Ever wondered what the rules of engagement were for using graphics in eLearning? I see a lot of eLearning where graphics can distract from the content, instead of engaging the learner in the content.
For example, should you use high resolution illustrations or photos? Well, to be honest, you can use either one, as long as they are high quality, high resolution, and consistent. Unfortunately, that means you have to choose between the two and use them consistently at all times.
Consistency is key when it comes to any type of learning, but doing some research on imagery and cognitive learning, I found an article by Stephen D. Sorden of Mohave Community College/Northern Arizona University titled “The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning.” “. . In the article, he states:
“Multimedia learning occurs when we build mental representations from words and images. The theory has largely been defined by Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning.”
“… They claim that people learn more deeply from words and images than from words alone, which is known as the multimedia principle (Mayer 2005a)… Multimedia instructional design attempts to use cognitive research to combine words and images in ways that that maximize the effectiveness of learning. .”
Much like a computer’s hard drive that caches previously accessed files for faster access, our brain works in a similar way. Using a set template, with similar images, can work the same way in our cognitive thinking. For example, when selecting images, you should try to follow these guidelines:
- Select illustrations OR photos for your module.
- Make sure the illustrations are up to date and are not cartoon-style images from more than five years before.
- Make sure the photos are horizontal OR vertical, but not both.
- Make sure the photos are in color OR black and white, but not both.
- Make sure the photos on display are 100% relevant to the topic being discussed.
- Align text and graphics on the screen at eye level.
Did you know that within the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, three memory centers have been identified in the brain?
sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory? Our ultimate goal for the learner is for sensory and working memories to be transferred into long-term memory.
“Mayer (2005a) states that sensory memory has a visual sensory memory that briefly retains images and print as visual images;… Sensory memory retains an exact sensory copy of what was presented for less than 0.25 of a second., while working memory contains a processed version of what was presented typically for less than thirty seconds and can process only a few pieces of material at a time (Mayer 2010a). Long-term memory contains all of a person’s knowledge storage for an indefinite period of time.”
This is why it is essential to be consistent, relevant and simple in our text and images. We don’t want to lose the student to ‘cognitive overload’.
Only after achieving this in our module design and development will we see any results in our learning efforts, such as increased employee productivity. This is the end result that Mayer referred to as Meaningful Learning.
“Mayer (2010a) argues that meaningful learning from words and pictures occurs when the learner engages in five cognitive processes:
1. select relevant words to process in verbal working memory
2. select relevant images for processing in visual working memory
3. organize selected words into a verbal model
4. organize selected images into a pictorial model
5. integrate verbal and pictorial representations with each other and with previous knowledge.”
Before we wrap up today’s session, let’s talk a bit more about this ‘cognitive overload’. In an article by William Swann of MindLeaders, Inc., “The Impact of Applied Cognitive Learning Theory on Engagement with eLearning Courseware,” he states:
“Displaying images and text on the screen at the same time can overload the visual information processing system, but using the audio system for verbal information and the visual system for images is a more efficient division of labor (Mayer & Moreno, 1998b). , p. 4) In short, words pass better through the ears and images pass better through the eyes.”
What does this really mean? Well, it ultimately translates to three things:
- The text on the screen should not exactly duplicate the audio narration.
- The text on the screen should not describe the image.
- The text on the screen should not be in paragraph format, but in short keywords related to the topic.
The reasoning for this lies in the
divided attention principle. In summary:
“… the principle of divided attention: can be assessed individually through a further comparison of two page layouts. The first layout is one that displays all of the linguistic content as text on the page while also providing a full audio narration of on-screen text. Associated images appear simultaneously on screen. In this layout, the text is duplicated, with the same words flowing through two modalities.”
These two modalities are the eyes and the ears, which forces the student to listen and read simultaneously.
Do you remember the 25 seconds of sensory memory and the 30 seconds of working memory? Within this time frame, you run the risk of cognitively overloading the learner, if your design doesn’t follow the guidelines we reviewed earlier.
We hope you have found this information useful for your future eLearning design projects. Until next time…
