Ibrahim, M., Antonenko, P. D., Greenwood, C. M., & Wheeler, D. (2012). Effects of segmenting, signalling, and weeding on learning from educational video. Learning, Media and Technology, 37(3), 220-235.
Abstract
Informed by the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study examined the effects of three multimedia design principles on undergraduate students’ learning outcomes and perceived learning difficulty in the context of learning entomology from an educational video. These principles included segmenting the video into smaller units, signalling to direct students’ attention to relevant information, and weeding to remove any non-essential content (SSW). It was hypothesized that the SSW treatment would decrease perceived learning difficulty and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and the structural knowledge acquisition. Results of the study demonstrate that participants in the SSW group outperformed the non-SSW group on the tests of knowledge transfer and structural knowledge acquisition and reported lower levels of learning difficulty. These findings support the use of SSW to help novice learners organize and integrate knowledge from complex, dynamic audio-visual media like video.
Annotation
Generally, research shows that the use of video to have positive impacts on learning, however, some empirical evidence also suggests that video as a learning device may be no better than a series of equivalent-content static images when not designed effectively. The authors of this study illustrate that certain design principles direct learners’ attention to relevant information and decrease cognitive load to enhance learning. Though these design principles, which include segmenting, signalling and weeding, have been applied to the design of animations and hypermedia, there is little research on their effectiveness for videos in education. This study gives important and very applicable insight into “tips and tricks” for the design of educational videos for effective learning.
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