Multimedia
Learning
Theory
Tommy Gober, MS
LeTourneau University
Rich Mayer, PhD
• Professor of Psychology
• University of California – Santa Barbara
• Research science of learning
• Father of “Multimedia Learning Theory”
Multimedia Learning Theory
• No CD-ROMs, tape reels, or “technology”
• How we learn through various mediums
• …or “Multimodal Theory of Learning”
• How we learn through various channels
(primarily auditory + visual)
Three Principles to Draw From
Name
Definition
Dual channels
People have separate channels for
processing verbal and visual material
Limited capacity
People can process only small amounts
of material in each channel at any one
time
Active processing
Meaningful learning occurs when
learners engage in appropriate cognitive
processing during learning (higher
order, Blooms, etc)
Cognitive Theory
How Does Multimedia Learning Work?
Process
Description
Location
Selecting
Paying attention to relevant
words and pictures
Transfer information from
sensory memory to
working memory
Organizing
Organizing selected words and
pictures into coherent mental
representations
Manipulate information in
working memory
Integrating
Connecting verbal and pictorial
representations with each other
and prior knowledge
Transfer knowledge from
long term memory to
working memory
Measuring Learning
Type of test
Goal of test
Definition
Example
Retention
Remembering
Recall or recognize
the presented
material
Please write down
all you remember
about the device
described in the
lesson.
Transfer
Understanding
Evaluate or use the How would
material in a new
improving the
situation
device you just
learned about to
make it more
effective?
Three Kinds of Learning Outcomes
Learning
Outcomes
Cognitive
description
Retention test
score
Transfer test score
No learning
No knowledge
Poor
Poor
Rote learning
Fragmented
knowledge
Good
Poor
Meaningful
learning
Integrated
knowledge
Good
Good
Three Demands on Learners
 Extraneous Processing
 Cognitive processing that does not support the objective
of the lesson; poor instructional design (multitasking)
 Essential Processing
 Basic cognitive processing required to mentally
represent the presented material; complex material
 Generative Processing
 Deep cognitive processing required to make sense of the
material; motivated learners, effort
Three Goals for Good Design
 Reduce extraneous processing
 Manage essential processing
 Foster generative processing
Design
Principles
Coherence Principle
People learn better when extraneous words, pictures
and sounds are excluded rather than included.
Signaling Principle
People learn better when cues that highlight the
organization of the essential material are added.
Redundancy Principle
People learn better from graphics and narration than
from graphics, narration and on-screen text.
Spatial Contiguity Principle
People learn better when corresponding words and
pictures are presented near rather than far from
each other on the page or screen.
Temporal Contiguity Principle
People learn better when corresponding words and
pictures are presented simultaneously rather than
successively.
Segmenting Principle
People learn better from a multimedia lesson is
presented in user-paced segments rather than as a
continuous unit.
Pre-training Principle
People learn better from a multimedia lesson when
they know the names and characteristics of the main
concepts.
Modality Principle
People learn better from graphics and narrations
than from animation and on-screen text.
Multimedia Principle
People learn better from words and pictures than
from words alone.
Personalization Principle
People learn better from multimedia lessons when
words are in conversational style rather than formal
style.
Voice Principle
People learn better when the narration in
multimedia lessons is spoken in a friendly human
voice rather than a machine voice.
Image Principle
People do not necessarily learn better from a
multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is
added to the screen.
Examples
Narration on each slide,
reads caption verbatim.
References
 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved January 1, 2015,
from
http://hartford.edu/academics/faculty/fcld/data/documentation/technolog
y/presentation/powerpoint/12_principles_multimedia.pdf
 Mayer, R. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
 Mayer, R., UC Santa Barbara. (2014, May 5). Retrieved January, 2015,
from http://hilt.harvard.edu/event/richard-e-mayer-uc-santa-barbara
 Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving
at work, home, and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.
 Pappas, C. (2014, February 5). Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional
Design - eLearning Industry. Retrieved January 1, 2015, from
http://elearningindustry.com/cognitive-load-theory-and-instructionaldesign
 Reiser, R. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and
technology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.