Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

What is Multimedia? 

Multimedia learning is also more accurately called dual-

code or dual-channel learning . In the simplest of
language, multimedia can be defined as the presentation
of material using both words and pictures.

Mayer defines multimedia as the presentation of material

using both words and pictures. By words, Mayer means
that the material is presented in verbal form , printed or
spoken text for example. By pictures, he means that the
material is presented in pictorial form such as using static
graphics , including illustrations, graphs, photos, or maps,
or using dynamic graphics , including animation or video.

Multimedia Principle"People learn more deeply from

words and pictures than from words alone"- (Mayer,
2001)
he multimedia principle is that human communication can
be improved when pictures are added to words. Yet not
all pictures produce the same benefits to student learning.
So, in this chapter, I discuss evidence relevant to
developing the most effective multimedia instruction. In
doing so, I provide a meta-analysis of the literature on a
variety of principles relevant to reducing extraneous
processing in multimedia learning.

Three Assumptions Underlying Cognitive

Theory of Multimedia Learning

1. Dual Channels Assumption the human

information processing system includes dual
channels for visual/pictorial and auditory/verbal
processing (i.e., dual-channel assumption), 

1. 2. Limited Capacity Assumption

 A learner can only process a certain amount of
information at a moment, referred to as the limited
capacity assumption. each channel has a limited
capacity for processing (i.e., limited-capacity
assumption), 

3.Active Processing Assumption

Active processing is how a person learns new information; how the student
actively engages with it.

2. and active learning entails carrying out a coordinated

set of cognitive processes during learning (i.e., active
processing assumption).

1. multimedia learning Mayer's Principles of :

o Coherence Principle – People learn better when extraneous words,

pictures and sounds are excluded rather than included. 

o 2. Signaling Principle – People learn better when cues that highlight

the organization of the essential material are added. 

o 3. Redundancy Principle – People learn better from graphics and

narration than from graphics, narration and on-screen text. 
o 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.

o  5. Temporal Contiguity Principle – People learn better when

corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously rather
than successively. 

o 6. Segmenting Principle – People learn better from a multimedia

lesson is presented in user-paced segments rather than as a continuous
unit. 

o 7. Pre-training Principle – People learn better from a multimedia

lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main
concepts. 

o  8. Modality Principle – People learn better from graphics and

narrations than from animation and on-screen text. 

o 9. Multimedia Principle – People learn better from words and pictures

than from words alone. 

o 10. Personalization Principle – People learn better from multimedia

lessons when words are in conversational style rather than formal
style. 

o 11. Voice Principle – People learn better when the narration in

multimedia lessons is spoken in a friendly human voice rather than a
machine voice. 
o 12. Image Principle – People do not necessarily learn better from a
multimedia lesson when the speaker’s image is added to the screen.