APA presentations tend to overload the visual channel, especially with high element interactivity content¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2009 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? An APA with its gestures imposes heavy demand on the visual channel (written words, agent image, background pictures), creating cognitive overload that compromises learning efficiency. → Woo 2009 q2 i? Only instruction with high element interactivity is likely to suffer the cognitive overload effect; low element interactivity content leaves sufficient cognitive capacity. → Woo 2009 (2)

Evidence¶

Woo 2009¶

Woo, H.L. (2009). Designing multimedia learning environments using animated pedagogical agents: factors and issues. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25, 203-218. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2008.00299.x

q2 · i? · review · r2

Theoretical analysis within the CTMLAPA model (Moreno 2005): the three simultaneous visual elements create heavy demand on the visual channel, and when the channel fails to cope, cognitive overload compromises learning efficiency. This is an argument, not a measured result.

"For an APA presentation, there are at least three forms of visual elements that our eyes have to handle - the written words, the agent image (including its gesture and facial expression), and other pictures that reside in the background."

Woo 2009 (2)¶

Woo, H.L. (2009). Designing multimedia learning environments using animated pedagogical agents: factors and issues. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25, 203-218. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2008.00299.x

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review cites Sweller's (2002) argument that learners with low element interactivity content have sufficient cognitive capacity, so poor design effects are not readily felt, whereas high element interactivity content overtaxes capacity. Theoretical claim, no measured data.

"only instruction that has high element interactivity is likely to suffer the cognitive overload effect"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• APAs produce more definitive results for affective gain and group learning than for cognitive achievement gains — related
• Presenting words as spoken narration rather than on-screen text alongside graphics improves learning — a broader claim this one bears on
• On-screen text that duplicates the narration of a diagram can hurt learning, but spoken–written redundancy is not harmful on average and helps over spoken-only presentation in some conditions — related
• Redundant on-screen text impairs learning when it competes with a visualization, though written text duplicating narration alone can help — related
• Voice-based multimedia settings (animation+voice and picture+voice) produce better learning performance than picture+text — related
• Redundant speech-gesture cooperation improves recall and social perception more than complementarity — related
• Visual presentation, especially motion pictures, dispenses largely with the teacher's personal influence and the group's social interaction — related