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Cognitive theory of multimedia learning
“People learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone”.
The quote above is true ... however, it's important to remember that just putting text and pictures together doesn't necessarily make for effective learning.
If you are using a variety of media in your teaching (test, images, video, interaction), you need to consider the best way for students to learn.
The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning gives guidance for informed multimedia instructional messages. This theory is based on three assumptions:
- Every humans has two separate channels for processing visual and auditory information (dual channels)
- Humans can only process a certain amount of information in each channel at one time (that is, they have limited capacity)
- Humans learn actively by paying attention to incoming information, organising selected information into undertandable mental representations, and integrating those representations with other knowledge (active processing)
For example, if a student is presented with an auditory information display (narration) at the same time as a visual information display (text), then the student will need to process this information using both channels.
However, in accordance with Priniple 2 above, the student's ability to process is limited. Therefore, the student's brain is forced to be selective with the information it chooses to keep, and which bits of information to make connections between.
Putting it into practice: Instructional goals for multimedia instruction
The table below offers a brief overview of three instructional goals in multimedia learning, bearing in mind the assumptions we discussed above.
You might find it useful to consider the various techniques listed in the third column when creating a multimedia learning activity.
|
Goal |
Representative technique |
Description of technique |
|
Minimize extraneous processing |
Coherence principle |
Eliminate extraneous (non-relevant) material |
|
|
Signaling principle |
Highlight essential material |
|
|
Redundancy principle |
Do not add printed text to spoken text |
|
|
Spatial contiguity |
Place printed text near corresponding graphic |
|
|
Temporal contiguity principle |
Present narration and the corresponding graphic simultaneously |
|
Manage essential processing |
Segmenting principle |
Break a presentation into parts |
|
|
Pre-training principle |
Describe names and characteristics of key elements before the lesson |
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Modality principle |
Use spoken rather than printed text |
|
|
Multimedia principle |
Use words and pictures together rather than words alone |
|
Foster generative processing |
Personalization principle |
Put words in conversational style |
|
|
Voice principle |
Use human voice for spoken words |
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Embodiment principle |
Give on-screen characters humanlike gestures |
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Guided discovery principle |
Provide hints and feedback as learner solves problems |
|
|
Self-explanation principle |
Ask learners to explain a lesson to themselves |
|
|
Drawing principle |
Ask learners to make drawings for the lesson |
Interesting resource
Mayer, R 2014, 'Cognitive theory of multimedia learning', Richard Mayer, The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 43-71