Principles for Managing Essential Processing in Multimedia Learning : Segmenting, Pretraining, and Modality Principles

Abstract

When a concise narrated animation containing complicated material is presented at a fast rate, the result can be a form of cognitive overload called essential overload. Essential overload occurs when the amount of essential cognitive processing (similar to intrinsic cognitive load) required to understand the multimedia instructional message exceeds the learner's cognitive capacity. Three multimedia design methods intended to minimize essential overload are the segmenting, pretraining, and modality principles. The segmenting principle is that people learn more deeply when a multimedia message is presented in learner-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit. This principle was supported in three out of three experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.98. The pretraining principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts. This principle was supported in seven out of seven experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.92. The modality principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when the words are spoken rather than printed. This principle was supported in 21 out of 21 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.97.

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