1. PRIOR KNOWLEDGE PRINCIPLE in MULTIMEDIA LEARNING
The learner’s prior knowledge is the most important learning prerequisite, it is clear that instructional principles should take prior knowledge into account.

2. The Information Processing Model
Working memory (a.k.a. short-term
memory) limitations profoundly influence the character of human information processing, and to considerable extent, shape human cognitive structure
Long-term Memory contains huge amounts of domain-specific knowledge that can be described as hierarchically organized schemas. The controlled use of
schemas require use of working
memory resources.
Working memory and long-term memory each play important roles in the learner’s information processing system.

3. Experienced Learners Novice or Beginner
Instruction-Based Guidance and The Learners’ Schemas
Novice or Beginner
Learners
Experienced
Lack sophisticated schemas
associated with task at hand
Instruction-based guidance act as
a means of constructing
schemas and if effective, act as a
means of enhancing their
learning
Failure to provide guidance
results in learners resorting to
problem-solving search strategies
that are cognitively inefficient
because they impose a heavy
working memory load.
Possess a large number of
domain-specific schemas and
bring them to the process
of constructing mental
representation of a task.
Additional instruction-based
guidance may not be needed
because their schemas provide
full guidance
Provision of additional
guidance can result in conflict
between schemas and
instruction-based guidance
The learner’s level of prior knowledge or expertise should guide teachers and instructional designers on the level of instruction-based guidance they provide.

4. Instructional Techniques/Effects Interact with
the Learner’s Level of Prior Knowledge or Expertise
SPLIT
ATTENTION
EFFECT
REDUNDANCY
MODALITY
WORKED
EXAMPLE
ISOLATED
ELEMENTS
IMAGINATION
Several instructional techniques/effects have been designed to facilitate schema construction and automation by reducing working memory load. However strong evidence has emerged that the effectiveness these techniques depend very much on levels of learner expertise.
“Instructional techniques that are highly effective with inexperienced learners
can lose their effectiveness and even have negative consequences when used
with experienced learners” (Kalyuga, 2003).

5. Major Implication for Instructional Design
“The need to tailor instructional
formats and procedures to the
learner’s changing levels of expertise”
(Kalyuga,2005).

6. REFERENCES & CREDITS
Information Processing Model (online image) Retrieved on April 12,2012 from
Kalyuga, S., Ayres, P., Chandler P.,& Sweller, J. (2003). Expertise reversal effect.
Educational Psychologist, 38,
Kalyuga, S. (2005). Prior knowledge principle. In R. Mayer (Ed), Cambridge
handbook of multimedia learning (pp ). New York : Cambridge University
Press.
Light bulb (online image) Retrieved on April 11 ,2012
from
The learner (online image) Retrieved on April 14, 2012 from
pushed-or-pulled/