- Title: Using multimedia for e-learning
- Authors: Richard Mayer
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Paper summary
This research paper examines 12 principles for effective multimedia e-learning design, grounded in cognitive theory. The principles focus on minimizing unnecessary cognitive load (extraneous processing), managing the mental representation of complex information (essential processing), and motivating learners to engage deeply with the material (generative processing). Empirical evidence supporting each principle, including effect sizes, is presented. The paper concludes by outlining a research agenda to further refine and expand these principles, addressing limitations of existing studies and exploring applications in diverse e-learning contexts and technologies. The ultimate goal is to optimize e-learning effectiveness based on robust scientific evidence.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
The sources highlight a number of important implications for teachers in the classroom, stemming from research on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. The theory suggests that teachers should design multimedia instructional messages that prime cognitive processes of selecting, organizing, and integrating, without overloading visual and verbal channels in working memory.
To reduce extraneous processing, or cognitive processing that does not support instructional goals, teachers should consider the following:
- Exclude extraneous material from multimedia lessons. For example, students scored better on tests when interesting but irrelevant facts were excluded from lessons on a range of scientific topics.
- Highlight essential material in multimedia lessons using visual and auditory cues. For instance, students performed better when key terms were emphasized in speech and headings were used to show organization.
- Present graphics and narration rather than graphics, narration, and on-screen text that repeats the narration. In one study, students scored better on tests on a range of topics when information was not presented redundantly.
- Place printed words near corresponding parts of the graphic. For example, students learned better when words were integrated with graphics, rather than separated, in lessons about scientific processes.
- Present narration and graphics simultaneously. One study showed that students performed better on tests when corresponding narration and graphics were presented at the same time, rather than successively.
To manage essential processing, or cognitive processing required to mentally represent presented material, teachers may want to:
- Break multimedia lessons into user-paced segments. Studies show that students performed better on tests when they could learn in segments, clicking to move to the next segment when they were ready.
- Familiarize students with key terms before a lesson. When students received pre-training on the names and locations of key components before watching an animation on car braking systems, they scored higher on posttests.
- Present words in spoken form rather than printed on the screen. Research suggests that students tend to learn better when words are presented as narration rather than on-screen text in multimedia lessons.
To foster generative processing, or cognitive processing aimed at making sense of the presented material, teachers should:
- Present words in conversational rather than formal style. Studies have shown that students may perform better on tests when words are presented conversationally.
- Use recordings of human voices rather than machine-synthesized voices. For instance, one study showed that people learned better when lessons about scientific topics were narrated by a human voice.
- Design lessons so that on-screen agents use human-like gestures and movement. When instructors drew illustrations on a whiteboard as they explained concepts, rather than standing motionless, students learned better.
Importantly, teachers should consider the boundary conditions of each design principle. For example, the personalization principle seems to be more effective for students with lower prior knowledge than those with high prior knowledge. Additionally, the embodiment principle may be less effective when lessons contain negative social cues, such as a machine-like voice. The sources emphasize the need for future research to examine the robustness of these principles in authentic classroom settings over a longer period of time.
Quote
The rationale for computer-based multimedia instruction is that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone, which can be called the multimedia principle
