12 - Principles for Reducing Extraneous Processing in Multimedia Learning: Coherence, Signaling, Redundancy, Spatial Contiguity, and Temporal Contiguity Principles

Summary

Abstract

Extraneous overload occurs when essential cognitive processing (required to understand the essential material in a multimedia message) and extraneous cognitive processing (required to process extraneous material or to overcome confusing layout in a multimedia message) exceed the learner’s cognitive capacity. Five multimedia design methods intended to minimize extraneous overload are based on the coherence, signaling, redundancy, spatial contiguity, and temporal contiguity principles. The coherence principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when extraneous material is excluded rather than included. This principle was supported in 23 out of 23 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.86. The signaling principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when cues are added that highlight the organization of the essential material. This principle was supported in 24 out of 28 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.41. The redundancy principle is that people learn more deeply from graphics and narration than from graphics, narration, and on-screen text. This principle was supported in 16 out of 16 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 0.86. The spatial contiguity principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen. This principle was supported in 22 out of 22 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 1.10. The temporal contiguity principle is that people learn more deeply from a multimedia message when corresponding animation and narration are presented simultaneously rather than successively. This principle was supported in 9 out of 9 experimental tests, yielding a median effect size of 1.22.