Learning with Technology:
Cognitive Tools in Multimedia
Learning Materials
指導教授：Min-puu Chen
報告者 ： Hui-lan Juan
報告日期：2006.10.24
Kiili, K. (2004, July). Learning with technology - cognitive tools in multimedia
learning materials. Paper presented at the meeting of ED-MEDIA 2004, Lugano,
Switzerland.
Introduction

Traditionally, technology is used to deliver information to
students.

According to constructivists individuals make sense of
their world by constructing their own representations of
their experiences.

One goal of this study is to examine ways to support
learners' active information processing in multimedia
environments.
The Theoretical Basis for Multimedia Learning

Multimedia refers to information presented in multiple
formats via multiple sensory modalities.

multimedia resources can be considered at three levels:
a technical, semiotic, and sensory level.

In this paper the emphasis is on semiotic and sensory
aspects that are key issues in research of multimedia
learning and instruction.
Multiple representations

The effects of different forms of external representation such as
texts, pictures and animations of learning.

Dual coding theory-information is processed through two
independent channels, visual and verbal.

Multiple external representations and multiple modalities do not
always foster learning

The effectiveness of multimedia materials depends on how well the
interplay between external and mental representations is supported.
Cognitive load theory

The main purpose of cognitive load research has been
on reducing the cognitive load on working memory
during learning.

Intrinsic, germane and extraneous (CL)

According to CLT instructional design cannot change the
intrinsic CL. The most important aspects of CLT to
multimedia designers are germane CL and extraneous
CL, which refers to the manner in which the material is
presented.
Cognitive load theory (cont.)

Prior knowledge has an important role in CLT.
 learners
with a low degree of prior knowledge profit in
general from well-designed additional pictures.
 learners
with a high degree of prior knowledge can
construct a mental representation based on the text
alone.
Multimedia learning theory

Multimedia design principles.

Firstly, research shows that multimedia presentations can result
in a deeper understanding than single media presentations.

Secondly, animation with narration played simultaneously is
more effective than narration played before or after the animation.
The possibility of forming connections between verbal and visual
information arises when learners are able to keep corresponding
representations in their working memory at the same time.

Thirdly, according to the modality principle, students learn better
from animations with narration than animation and on-screen
text. Spoken text decreases the load on the visual channel and
increases possibilities for deeper cognitive processing.
Multimedia learning theory (cont.)




Meaningful learning outcomes depend on a learner's
activity during learning.
learner's cognitive activities such as selecting,
organizing, and integrating.
External representations should be designed as
cognitive tools that support the active learning process.
Ways to foster learners’ active processing
 active creation of a graphical representation based on text
information was a powerful transfer tool.
 Especially, learners with a high degree of prior knowledge
benefited from the creation of graphs.
Method

Participants: 10-12 year old Finnish
elementary school students (N=167)
 Animation
 Drawing
Experimental groups
 Text
 Control

Teach human immune system works.
Method (cont.)




Animation: seven short animations
synchronized with audio narrations
Drawing: five drawing tasks
Text: basic text
Control: did not have any educational treatment.
Method (cont.)






Students were tested in their computer laboratory in group of
10-15 pupils per session during their normally scheduled
class hour.
First- pretest (15 minutes)
Secondly- learning (20 minutes)
Finally-posttest (15 minutes)
In order to find out the differences between the educational
treatment types, the improvement scores were compared.
The comparison was done using a T-test. Further the effect
sizes were calculated according to following equation.
Result
Result (cont.)

Find out the effectiveness of multimedia, improvement score of the
animation group and txst group were compared.

The students of the animation group generated significantly better
answers on the retention test (M =7.409, SD = 4.795) than did
students in the text group (M = 2.405, SD = 3.059), t(79) = 5.476, p
< .001. The effect size was 1.274.

This result supports the multimedia principle assuming that people
learn better from multiple presentation than plain text.
Result (cont.)

To find out the effectiveness of learner-generated
illustrations by drawing, improvement scores of drawing
group and text group were compared.

The students of the drawing group performed
significantly better on the retention test (M = 5.282, SD =
2.704) than did students in the text group (M = 2.405, SD
= 3.059), t(74) = 4.349, p < .001. The effect size was
0.998.
The results support the idea of cognitive tools as
facilitators of critical thinking and higher-order learning.

Conclusions



The result of this study are consistent with instructional
design principles such as multimedia principle and
modality principle.
Educators should design learning materials that allow
greater learner control while participating in the design
process.
The results of this study and a review of literature
indicate that there is a need for developing a model that
combines the principles of cognitive tools and multimedia
learning.