Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

Introduction

Richard Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning should influence the way online and blended courses and instructional materials are designed. This theory is a combination of two other key learning theories:

• Information Processing Theory
• Cognitive Load Theory

There are three primary assumptions of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning:

1. There are two separate channels (auditory and visual) for processing information (sometimes referred to as Dual-Coding theory);
2. Each channel has a limited (finite) capacity (similar to Sweller’s notion of Cognitive Load);
3. Learning is an active process of filtering, selecting, organizing, and integrating information based upon prior knowledge.

There are also several principles derived from this theory.

1. Coherence Principle – People learn better when extraneous words, pictures, and sounds are excluded rather than included.
2. Signaling Principle – People learn better when cues that highlight the organization of the essential material are added.
3. Redundancy Principle – People learn better from graphics and narration than from graphics, narration, and on-screen text.
4. 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.
5. Temporal Contiguity Principle – People learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously rather than successively.
6. Segmenting Principle – People learn better from a multimedia lesson is presented in user-paced segments rather than as a continuous unit.
7. Pre-training Principle – People learn better from a multimedia lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts.
8. Modality Principle – People learn better from graphics and narrations than from animation and on-screen text.
9. Multimedia Principle – People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.
10. Personalization Principle – People learn better from multimedia lessons when words are in conversational style rather than formal style.
11. Voice Principle – People learn better when the narration in multimedia lessons is spoken in a friendly human voice rather than a machine voice.
12. Image Principle – People do not necessarily learn better from a multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is added to the screen.

Application

How do you apply Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning?

Review this table to identify simple, effective ways you can apply this information to your course design.

This short video will also help you understand how to apply this theory.

Resources

• Davis, G. & Norman, M. (2016). Principles of Multimedia Learning. Wiley Education Services. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://ctl.wiley.com/principles-of-multimedia-learning/ 
• Mayer, R. E. (1997). Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions?.Educational psychologist, 32(1), 1-19.
• Mayer, R. E. (2002). Multimedia learning. Psychology of learning and motivation, 41, 85-139.
• Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational psychologist, 38(1), 43-52.
• Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
• Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia Learning (3rd ed.) Cambridge, England:  Cambridge University Press.
• Walsh, K. (2017). Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning are a Powerful Design Resource, EmergingEdTech.com. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.emergingedtech.com/2017/06/mayers-12-principles-of-multimedia-learning-are-a-powerful-design-resource/