A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

EDIT 610 – Multimedia Authoring

Multimedia Messages

“Multimedia messages that are designed in light of how the human mind works are more likely to lead to meaningful learning than those that are not.”

(2003, Mayer, p.41)

A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

“A cognitive theory of multimedia learning assumes that the human information processing system includes dual channels for visual/pictorial and auditory/verbal processing, that each channel has limited capacity for processing and that active learning entails carrying out a coordinated set of cognitive processes during learning.”

(2003, Mayer, p.41)

Five Steps in Multimedia Learning Selecting relevant words from presented or

narrated text Selecting relevant images from the presented

illustrations Organizing the selected words into a coherent

verbal presentation Organizing selected images into a coherent

visual presentation Integrating the visual and verbal

representations and prior knowledge(2003, Mayer, p.41)

Three Criteria for Learner-Centered Design

Intelligibility – the principles are derived from cognitive theory of multimedia learning

Plausibility – the principles are consistent with empirical research on multimedia learning

Applicability – the principles can be applied to new multimedia learning situations

(2003, Mayer)

Three Assumptions about Cognitive Learning Theory

Dual Channels Limited Capacity Active Processing

(2003, Mayer)

Three Assumptions about Cognitive Learning Theory

Dual Channels Humans possess separate channels

for processing visual and auditory information

(2003, Mayer)

Three Assumptions about Cognitive Learning Theory

Limited Capacity Humans are limited in the amount of

information that they can process in each channel at one time.

(2003, Mayer)

Three Assumptions about Cognitive Learning Theory

Active Processing Humans engage in active learning by

attending to relevant incoming information, organizing selected information into coherent mental representations, and integrating mental representations with other knowledge.

(2003, Mayer)

Dual-Channel Assumption

“The dual-channel assumption is that humans possess separate information processing channels for visually represented material and auditorily represented material.”

(Mayer, 2003, p.46)

Limited-Capacity Assumption

“… human are limited in the amount of information that can be processed in each channel at one time.”

Limited-Capacity Assumption

“Although there are individual differences, average memory span is fairly small – approximately five to seven chunks.”

Active Cognitive Processes

“… humans actively engage in cognitive processing to construct a coherent mental representation of their experience.” Paying attention Organizing incoming information Integrating incoming information with

other information

Knowledge Construction

Process structures – cause & effect chains

Comparison structures – comparing elements

Generalization structures – main idea & subordinate skills

Enumeration structures – lists of items Classification structures – hierarchies

Multimedia Design Implications

Presented materials should have a coherent structure

Messages should provide guidance on how to build appropriate structures

Five Steps for Multimedia Design

Select relevant words Select relevant images Organize selected words Organize selected images Integrate word-based and picture-

based representations