Article:For Whom Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words
From unthinkMedia
Richard E. Mayer and Valerie K. Sims Journal of Educational Psychology 1994, Vol. 86, No. 3, 389-401
Contents |
Dual-Coding Theory of Multimedia Learning
Multimedia Learning, as the name suggest is when a student is presented information in more then medium. This could include video, audio, static imagery, etc. This combination of mediums allows for students to use more then one modality when learning content. Modalities could range from using any of the five senses to to create representations of content (visual, verbal, etc). This is commonly referred to as multimodal.
According to these finding, students are better able to transfer what they have learned from a textbook when text and illustrations are presented next to each other on the page rather than when the text and illustrations are isolated from one another.
Mayer breaks down how visually and verbally presented material integrate into working memory into 3 processes:
- verbal explanation: This could include an oral narration, which goes through a cognitive process of internalizing the external verbalized representation. (verbal encoding)
- visual explanation: This could include an animation which goes through a cognitive process of internalizing the external visual representation. (visual encoding)
- referential connection: mapping both visual and verbal within working memory.
Unlike Allan Paivio, Mayer suggest that problem solving performance depends on all three of these connections. He does this mainly with his focus on referential connections.
Contiguity Effect
Dual-Coding states that visual and verbal information are processed differently and along two individual channels that enable separate representations for information processed in each channel. , *Mayer believes that in order to increase a student's likelihood for attaining a referential connection both visual and verbal descriptions should be experienced concurrently.* On the other hand, Dual-Coding theory predicts that successive presentation makes it more difficult for learners to create these referential connections
Low-Prior Knowledge vs. High-Prior Knowledge
Low Prior knowledge learners :
- are not able to make connections verbal descriptions and long term memory.
High Prior knowledge learners :
- able to retrieve information from long term memory as they read or listen to verbal description and could later build connections between the words and retrieved system.
- domain specific knowledge compensates for uncoordinated instruction rather than enhances coordinated instruction
Role of Ability
According to the paper, "Spatial visualization is the ability to mentally rotate or fold objects in two or three dimensions and to imagine the changing configurations of objects that would result from such manipulations" (pg. 392)
High-spatial Ability
- have a strong contiguity effect
- more able to allocate sufficient cognitive resources to building referential connections
- better temporal coordination of animations and narrations
- high-spatial ability students building a visual representation that is based on the animation is relatively effortless.
Low-spatial Ability
- has low contiguity effect
- less able to allocate sufficient cognitive resources to building referential connections
- devote a large amount of cognitive effort to building a visual representation
Who Benifits from this?
High prior knowledge students may not need imagery since they could create their own mental models as they interact with a strictly verbal (reading, listening) instruction. According to the studies covered on this paper, lower prior knowledge student do benefit from the use of both imagery and words.
Of the students who are presented imagery, the students with high spatial ability have an easier time building mental connections between imagary and words.
So the answer to the question "For whom is a picture worth a thousand words?" is (drum roll please), a student with low prior knowledge and high spatial ability.
