1. Multimedia Instruction
Ileana Wilburg
EME 660- Spring 2014

3. Objectives To define multimedia instruction
To explore the history of multimedia instruction
To discuss how learning works
To discuss the principles in designing multimedia instruction

4. What is multimedia instruction?
Instruction that includes words and pictures
Pictures such as illustrations, graphs, animation, video. Multimedia instruction can be presented on paper, on the computer, mobile device, slide presentation, etc..

6. History Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Introduction of instructional illustrations
Mid-1600s
Phase 2
Scientific study of learning with illustrations and text
Mid-1900s
Phase 3
Scientific study of multimedia learning in computer based environments
Late 1900s
Phase 1- textbooks, such as Orbis Pictus
Phase 2- Adding illustrations to text, such as engineering books
Phase 3- slide presentations, computer based training, narrated animation, virtual reality, interactive simulations

7. History, cont. Phase 1 First illustrated textbook
John Comenius’ Orbis Pictus- 1658
First picture book for children
Engineering Textbooks
(Flickr, Creative Commons)

8. History, cont. Phase 2 Phase 3
The scientific study of how people learn with words and illustrations
Large effect when used to promote thinking
Phase 3
Computer-based instruction
PPT
Computer-based training
Simulations
Virtual reality
Narrated animation

9. How do we learn? Three Principles
Dual channels
Limited capacity
Active process
Cognitive theory of multimedia learning
In studying how people learn through multimedia instruction, the goal is to understand how people learn from words and pictures
Dual channels- People have separate channels for processing verbal and pictorial material
Limited capacity- people can process a few pieces of information in each channel at a time
Active processing- meaningful learning occurs when people enagage in appropriate cognitive processing during learning, including attending to relevant information, organizing it and integrating it to their long term memory
This leads us to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. This figure is found on page 388 in the chapter and shows how multimedia is processed.
For those that were in Learning Theories, what was the theory called that uses this type of learning? Answer: Information Processing Theory
(Mayer, 2014, p. 388)

10. How do you design instruction?
Three demands on learner’s cognitive capacity during learning
(Mayer, 2009, p. 80)
Type of Processing
Definition
Cause
Extraneous
Cognitive processing that does not serve instructional goal
Poor instructional design
Essential
Cognitive processing required to represent material as presented
Complexity of material
Generative
Cognitive processing required for deeper thinking
Motivation of learner
The main focus of primary instruction is to guide the learners through the cognitive process that we just discussed.
According to Sweller’s cognitive load theory and Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning, there are three kinds of demands that learners go through when learning.
~It is then our goal to address these demands when creating multimedia instruction

11. Multimedia instruction principles
Three main goals
Reduce extraneous processing
Manage essential processing
Foster generative processing
Twelve principles
Therefore, our three main goals in creating multimedia instruction are…
There are a total of 12 evidence-based principles to accomplish these goals, which we will now discuss

12. Reducing Extraneous Processing
Principle
Definition
Coherence Principle
People learn better when extraneous words, pictures, and sounds are excluded
Signaling Principle
People learn better when cues that highlight the essential material is added
Redundancy Principle
People learn better from graphics and narration than from graphics, narration, and on-screen text
Spatial Contiguity Principle
People learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other
Temporal Contiguity Principle
People learn better when corresponding word and pictures are presented simultaneously rather than successively
Definition: Cognitive processing that does not serve instructional goal
Coherence- in other words, does the media serve a purpose or is it there for “decoration?”. Adding unnecessary music that does not serve a purpose can also reduce the effectiveness of the material.
Signaling- this can be done in various ways:
Verbal- bolding the font, emphazing the voice on the important term, adding a graphic or a sequence “first, second, third, etc”
Visual- arrows, spotlight. However, you must be careful when using arrows and graphics, too much can defer the learning process as well
Redunancy- again, you do not want to have too much. For example, when I watch movies with subtitles, I end up focusing on the words rather than the movie and what they are saying
Spatial Contiguity- self explanatory…when formatting your papers, try to have it all on the same page rather than separate
Temporal Contiguity- important to have the audio playing simultaneously with the information
(Mayer, 2009, p. 267)

13. Managing Essential Processing
Principle
Definition
Segmenting Principle
People learn better when a multimedia lesson is presented in segments rather than in one continuous unit
Pre-training Principle
People learn better from a multimedia lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts
Modality Principle
People learn better from graphics and narration than from animation and on-screen text
Cognitive processing required to represent material as presented
Segmenting- For example, having chapters or separate slides. Better retention when you learn in segments than all at once. You do not want to overwhelm your learner.
Pre-training principle- Less processing is required, as the learners already know the main concepts. What the learner will then be learning is further details on the concept.
Modality- Taking away the onscreen text takes frees up the capacity for the learner to process graphics. This principle has been tested more than any of the other principles and has had a high level of support.
(Mayer, 2009, p. 268)

14. Fostering Generative Processing
Principle
Definition
Multimedia Principle
People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone
Personalization Principle
People learn better from multimedia lessons when words are in conversational style rather than formal style
Voice Principle
People learn better when the narration in multimedia lessons is spoken is a friendly human voice
Image Principle
People do not necessarily learn better from a multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is added to the screen
Cognitive processing required for deeper thinking
Multimedia- learners build better connections when they have some type of picture
Personalization- instead of lecturing, have more of a conversational lesson with discussions. That’s one thing that I’ve enjoyed about this program, our class discussions. When there is something from the reading, I end up understanding it more when we discuss it in class.
Voice- when creating multimedia or online content, use your voice (or someone else’s) rather than a computerized voice when doing your voiceovers
Image- this goes more towards the “decoration” piece, having the author’s picture in the presentation does not better or worsen the presentation.
(Mayer, 2009, p. 268)

16. Conclusion Multimedia- consists of words and pictures
Concern on developing research-based theory on how people learn with words and pictures
Three main goals of multimedia instruction
Twelve principles
Next steps
To continue research
What determines whether added material is relevant
Determine boundary conditions on principles

17. Questions?

18. References
Mayer, R. (2014). Multimedia Instruction in J.M. Spector et al. (eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology. New York: Springer Science+Business Media. Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press. Orbis Pictus | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2014, from Using Multimedia in the classroom - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2014, from What is Multimedia? MMD-RSU - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2014, from