Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Design Instructional Message Design John C. Bedward Assistant Professor of Education-STEM Buena Vista University, Iowa

Poll Questions What design rule did I break on the opening slide? Wait 10 minutes before responding. 1.Spatial contiguity 2.Temporal contiguity 3.Redundancy 4.Coherence

Multimedia Learning from words (e.g., spoken and printed) and representations (e.g., illustrations, photos, maps, graphs, animation, simulations and/or video) Environments (Static to Dynamic) – Online instructional presentations – Interactive lessons – E-courses – Simulation games – Virtual reality

Goal of Multimedia Learning Building coherent mental structures – The construction of schemata (formation and/or embellishment of new schemata) – Automaticity of schemata

Sounds Verbal Model Prior Knowledge Words Pictures Images Integrating Organizing Words Organizing Images Ears Eyes Selecting Words Selecting Images Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning Multimedia Presentation Sensory MemoryWorking Memory Long-Term Memory Pictorial Model Dual Channel: separate channels for processing auditory and visual information Limited Capacity: limited in the amount of information each channel can process Active Processing: attend to relevant incoming information, organize information into coherent mental structures and integrate mental representations with other information

Prior Knowledge Pictures Images Integrating Organizing Images Eyes Selecting Images Processing of Pictures Multimedia Presentation Sensory MemoryWorking Memory Long-Term Memory Sounds Verbal Model Words Organizing Words Ears Selecting Words Pictorial Model

WordsEars Sounds Verbal Model Prior Knowledge Integrating Organizing Words Selecting Words Processing of Spoken Words Multimedia Presentation Sensory MemoryWorking Memory Long-Term Memory Pictures Eyes Images Pictorial Model Organizing Images Selecting Images

Words Sounds Verbal Model Prior Knowledge Eyes Images Integrating Organizing Words Selecting Images Processing of Printed Words Multimedia Presentation Sensory MemoryWorking Memory Long-Term Memory Pictures Pictorial Model Organizing Images Ears Selecting Words

Poll Questions What is the biggest challenge to learning in rich media environments? 1.Inability to interact with information 2.Limited self-evaluation opportunities 3.Information design and composition 4.All of the above

Classic Principles of Multimedia Design Spatial Contiguity Temporal Contiguity Coherence ModalityRedundancy Individual Differences

Spatial Contiguity Students learn better when corresponding words and pictures are near rather than far from each other – Minimizes cognitive resources (i.e. visual search) – Ability to hold both types of information in working memory simultaneously

Template Example Natural monuments formed by erosion in Monument Park. The monuments are formed of Dawson arkose, layers of which have been hardened by a cement of iron oxides and have resisted weathering, thus forming a cap that has protected the softer rocks beneath. Two of these hard layers are shown in monument at left. El Paso County, Colorado Plate 12 in U.S. Geological Survey. Folio

Temporal Contiguity Students learn better when corresponding words (narration) and pictures (animation) are presented simultaneously rather than successively – Ability to hold both representations in working memory at the same time – Fosters greater mental connections between verbal and visual representations – Meshes well with dual code theory of learning – Minimizes cognitive load

Template Example Simultaneous narration with animation… Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Eruption of Kilauea Volcano beginning in Geologist measuring the height of a lava fountain. Photo by J.D. Griggs, March 28, Delayed narration with animation Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Eruption of Kilauea Volcano beginning in Geologist measuring the height of a lava fountain. Photo by J.D. Griggs, March 28, 1983.

Coherence Extraneous material is removed rather than included in the final design – Minimize words, pictures, sounds and duration – Helps learner focus and mentally organize key elements

Photographer: Marli Miller University of Oregon Caption: Ripples on sandy beach in southern Alaska. Ripple Marks Bedding Plane Irregularities Sand Waves Shorelines Sedimentary Structures Sedimentation Water Erosion Coastal Processes Geomorphology

Photographer: Marli Miller University of Oregon Caption: Ripples on sandy beach in southern Alaska. Earth Science World Image Bank Ripple Marks Sand Waves Sedimentary Structures

Modality Students learn better from animation and narration than animation and on-screen text – Eliminates cognitive load On-screen text As the sphere hit the ground it compressed transferring some of its energy…… Narrated Text

Redundancy Students learn better from animation and narration rather from animation, narration and text On-screen text As the sphere hit the ground it compressed transferring some of its energy…… Narrated Text

Individual Differences Design effects are stronger for low knowledge learners than for high knowledge learners, and for high spatial learners rather than low spatial learners – High knowledge learners can leverage their domain knowledge to build mental models even w/poorly designed multimedia

Conversational versus Formal Narration Conversational: First or second person; resembles human-to-human interactions; People work harder to understand material when they are in conversation Primes appropriate cognitive processes Formal: Impersonal perceived as simply receiving information

Time Remaining

Four-Component Instructional Design Model (4C-ID model)

What content knowledge do I need to know? Step by step processes or heuristics Survival skills to complete the adventure or sub-routines Supportive InformationProcedure InformationPart-Task Practice Integrated environments Learning Task

The learning environment – Integrates real-life or simulated tasks that may include problem solving aspects and reasoning aspects Goal is schema construction Design Principles Sequence: Sequence from simple to complex Fidelity: The realism/complexity of the environment; move from low to high fidelity environments Variability: Learning task must be sufficiently different from each other to promote abstract schemata Individualization: The learning difficulty adjust/adapts to the learner Training-wheels: Guiding the learner for process support (step-by-step); or constrain the learners performance Completion-strategy: students study completed followed by partial then complete conventional problems

Supportive Information Builds a bridge between current student knowledge and useful knowledge to complete the task Provide systematic approaches to problem solving Teaches theory by providing: – Domain models: “what is this?” – Conceptual models: “how is this organized?” – Structural models: “how does this work?” Cognitive Feedback: opportunity to compare personal solution with expert solution Design Principles Redundancy: The presentation of redundant information has a negative impact Self-explanation: Elicit self-explanation from learners by using pre-questions, a cognitive tutor or postponing feedback Self-pacing: Provide learners’ control over the pace of the learning experience (learner-controlled segments)

Procedural Information Providing just-in-time information useful in completing a task – How-to instruction – Pre-requisite information (i.e. definitions) – Corrective Feedback, based on the quality of the performance Promotes schema automation Design Principles Temporal, Split-attention: The simultaneous presentation of animation and narration/text and pictures Spatial-split attention: Text and images should be optically integrated within the learning task Signaling (attention-focusing): Drive the learners’ focus to critical aspects of the learning task, reducing visual search (i.e. point to something) Modality: Encourage dual mode techniques (images and narration)

Part-Task Practice Additional exercises (practice problems) for routine aspects of learning the task – Promotes automaticity (i.e. drill & practice) – Intermixed with learning tasks Design Principles Component Fluency: Drill and practice used to promote automaticity

References Mayer, R.E. (2005). The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press. Clark, R.C. and Mayer, R.E. E-Learning and the Science of Instruction. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.