Prior Knowledge Principle in Multimedia Learning
From Eduwiki
Design principles for multimedia learning depend on the prior knowledge of the learner. Design principles that help low knowledge learner may not help and even hinder the high knowledge learner. The low knowledge learner has limited experience in the relevant domain. The high knowledge learner is one who has substantial previously acquired knowledge in a specific domain and who is involved in learning more advanced information in the same domain.
An example of the prior knowledge principle, two nomograms that measure the revolutions per minute a drill needs to puncture a hole in different types of material were examined. One nomogram had a diagram with multimedia instruction added--text with narration and visual images so that the learner was able to work at their own pace in a tutorial fashion. The second nomogram was diagram only based allowing the learner to click and highlight a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line and investigate intersections on the diagram. The nomogram with the multimedia instruction added worked well for the novice learner; however, its effectiveness decreased as the learner became more proficient at using nomograms. As levels of learner knowledge increased, the effectiveness of the multimedia format did not help but hindered the higher knowledge learner. This is known as the expertise reversal effect, Kalyuga, et al (1998).
Another way to make material more accessible to the low knowledge learner is to use the isolated-interacting elements instructional effect. Pollack, et al (2002), developed this technique to improve learning of complex technical devices by presenting the material as a set of isolated elements. Instruction was broken up into sequential steps or isolated elements without detailed explanations. The isolated element instruction was then followed by interacting elements instruction, explaining the application and operation of the complex devices using diagrams and text.
Cooper, et al (2001) investigated the imagination effect. The learners are asked to imagine the procedures described in the computer based instruction rather than a simple study of the material. The learners with a higher level of knowledge were more successful in processing the information in this fashion than the low level of knowledge learner. The imagining procedure had a negative effect on the low knowledge student compared to studying.
The most important implication of this principle is that for instructional design to be effective, it should be designed to change with the learner’s expertise. As the learner becomes more proficient to advanced in a specific domain, the future design of the domain should be modified from highly structured multimedia instructional procedures to low structured instructions. This procedure is similar to scaffolding where the design for the novice learner provides a great deal of information including worked out examples at the beginning and tapers off as the learner’s level of expertise increases.
