Review of the Chap3 of e-Learning and the Science of Instruction

 

Chapter 3 Applying the Multimedia Principle

Use words and graphics rather than words alone

n         Multimedia principle: include both words and graphics

ü         Based on cognitive theory and research evidence, we recommend that e-learning courses include both words and graphics rather than words alone.

²        Words mean printed text or spoken text

²        Graphics mean static illustrations such as drawings, charts, graphs, maps, or photos, and dynamic graphics such as animation or video.

²        Multimedia presentation refers to any presentation that contains both words and pictures.

ü         The rationale for our recommendation is that people are more likely to understand material when they can engage in active learning.

²        Multimedia presentations encourage learners to engage in active learning by mentally representing the material in words and pictures and by mentally making connections between the pictorial and verbal representations.

ü         Not to add pictures that decorate the page (decorative illustrations), but instead to add pictures that help the learner understand the material (explanative illustrations).

ü         The job of an instructional designer is not just to present information, but rather to encourage and enable the learners to make sense out of the material.

 

ü         Some types of explanatory graphics useful for learning

ü         Graphics to teach content types

²        Content types that profit from graphic support are procedures and processes.

²        See table 3.1

ü         Graphics as topic organizers

²        In addition to illustrating specific content types, graphics such as topic maps can serve an organizational function by showing relationships among topics in a lesson.

ü         Graphics to show relationships

²        Graphics in the form of dynamic and static graphs can make invisible phenomena visible and show relationships.

ü         Graphics as lesson interfaces

²        Courses designed using a guided discovery approach often use a graphical interface as a backdrop to present case studies.

n         Psychological reasons for the multimedia principle

ü         Information delivery theory: teaching consists of presenting information and learning consists of acquiring information.

ü         According to the information delivery theory, the format of information does not matter, as long as the information is delivered to the learner.

ü         Cognitive theory: learning is seen as a process of active sense-making and teaching is seen as an attempt to foster appropriate cognitive processing in the learner.

ü         Instructors must also enable and encourage learners to actively process the information.

ü         Adding relevant graphics to words is a powerful way to help learners engage in active learning.

n         Evidence for using words and pictures

ü         Multimedia effect-people learn more deeply from words and graphics than from words alone.

n         What to look for in e-learning

ü         Graphics and text are used to present instructional content.

ü         Graphics are relevant rather than decorative.

ü         Representative graphics are used to illustrate concrete facts, concepts, and their parts.

ü         Animation is used to illustrate processes, procedures, and principles.

ü         Organizational graphics are used to show relationships among ideas or lesson topics.

ü         Interpretative illustrations such as graphs are used to show relationships among variables or to make invisible phenomena visible.

ü         Graphics are used as a lesson interface for case studies.