richard-e-mayer-uc-santa-barbara

Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.

Pappas, C. (2014, February 5). Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Design - eLearning Industry. Retrieved January 1, 2015, from http://elearningindustry.com/cognitive-load-theory-and-instructional-design

Reiser, R. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.