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Cognitive theory of multimedia learning is one of the cognitivist learning theories introduced by an American psychology professor Richard Mayer in the 1990s. This theory is a sub-theory of the cognitive load theory applied especially for multimedia learning, and therefore has many similarities with it. Basic assumption of Mayer's theory is that the human working memory has two sub-components that work in parallel (visual and verbal/acoustic) and that learning can be more successful if both of this channels are used for information processing at the same time.
Mayer's theory is based on three assumptions suggested by cognitive research1)2):
Cognitive theory of multimedia learning accepts terms of extraneous and intrinsic cognitive load, but instead of germane cognitive load introduced by cognitive load theory, Mayer refers to the active processing and organizing which defines learning.
Together with cognitive load theory, the mentioned assumptions of cognitive theory of multimedia learning form a framework which serves as the theoretical basis for most contemporary research on learning. This research resulted in a number of so called principles or effects describing different phenomena related to learning. Principles of cognitive theory of multimedia learning identified by Mayer11) and other researchers are the following:
Principle | Description | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Modality principle | Learning will be enhanced if presenting textual information in an auditory format, rather than in visual format, when it is accompanied with other visual information like a graph, diagram or animation.12) | |||
Redundancy principle | Capacity of both human information channels can unnecessarily be overloaded by redundant information presented through both channels thereby negatively affecting learning process.13) | |||
Split-attention effect | “when each source of information is essential for understanding the represented subject matter, learning improves when multiple sources of information are presented in a spatially and temporally integrated rather than separated format.”14) Split attention effect can here be interpreted as spatial or temporal resulting in spatial and temporal contiguity effect. | |||
Spatial contiguity principle | Information processing is easier when two related visual information sources are closer to one other. For example, text placed near the referred place in the diagram will result in more successful learning than if it is placed under the diagram. | |||
Temporal contiguity principle | Simultaneous presentation of related information should be most similar to the way human mind operates and has provided good experimental results, same as presenting related multi-modal information with very short time differences. | |||
Coherence principle | (Also called seductive details effect) claims that extraneous material that may be interesting or motivating but is irrelevant and generally wastes learning resources. | |||
Individual differences principle | It emphasizes influence of prior knowledge and cognitive capacity to results of learning. Design effects are stronger for learners with little prior knowledge, and for high-spatial learners who have higher cognitive capacity to mentally integrate verbal and visual information. | |||
Some of the effects and learning aids researched also in frames of cognitive theory of multimedia learning and cognitive load theory are:
Effect | Description | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Signaling effect | (Signaling or cuing) presents the increase in the learning outcomes due to promotion of attention to relevant information. Signals are based on natural attention attractors like movement or contrast. In multimedia this can also be achieved through underlining, arrows or color-coding.15) | |||
Segmenting effect | Learning should be more efficient if a continued animation or narration could be split into more smaller parts.16) | |||
Worked examples effect17) | The reduction in imposed cognitive load due to “… a step-by-step demonstration of how to perform a task or how to solve a problem.”18) | |||
Expertise reversal effect19) | “Instructional techniques that are highly effective with inexperienced learners can lose their effectiveness and even have negative consequences when used with more experienced learners.”20) | |||
Explanation prompts21) | Prompting students to self-explain steps of a worked example or a procedure they're studying has a positive effect on conceptual knowledge.22) | |||
Collaborative learning | When the complexity of the material to be learned is low, individual learning is more effective and more efficient than collaborative. For complex materials, collaborative learning is superior since it allows sharing working memory load among participants.23) | |||
Schema activation | “Activation and utilization of learners' prior knowledge.”24) | |||
Learner control | “Too much control causes cognitive overload and even experts might experience difficulties in selecting, sequencing and pacing huge amounts of information.” 25) | |||
Principles of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning have a very practical application in educational theory. As stated by Mayer26), these principals suggest that students learn better
All of this design effects are stronger for low-knowledge learners than for high knowledge learners, and for high-spatial learners rather than for low-spatial learners.
Cognitive theory of multimedia learning is mostly subjected to same criticisms as the cognitive load theory since it is an extension of it.
Baddeley, Alan D. Is Working Memory Still Working? European Psychologist 7, no. 2: 85-97. July 2002.