Erin Ryan, Amy Brown, Joe Abernathy, Tara Ramsey AET 541/E-learning March 28, 2011 Garth Beerman

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 Multimedia principle – words and graphics  Static illustrations – drawings, charts, graphs, maps, or photos  Flash animations – video clips or moving animations  Polished color visuals – realistic, detailed pictures  Interpretive graphics – static frames with explanations

 Contiguity principle – information and graphics separated  Personalization principle – conversational written text, effective on-screen coaches, visible authors  Segmenting principle – Breaking lessons into smaller chunks  Pretraining principle – Learners knowing key concepts  Worked examples – Step-by-step demonstration

Designers of E-Learning courseware must approach their task with a thorough understanding of how the human mind works during the learning process and which factors promote learning (Clark & Mayer, 2008). Six Media Element Principles of Multimedia Instruction:  The Multimedia Principle  The Contiguity Principle  The Modality Principle  The Redundancy Principle  The Coherence Principle  The Personalization Principle

PrincipleDescription Psychological Rationale Application Multimedia Graphics with words can improve learning The theory of Dual Encoding suggests verbal and visual channels exist to promote encoding into long-term memory. Graphics may be static or dynamic but must be congruent to the type of content presented. Contiguity Effective placement of graphics can improve learning. The human mind has limited working capacity. Pair text and related graphic as closely together as possible to promote learning. Modality Use of audio to explain complex visuals can improve learning. The working memory is limited and can be expanded with opportunities incorporating phonetic and visual processing. Audio features incorporated when visual overload is most likely. Redundancy Presenting the content in words and audio that reads the exact same words can be counterproductive. Overloading of dual channels often occurs when the graphic is explained through text on the screen and simultaneous narration. Present words in text and through narration ONLY when there is no graphic information on the screen. Coherence Use of extraneous visuals, text, and audio can depress learning. Activates irrelevant prior knowledge or presents stimuli that disrupts coherent mental models- compromising the learner’s working memory Implement “less is more” concept. Facilitate learning through cognitive interest vs. emotional interest. Personalization Use of conversational tone and pedagogical agents can promote learner engagement. Use of conversational tone and/or pedagogical agents stimulate embedded social conventions that allow the learner to invest more attention in the content. Agent should serve as a valid contribution to instruction and text should reflect first and/or second person speakers.

Visuals incorporated with text Spoken words – audio narration Worked examples Pedagogical Agents - Online tutor

Break lessons into manageable pieces Self-explanation questions Conversational style of writing

 Words without graphics  Spoken words with static frames or graphics can distort reality  Avoid adding any material that does not support the instructional goal.  Avoid e-lessons with extraneous audio  Avoid e-lessons with extraneous graphics  Avoid e-lessons with extraneous words

Microphones Software: Soundtrack Pro, Audacity Podcasting Audio formats: SyberWorks, Web Author Technologies for audio in e- learning Appropriate use for technologies Effects of audio in the e-learning environment Enhanced learning through integration of audio Audio In E-Learning Audio eliminates competition among visual elements that could otherwise depress learning and equalizes process distribution Learning is maximized when cognitive channels auditory/verbal and visual/pictorial are activated Minimizing overload of the learners channels, graphics serve as the focus of text when supplemented with narration in lieu of on-screen text “Students who received narration and graphics performed better on solving transfer problems than did students who received on-screen text and graphics” (Clark & Mayer, 2008) When the graphic is the focus of the words and both graphic and spoken words are presented simultaneously When the learner is not a native speaker or familiar with the information, printed text may be necessary Add narrating on-screen text when: there are no pictures, learner has ample time to process pictures and words Learner is likely to have difficulty processing spoken words Spoken words added to text commits the learning into long term memory Adding audio to text and the graphics emphasizes information to learner Adding spoken words to graphics can be used for narration Adding spoken words to text can help a learner that has a hard time reading Adding spoken words and audio can assist the learner with the main idea

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven guidelines for consumer and designer of multimedia learning. (2nd ed.) San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.