Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning

TL;DR: It is argued that ubiquitously measuring pupillary response could transform the next generation of context aware computing applications---enabling computational devices to understand a user's current ability to process information, especially for users with cognitive disabilities.

TL;DR: The findings indicate that images fulfilled important descriptive and mnemonic functions when students were introduced to new concepts, but their role was limited in practices that required students to analyze and synthesize knowledge.

TL;DR: Empirical studies and numerical simulations show that the overall smart network-enabled e-grammar learning system has desirable characteristics to motivate learners and manage their overall cognitive load, which suggest the promising capability of the proposed system.

TL;DR: An interdisciplinary approach to designing and evaluating portal-based messages that convey clinical test results so as to support patient-centered care and an approach to evaluating whether the formats improve comprehension of and responses to the messages about test results.

TL;DR: A wide variety of media can be used in learning, including distance learning, such as print, lectures, conference sections, tutors, pictures, video, sound, and computers.

TL;DR: In this paper, the consequences of split-source and integrated information using electrical engineering and biology instructional materials were evaluated in an industrial training setting, and the results indicated that the materials chosen were unintelligible without mental integration.

Abstract: Multimedia (as used in this book) refers to the presentation of material using both words and pictures. The case for multimedia rests in the premise that learners can better understand an explanation when it is presented in words and pictures than when it is presented in words alone. Multimedia messages can be described in terms of the delivery media (e.g., amplified speaker and computer screen), presentation mode (e.g., words and pictures), or sensory modalities (e.g., auditory and visual). The process of multimedia learning can be viewed as information acquisition (in which multimedia messages are information delivery vehicles) or as knowledge construction (in which multimedia messages are aids to sense making). Three possible learning outcomes are no learning (as indicated by poor retention and poor transfer performance), rote learning (as indicated by good retention and poor retention performance), and meaningful learning (as indicated by good retention and transfer performance). Meaningful learning outcomes depend on the cognitive activity of the learner during learning rather than on the learner's behavioral activity during learning . WHAT IS MULTIMEDIA? The term multimedia means different things to different people. For some people, multimedia means that a person sits at a computer terminal and receives a presentation consisting of on-screen text, on-screen graphics or animation, and sounds coming from the computer's speakers – as with an on-line multimedia encyclopedia. For some people, multimedia means a “live” presentation in which a group of people seated in a room views images presented on one or more screens and hears music or other sounds presented via speakers.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss cognitive load measurement techniques with regard to their contribution to cognitive load theory (CLT), which is concerned with the design of instructional methods that efficiently use people's limited cognitive processing capacity to apply acquired knowledge and skills to new situations (i.e., transfer).