REDUNDANCY PRINCIPLE #2

Sunday, September 4, 2016


What is the Redundancy Principle #2?

The Redundancy Principle indicates that when preparing a lesson, you should use audio or text but you should not use both at the same time.  When designing a course, students will become distracted if the words are displayed on the screen in conjunction with the audio.  While your desire might be for your students to learn about the graphic that is displayed, they will follow along with the audio and read the text.

The Redundancy Principle 2 focuses on the exceptions to that rule.  When students are learning a principle but there is no graphic to be seen, then you can use both audio and text.  This is a result of  having only one image on the screen in which to focus, the text.  Another instance can be when the students are learning to speak a second language.  Allowing students to view the new language and hear it, is crucial to helping them read and verbally  express the language in their own voice.


Demonstrating the Redundancy Principle 2 (or not)

The Redundancy principle emphasizes that we make a choice to either use audio or text when generating a lesson .  However when reviewing a series of instructional videos Learning to Speak Spanish we see that they allowed the words to be on the screen along with the audio.  It is during these exceptions that the Redundancy Principle 2 will be executed.

REFERENCES

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designmers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer

MODALITY PRINCIPLE

Sunday, September 4, 2016


What is the Modality Principle?

The Modality Principle supports the fact that students are more likely to experience deep learning when the text is presented in an audible format.  This is highly recommended for e-learning courses when "the graphic is complex, the words are familiar and the lesson is fast paced." (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 118).  When audio is present it allows the student to listen to instruction while focusing their attention on the graphic.


Examples of the Modality Principle (or lack thereof)

The Interactive Sites for Education is lacking in this principle on several of its presentations.  While the words are familiar to the student, it takes a moment to really comprehend what is occurring in the graphic.  This just extends the patience of the learner and it can sometimes lead to frustration.  In the graphic below, the student is directed to select the up and down arrows to observe the change in the radius/diameter and the diameter/circumference of the circle.  Providing an audio commentary to accompany this graphic would clear up any misunderstanding of what is being presented and it will only increase a depth of understanding.

REFERENCES

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designmers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer

CONTIGUITY PRINCIPLE#2

Sunday, September 4, 2016



What is the Contiguity Principle #2?

Contiguity Principle #2 addresses the need for graphics to correspond with the audio presentation.  According to Clark and Mayer "..spoken words (narration) that describe an event should play at the same time as the graphic (animation or video) depicting the event." (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 102).




Example of the Contiguity Principle #2 (or maybe not)

I had a difficult time finding an accurate representation of the Contiguity Principle #2.  I was hopeful when I came to the Harcourt School Website, unfortunately I did not find an audio presentation.  I primarily found interactive presentations with musical sound effects to indicate that a student had made the correct selection.  While these tones were affirming, it would have been so much more effective if they used a voice to provide additional instruction along with the positive musical tones.

One of their lessons included a wonderful image of the Alaskan Mountain Range but their was no audible information found.  Instead there was a link which lead to the image below.  It's actually quite confusing.  While the definition of a mountain range is provided, it goes on to discuss some of the highest mountain ranges in the world.  Since this tab was listed under the category of US landforms and terrain, I think the presence of this information is confusing without an instructor to explain why it was there. 

Alaskan Mountain Range 

REFERENCES

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designmers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer

CONTIGUITY PRINCIPLE #1

Sunday, September 4, 201


What is the Continguity Principle #1?

When choosing to add graphics to a set of text,  one should ensure that the graphic is within close proximity to the text in which it is referring.  This can be demonstrated in several ways.  When looking at a chart or table, numbers can have a mouse over or rollover effect.  This is when the text will appear when the cursor glides over each number providing the information necessary.  The text appears within the same screen as the image being displayed.


Example of the Contiguity Principle #1 (or not)

Missouri Botanical Garden (MBGnet.net) offers a website that provides information on the different biomes of the world.  Their newest feature offers information about the parts of a plant.  The presentation begins well.  The first screen labels the parts of a plant and provides a description for the roots and stem.  Unfortunately, in order to see the remaining descriptions you have to scroll down to another screen in order to read the descriptions for the final parts.  This could have been adjusted by having the descriptions linked to the text indicating the parts of the plants.

REFERENCES

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designmers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer

Multimedia Principle

Sunday September 4, 2016

What is the Multimedia Principle?

This Multimedia principle indicates that the use of words and graphics is much more effective than using words or images alone.  Richard Mayer, a leading advocate of this theory has demonstrated through research that we are both visual and auditory learners.  When instruction is occurring, a student is more likely to have a greater depth of understanding when both of these tools are being used.



Example of this Principle Demonstrated (or NOT Demonstrated)

Starfall.com is a wonderful resource for beginning readers.  Students receive a balance of imagery and text that inspire young readers.  Letters sing and dance across the screen and then they are placed within a text that encourages students to say the letters and sounds.  Of course with young students an adult will need to follow up to determine whether students are actually engaged however the activity within this program is so inviting that most students are learning the material and they don't even know it.

REFERENCES

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Pfeiffer