Cognitive Theory of Multi-Media Learning : Guiding Principles for Designing Media Presentations

1. Cognitive Theory of Multi-Media Learning : Guiding Principles for Designing Media Presentations Based upon Research-Based Principles of Multimedia Learning By Richard E. Mayer

2. Cognitive Theory of Multi-Media Learning • The multi-media learning theory posits that learning is enhanced by a combination of words and pictures rather than from words alone. What this means is that the brain does not interpret a multimedia presentation of words, pictures, and auditory information in a mutually exclusive fashion; rather, these elements are selected and organized dynamically to produce logical mental constructs. • Design principles including providing coherent verbal, pictorial information, guiding the learners to select relevant words and images, and reducing the load for a single processing channel etc. can be entailed from this theory.

3. Theoretical Assumptions • The theory is based on three main assumptions: there are two separate channels (auditory and visual) for processing information; there is limited channel capacity; and that learning is an active process of filtering, selecting, organizing, and integrating information. The theory proposes three main assumptions when it comes to learning with multimedia: • Dual-Channels: There are two separate channels (auditory and visual) for processing information. • Each channel has a limited capacity. • Learning is an active process of filtering, selecting, organizing, and integrating information based upon prior knowledge.

4. Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

5. Challenges to Multimedia Learning • Reduce extraneous processing 2. Manage essential processing 3. Foster generative processing

6. Five Cognitive Processes for Meaningful Learning • Selecting words • Selecting images • Organizing words • Organizing images • Integrating

7. Three Demands on Multimedia Learning Extraneous processing Cognitive processing that is not related to the objective of the lesson. Involves no learning processes. Essential processing Basic cognitive processing that is relevant to the objective of the lesson. Involves selecting and some organizing. Generative processing Deep cognitive processing that is relevant to the objective of the lesson. Involves organizing and integrating.

8. Cognitive Capacity = Extraneous Processing + Essential Processing + Generative Processing Extraneous Overload Extraneous processing exhausts cognitive capacity. Occurs when lesson contains extraneous material or is poorly designed. Essential Overload Essential processing exhausts cognitive capacity. Occurs when lesson is difficult, lesson is presented at a fast pace, and the learner is unfamiliar with the material. Generative Underutilization Learner has cognitive capacity available but does not engage in sufficient generative processing. Occurs when learner lacks motivation, does not exert effort.

9. Reduce Extraneous ProcessingProblem: Extraneous Processing + Intrinsic Processing + Generative Processing Exceeds Cognitive CapacitySolution: Reduce Extraneous Processing • Coherence principle • Signaling principle • Redundancy principle • Spatial contiguity principle • Temporal contiguity principle

10. Coherence Principle People learn more deeply when extraneous material is excluded rather than included.

11. Signaling Principle People learn more deeply when cues are added that highlight the main ideas and organization of the words.

12. Redundancy Principle People learn more deeply from animation and narration than from animation, narration, and on-screen text.

13. Spatial Contiguity Principle People learn more deeply when corresponding printed words and graphics are placed near rather than far from each other on the page or screen.

14. Temporal Contiguity Principle People learn more deeply when corresponding graphics and narration are presented simultaneously rather than successively

15. Manage Essential ProcessingProblem: Essential Processing + Generative Processing Exceeds Cognitive CapacitySolution: Manage Essential Processing • Segmenting principle • Pre-training principle • Modality principle

16. Segmenting Principle: People learn more deeply when a narrated animation is presented in learner-paced segments than as a continuous unit.

17. Pre-training Principle People learn more deeply from a narrated animation when they have had training in the names and characteristics of the main concepts.

18. Modality Principle People learn more deeply from graphics and narration than from graphics and on-screen text.

19. Foster Generative ProcessingProblem: Insufficient Generative Processing AlthoughCognitive Capacity is AvailableSolution: Foster Generative Processing • Personalization principle • Voice principle

20. Personalization Principle People learn more deeply when words are in conversational style rather than formal style.

21. Voice Principle: People learn more deeply when the narration is spoken in a standard-accented human voice than a machine voice or foreign-accented human voice.