Worked Example

Clark and Mayer define a worked example as “a step-by-step demonstration of how to perform a task or solve a problem” (2008, p. 224).

I have a created many procedural video tutorials for my work as a corporate trainer. I have used the concept of fading and pretraining in my live training sessions. I am familiar with the idea of chunking instruction into smaller, more manageable sessions. It was not until reading the text for this week that I considered the need to include additional user controls beyond those within the YouTube player and select when the videos should stop. According to the Segmenting Principle, “learning was better when students could move through screens at their own pace by clicking on the ‘continue’ button rather than viewing the content in a non-stop video manner”  (Clark & Mayer, 2008 p. 238).

For this week’s exercise, I went beyond the familiar YouTube hosted video and posted my lesson into the Canvas LMS site so I could retain the available interactivity within Captivate and experiment with the SCORM functionality. To show the difference between my traditional method and the new method, I am posting a link to each.

My lesson can be accessed through the following links.

New method using SCORM on Canvas LMS –

Login: boiseteststudent@gmail.com

Password: BoiseStudent

—————————————————-

Old YouTube method

 

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Digital Story

For this module we were to create a digital story including various types of media. I used Adobe Photoshop, Captivate, Audition, and Premiere to create my digital story. Perhaps the most difficult task for this assignment was to determine the subject of my story. I finally decided to create a piece about my father. I began by developing a script and searching for related images. Once I determined the message and the photos were scanned, I created the segments for the presentation in Captivate. This allowed me to record the audio directly to each slide, controlling the flow and timing of the story. I used Audition to eliminate excess background noise and remove the vocals from the music. Once all the elements were complete, I compiled  them using Premiere.

I made every effort to abide by the many multimedia principles including the use of text in conjunction with images. This is a personal story told in a familiar tone meeting the requirements of the personalization principle. According to the redundancy principle, the narration is not duplicated on screen. Extraneous elements are limited to deter cognitive overload.  In the instances that text is used to describe images, it is contiguous with the graphic.

While this may not seem to be a bold story, it is very personal to me. It required me to make a decision about how much information should be shared to tell the story in a compelling way. I hope you find it interesting.

Scared…to Death

Personalization Principle

Design Dilemma: 

You have been working on a script for a narrated lesson. As a teacher, you are convinced that a more relaxed, less formal conversational style is the way to go. However, you need to get this approved by your instructional design team, one of whom is an English major and a stickler for “proper” English and grammar.

When you show him your script, he is aghast.

How might you respond?

 

Team,

While I understand the vernacular used in the script is not aligned with traditional learning standards, the decision was not made due to lack of knowledge of the standards. I am aware of the expectation of formal language, specifically the use of passive voice and direct instruction. According to Clark and Mayer, “This argument is based on an information delivery view of learning in which the instructor’s job is to present the information and the learner is to acquire the information” (2008, p. 184). There are cases in which this methodology is appropriate, such as employee orientation or when the goal of the session is to simply “build awareness or provide information” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 20) with “no specific expectation of new skills to be acquired” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 20). This type of instruction is classified as inform programs or briefings (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 20).

I would argue that the instructional goal of the proposed training includes aspects of perform programs. The students are expected to demonstrate some level of mastery of procedural knowledge through near transfer or strategic knowledge through far transfer (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 21). While learning is possible through a receptive manner, empirical knowledge supports higher levels of engagement when directive or guided discovery architectures are employed. “Learning is possible from any of these three architectures if learners engage in active knowledge construction” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 23). The cognitive learning theory suggests “Instruction should not only present information but also prime the appropriate cognitive processing in the learner,” aiding in their ability to “make sense of the presented material” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 184). According to the personalization principle, “expressing information in conversational style can be a way to prime appropriate cognitive processing in the learner,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 184). Research suggests learners have the desire to work harder when lessons contain “social cues (such as conversational style)” as it “activates a sense of social presence in the learner” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 184). I am happy to provide you with significant data showing the application of the personalization principle resulted in substantially better performance on transfer tests, yielding effect sizes from .71 (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 187) to 1.55 (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 186).

In addition to the implementation of a conversational tone, research also suggests less experienced learners benefit from the use of polite instruction from on screen agents. The politeness theory postulates the use of friendlier instruction allows unsure learners to “save face,” “have some freedom of action” and “to work cooperatively with the agent” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 190). According to Clark and Mayer, “Students who had less experience in working with computers were more sensitive to the politeness tone of the on-screen agent’s feedback statements, so they were more offended by direct statements (such as ‘Click the Enter key’) and more impressed with polite statements (such as ‘Do you want to click the Enter key?’) (2008, p. 190). “There is evidence that student learning is not only influenced by what on-screen agents say but also how they say it” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 190) with experiments yielding medium to large effect sizes.

In addition to the great benefits of the personalization principle, there are limitations which I have made every effort to avoid in the proposed instruction. The use of conversational speech is limited throughout the material to maintain an attitude of learning and to avoid becoming a distraction. In an effort to make the author visible, I have included some background about the instructor but have limited it to relevant information which supports the learning goal and promotes engagement. In compliance with the coherence principle, the on-screen agents have an distinct instructional role, human gestures, and natural voices which allow the learner to better identify with them as they demonstrate the desired behavior through modeling.

In summary, there is significant evidence showing that these minor modifications can drastically improve the effectiveness of the instruction. While I appreciate this is a major shift away from our traditional approach, the suggested changes require minimal investment but have the potential to greatly impact the learners. Merriam Webster defines innovation as “the introduction of something new” (“innovation,” 2014). As instructors and designers, we should not allow our traditional, conservative desires blind us from the research. Nor should we allow the expectation of what is proper impede what has been proven successful for today’s learners. I am happy to meet with you at your convenience to discuss this further, as well as provide the cited materials for your perusal.

Regards,

Melissa St. Laurent

 

 

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

innovation. (2014). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation

 

 

Coherence Analysis

The coherence principle is the idea that transfer of knowledge is more successful when all non-essential objects are eliminated from instruction. The coherence principle is a means of avoiding cognitive overload by excluding all unnecessary elements from instruction. These extraneous elements may include images, text, video, background music, or sounds. The inclusion of overly complex elements when simplified elements will suffice can also be seen as a violation of the coherence principle. “In short, you should avoid adding any material that does not support the instructional goal,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 151).

The coherence principle is aligned with all of the principles we have learned about within the Clark and Mayer text. It serves as a check and balance to the multimedia principle which encourages the use of images and words but warns the “pictures should not be an afterthought,” (2008, p. 70)  Like the coherence principle, the multimedia principle also supports the use of “passive medium of illustrations and text,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 84) in lieu of animations thus allowing for active processing.

While not directly related, the coherence principle and the contiguity principle do have a commonality. Both are concerned with elimination of extraneous processing, “cognitive processing that is unrelated to the instructional goal,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 105). The contiguity manages cognitive processing through proximity of elements while the coherence principle does so by weeding out or “uproot(ing) any words, graphics, or sounds that are not central to the instructional goal,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 151). Also included in the coherence principle is the concept of disruption. Beyond distracting the user from relevant material, extraneous images can be detrimental “by preventing the learner from building appropriate links of relevant material because pieces of irrelevant material are in the way,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 161).

Like all the preceding principles the guiding force behind the modality principle and the coherence principle is the concept of balancing the consumption of information across the visual and auditory channels. “According to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, learners process multimedia messages in their visual and auditory channels–both of which are limited in capacity,” (Moreno & Mayer, 2014, p. 8). “The verbal material enters the cognitive system through the ears and is processed through the auditory/verbal channel,” and the “graphics enter the cognitive system through the eyes and are processed in the visual/pictorial channel,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 122). With both channels having limited capacity, it is crucial that all extraneous material be removed.

The redundancy principle is the perfect prerequisite to the coherence principle. The redundancy principle states that it is unnecessary to repeat text on screen that is narrated, as it causes the learner to split their attention between the graphics and the repeated text. According to Clark and Mayer, “Learners may waste precious cognitive resources in trying to compare the printed words with the spoken words as they are presented,” (2008, p. 139). Similarly, the coherence principle suggests the learner must expend resources to filter through the irrelevant elements to find the relevant material.  “The extraneous material may overload working memory and may signal readers to focus on inappropriate aspects of the material,” (Mayer, 1999, p. 620).

Perhaps the best example of a violation of the coherence principle I can present is from an online instruction I created for another course. One of the requirements was to include a specific number of images per page with a repeated theme throughout the course. While I did not need or have imagery that supported the instructional goal, I did not want to lose points for not including an element required by the rubric. Despite my reluctance to include the decorative images, I understood the goal was to ensure I was able to include images within the html format and follow the guidelines of creative commons licensing. While the image portrays a character in an office environment, it adds no value to the instructional content. It is a distraction, “guiding the learner’s limited attention away from the relevant material,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 161)  Ironically, the location of the extraneous image was just beneath a header that discussed the relevance of the instruction. Coincidently, I did get full credit for the project but the instructor questioned the purpose of the images. Below are examples from two of the modules.

a. InDesign for Ad Design, Module 1, https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/801311/pages/module-one-introduction (St. Laurent, 2013)

b. InDesign for Ad Design, Module 2, https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/801311/pages/module-two-introduction (St. Laurent, 2013)

I believe the coherence principle is critical to the success of instructional design. We are living and working in an over stimulated, increasingly automated, deadline driven and instantly gratified society. With all the things competing for learners’ attention, it is important for instructional designers to understand the cognitive load and constraints placed on learners. According to Clark and Mayer there is no evidence that the inclusion of sounds “used to direct, focus and hold attention” is effective, (2008, p. 155). I could not possibly agree more with Dewey’s 1913 conclusion “that adding of interesting adjuncts to an otherwise boring lesson will not promote deep learning,” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 156). Typically, an instructor or trainer is passionate about the subject matter they teach. I train adult learners about Adobe products and I love it but if the basis of the lesson is of no interest to the learner, it is highly unlikely that anything I add to the lesson will engage the indifferent learner. According to Clark and Mayer, Ransdell and Gilroy found the inclusion of background music did not negatively affect the quality of essay writing but “required significantly more time, (2008, p. 159). I believe this time requirement is the key. In contrast to the Arousal Theory, simply, adding extraneous elements to boring content only increases the time and effort a bored learner must expend to accomplish the learning goal.

 

 

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Mayer, R. E. (1999). Multimedia aids to problem-solving transfer. International Journal of Educational Research, 31, 611–623.

Moreno, R., & Mayer, R. E. (2014). A learner-centered approach to multimedia explanations: Deriving instructional design principles from cognitive theory. Interactive Multimedia Electronic Journal of Computer Enhanced Learning, 1–10. Retrieved from http://imej.wfu.edu/articles/2000/2/05/index.asp 1/10

St. Laurent, M. (2013). Module One Introduction. Adobe InDesign for Ad Design. eLearning course. Retrieved from https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/801311/pages/module-one-introduction

 

Learning Theory Podcast

For this assignment, I decided to create a podcast on the many learning theories discussed throughout the Ed Tech program. While this may not be the most creative podcast in title or content, it will serve as a great reinforcement to me and provide a quick link for me to access as needed.

To record the podcast, I used Adobe Audition. I was quite comfortable with the creation process. I spend a great deal of my work day creating video tutorials for our LMS.  The editing process was easy, as it is similar to the process used for the video tutorials.  While I am not necessarily a fan of my recorded voice, I have become accustomed to hearing it.

In the pilot episode I define present definitions of the term theory, explain the necessity for learning theories, and outline the topics to be covered in the upcoming episodes. Given the numerous learning theories, I believe the subject matter will allow for a great series of podcasts.

Through the use of computer generated audio files to deliver a message, this project addresses the following AECT standards; 1.2 Message Design, 2.2 Audiovisual Technologies, 2.3 Computer Based Technologies, 2.4 Integrated Technologies, and 3.1 Media Utilization.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23698415/mstlaurent_%20Podcast_mixdown.mp3

 

What kind of interaction is valuable in edutainment?

Throughout the week, we have learned about a variety of different interactions and how they might be utilized to make edutainment more engaging. I am in full agreement with Chris Crawford, the core of a game is its interaction (Kapp, 2012, p. 141). From the interaction with the tactile delivery system, to interactions between players, groups, and objects, each plays a role in the success of edutainment by providing feedback and affecting the player’s progress.
Michael Wolf showed many intriguing examples of tangible interactions with edutainment. Skyview is a mobile app that is readily available, even on my Windows phone. While the goal in any astronomy class is to teach the learners to recognize constellations, the inclusion of an app to assist in that recognition is makes the activity more engaging. According to Sundar, “interactivity would result in higher interaction when calls to interactivity are signified by animated, rather than static, icons” (2004, p. 387).

The same is true with the example of the multi-touch information board at the aquarium. Students interact with the platform, the content and each other. Like the young girls in the demonstration, I found the virtual chemistry example fascinating. They found the tangible interface enjoyable because, “you are doing something” (Wolf, 2013). I don’t know that the importance of interaction could be explained any better than those young girls expressed, “you lose interest when the teacher is just talking to you” (Wolf, 2013).

Interactions between players are also critical to edutainment. Players have the ability to help or hinder each other’s progress through direct action or feedback. Through the rivalry of Agôn (Kapp, 2012, p. 138), players are challenged to surpass the progress of their competition. The outcome of Mimicary (Kapp, 2012, p. 139) is dependent on the motives and role of the one being mimicked. Should the subject be a friend, the results will be positive but if a foe, the player will not fare as well. Either way, the result promotes “the development of strategic skills through experimentation and trial and error” (Paraskeva, Mysirlaki, & Papagianni, 2010, p. 499).

Finally and possibly the most important interaction is that between the player and objects. Without this interaction, there would be neither a challenge nor the means to complete the tasks. Without this interaction, edutainment is reduced to a level of passivity equal to television or video.

 

 

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Pfieffer.

Paraskeva, F., Mysirlaki, S., & Papagianni, A. (2010). Multiplayer online games as educational tools: Facing new challenges in learning. Computers & Education, 54, 498–505.

Sundar, S. S. (2004). Theorizing Interactivity’s Effects. The Information Society, 20, 385–9. doi:10.1080/01972240490508072

Wolf, M. (2013). Interaction Design for Learning. Toronto. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ti1Ngh5PM

Multimedia Project 1 EDTECH 513-4201 / 4202 (SP14)

This week we were given the task to create a Google presentation which followed the multimedia & contiguity principles. The presentation was to be a short lesson with an assessment that we could apply immediately to our teaching or training repertoire. This proved more challenging than I thought it would be. I had to change the way I think about lessons. For nearly two years, I have been creating training tutorials using Captivate that are intended for asynchronous learning. It was an adjustment to actually type out the script in the notes area of the presentation instead of simply narrating the slides. While both methods utilize the dual channels and discourage cognitive overload, the production process seemed foreign to me.

The lesson I created is procedural in nature and follows a step by step methodology commonly found directive learning architecture intended for near transfer. The target audience is comprised of IT professionals with knowledge of SQL databases. The goal of the training is not to review all aspects of SQL structure but to educate the learners on the specifics of a new tool to perform common database tasks. The learning environment includes ample workstations and a projector so the learners may follow along.

The Signaling Principle – Each slide contains a headline that summarizes the subject matter. The headline is in large font to ensure that it can be read easily from any location within the room. The slides include brightly colored arrows and circles to indicate the important aspects of the material.

The Segmentation Principle – I have made every effort to balance the information on each of the slides to ensure a steady pace without any extended pauses.

The Modality Principle – The notes section includes the narration for  each slide. Instead of including excessive text within each frame, the narration shifts the processing to the auditory channel and alleviates visual overload.

The Multimedia Principle – In adherence to the multimedia principle, I have included representational screenshots of each step in the procedure. According to the contiguity principle, all text within the presentation is in close proximity to the corresponding graphic and all feedback can be found adjacent to assessment questions to discourage split attention of the learner.

The Coherence Principle – Unlike presentations that I have created in the past for executive meetings, this presentation has no decoration, no logos, and nothing that is not absolutely necessary. This was a strange approach to creating a presentation but given the purpose of the presentation, I believe the result will be more effective.

Due to the heavy reliance on the narrative which can be seen on the notes section, I am sharing my presentation via Google drive.

Using HeidiSQL to create a database backup – mstlaurent

Atkinson, C., & Mayer, R. E. (2004). Five ways to reduce PowerPoint overload. Retrieved from http://edtech.mrooms.org/pluginfile.php/87052/mod_resource/content/1/Five%20Ways%20to%20Reduce%20PowerPoint%20Overload.pdf

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Edutainment Evaluation

I have chosen to review the edutainment characteristics of the Wii Fit Plus game. As we learned from Amy Jo Kim, “Gamification is using game techniques to make activities more engaging and fun” (2011). The Wii Fit Yoga game teaches the player a variety of basic yoga poses using the interactive balance board to provide onscreen feedback. As Okan warned of “expectations that learning can be enjoyable and fun,” (2003, p. 256) the brochure included in the game boasts the “Wii Fit Plus is a fun, easy way for you, your friends, and family to exercise every day.”

The Wii Fit Plus employs the ARCS model. After creating a Mii, an avatar to represent him/her on screen, each player undergoes a body test to evaluate their fitness level, followed by creating a fitness goal. Launching the Yoga game, the player chooses a specific pose or poses from a fairly large selection. Once a pose is chosen, the player is introduced to the trainer who provides a short personable dialog including the benefits of the pose which she will demonstrate and instructions. At the same time, on screen graphics provide written instructions and real time feedback regarding your performance. Once the pose is complete, the player receives additional reinforcements in the form of audio feedback, a reminder of the relevance, an animated graphic showing the players center of balance throughout the pose, points, a skill level rating, leader board ranking and tips to improve future attempts. These steps play an important part in garnering the players’ attention, establishing relevance, bolstering confidence, and achieving satisfaction (Kapp, 2012, pp. 53–54).

The game makes great use of on-boarding techniques. Each step in the setup process is clearly explained to the player leaving no room for confusion. The on screen trainer provides detailed explanations before, during, and after each pose. Unlike some exercise videos, the trainer is facing the same direction as the player as if you were standing behind her in an actual yoga studio. She is positioned in front of a mirror so the player can still see her anterior movements. This removes the need to think left or right and simply mimic the movements.

The overall instructional objective of the Wii Fit Plus is to learn a variety of training techniques to encourage fitness. This is established through the creation of personal goals and the ability to track progress over time. Included in the statistics are the player’s BMI, fitness level, balance, coordination, and Wii Fit age. Within the Yoga game, the objective of each pose is discussed prior to the pose, during each step of the pose, and after the pose is complete.

The use of Mii characters, avatars, personal statistics, incredible feedback, and the balance board create a rich user experience that ensures engagement. The ability for the player to select the poses and create routines suitable to his/her skill level ensure a “balance of skill and challenge to keep players engaged” (Kim, 2011).

Interactivity is achieved through the use of the balance board during the exercises. The slightest shift in body weight results in instant on screen feedback. The trainer will advise that you are wavering while the on screen graph shows a visual representation of your movement. The player must listen to the audible instructions, note the visual cues, and adapt his/her pose accordingly.

The game may appeal to some players due to the extrinsic rewards of competition and affirmation or for the intrinsic motivation to become healthier. The Wii Fit Plus Yoga game includes incredible continuous feedback using a variety of platforms. There is satisfaction at the completion of each pose as the player waits with anticipation to see the results of his/her performance.  The same excitement can be seen as the player checks his/her progress toward a fitness goal and their latest body test results.

Wii Fit Plus Yoga incorporates my five must-have characteristics of edutainment; onboarding, a specific instructional objective, engaging content, interactivity, and motivation. While this Yoga game can certainly be used as an example of many different learning theories, the ARCS Theory of Motivation can be seen in its entirety.

 

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Pfieffer.

Kim, A. J. (2011, February 16). Smart Gamification: Designing the Player Journey – YouTube. YouTube. from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0H3ASbnZmc#t=145

Okan, Z. (2003). Edutainment: is learning at risk? British Journal of Educational Technology, 34(3), 255–264.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Characteristics of Edutainment

Randy White defines “edutainment as any entertainment that also delivers educational content in an entertainment format. It consists of two equally important parts: the format (entertainment) and the message/content (education)” (2003). I would agree with White in that both education and entertainment must be present but will further expand my definition to include the following five characteristics.

1. Edutainment should provide on-boarding techniques that explain the mechanics so the players/learners may focus their attention on the content. According to Hays’ meta-analysis (Kapp, 2012, p. 80) and Ke’s qualitative analysis (2012, p. 84), without the inclusion of instructional support, the learners will concentrate on the game requirements and not benefit from the learning materials within the game .
2. Specific instructional objective that includes transfer to real world application is also a requirement. The edutainment should include a specific goal and be relevant to the learner/player. Once the outcome is determined, it is easier to design all other elements to encourage success. According to Sitzmann’s meta analysis, learners using games and simulations experienced a higher level of confidence in their ability to apply what they learned to corresponding real life scenarios (Kapp, 2012, p. 86).
3. Edutainment must include engaging content that is sustainable over time. Engagement can be found through a variety of sources such as, multimedia, the use of avatars, feedback, the challenges, and rewards. The content should change over time to match the experience level of the player, ensuring they are not overwhelmed and become frustrated or not challenged sufficiently and become bored (Kim, 2011).
4.  Interactivity that encourages active cognitive processing instead of passive reception of information. To ensure learning occurs, it is important that edutainment promote the selection of relevant material, the organization or rehearsal of that material, and the integration of the newly constructed meaning with existing knowledge (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 35).  
5. Motivation is a key part of edutainment. Depending on the task at hand, this may begin as extrinsic reward that later fosters intrinsic motivation (Kapp, 2012, p. 95). The motivation may incorporate an element of uncertainty to prompt increased emotional response through anticipation and dopamine release (Kapp, 2012, p. 89).

 

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Kapp, K. M. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Pfieffer.

Kim, A. J. (2011, February 16). Smart Gamification: Designing the Player Journey – YouTube. YouTube. from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0H3ASbnZmc#t=145

White, R. (2003). That’s Edutainment! White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group. Edutainment.  from http://www.whitehutchinson.com/leisure/articles/edutainment.shtml

 

Multimedia & Contiguity Principles – 513 DB #1

I began my professional career as a graphic designer before moving into the IT department and later corporate training. Having a background in the visual arts made much of the concepts in this week’s readings familiar. While the practices seemed natural, I was not familiar with much of the terminology or the technical aspects supporting the practices.

Despite being unaware of the multimedia effect at the time of creation, I think the training I do today follows the principals fairly well. There are two main reasons for this adherence despite my ignorance. First, I do not want to read a long drawn out explanation and second, I do not want to type a long drawn out explanation. While the source is disputed, the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” has always served me well. Although I have been guilty of a few contiguity infractions such as using legends in more complex imagery followed by more detailed exploded views, all my training materials rely heavily on visual materials integrated with the text.

Regarding the choice between still images and animation, I found the results presented by Clark and Mayer (2008) to be unexpected. “Presumably the so called passive illustrations and text actually allowed for active processing”  (p. 84). I had not considered how animations might remove the onus from the learner by presenting all the information in precise detail, thus rendering them passive receivers of information. This e-learning scenario is no more innovative than the lecture model in traditional brick and mortar schools.  In order to ensure the users are engaged, it would be necessary to include behavioral activities that encourage generative processing, such as practice exercises which reference real world contexts.

I have enjoyed the way Clark and Mayer have introduced material, following the principles described in the book. Specifically, when a new topic is introduced, they reference previous knowledge learned in earlier chapters, thus guiding the reader to integrate the new information. For example, before introducing the various graphic types, in chapter 4, the authors remind us that deep learning is more likely when people “engage in relevant cognitive processing” (Clark & Mayer, 2008, p. 71). They continue by reminding that the instruction should “leverage both channels in ways that enable the learner to make sense out of the material” (Clark & Mayer, p. 74). We are also reminded of the engagement matrix introduced in chapter one, “Relevant visuals are one powerful method to support psychological engagement in the absence of behavioral activity (Clark & Mayer, p. 74). The result is a textbook which serves as a very practical guide to applying the introduced concepts and theories.

While the final reading, Five ways to reduce PowerPoint overload supported recaps many of the points presented in the text book, Atkinson and Mayer also provide excellent advice on how to make a better presentation. I do not like PowerPoint presentations. Perhaps that is because I have never seen a great one. I do not use PowerPoint in my corporate training efforts. Instead I create video demonstrations and software simulations using Captivate. In the modality principle, the authors address my biggest complaint with using PowerPoint for training. The notion that everything the instructor is to say is also on the slide. Although this may serve as a comfort for the speaker during the presentation, it is better to follow the multimedia principle. By incorporating images, you will better engage the learners instead of reducing the slides to a cheat sheet for your public speaking. I simple do not believe anyone in my target audience of literate adult learners would benefit from me simply reading what is displayed on screen.

Atkinson, C., & Mayer, R. E. (2004). Five ways to reduce PowerPoint overload. Retrieved from http://edtech.mrooms.org/pluginfile.php/87052/mod_resource/content/1/Five%20Ways%20to%20Reduce%20PowerPoint%20Overload.pdf

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.