The Modality Principle in Multimedia Learning
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Chapter 9 - The Modality Principle in Multimedia Learning by Renae Low and John Sweller
This chapter discusses the two different channels (visual and auditory), and through using presentations which contain both modes, working memory capacity can be increased. The chapter discusses theory and data that support the modality principle. The modality effect on modality principle is the effect that when under certain conditions, presenting some information in visual mode and other information in auditory mode, the effects of excessive cognitive load can be reduced. When excessive cognitive load is reduced, the modality principle states that when used instructionally, learning can be substantially increased.
They discuss the research that supports separate auditory and visual channels with a small section discussing the different channels. One model that is mentioned is Baddeley’s model of working memory. Baddeley divides working memory into a visual spatial scratch pad that processes visually based information such as diagrams and pictures and a phonological loop that processes auditory information.
Murdock did some studies with sets of words, one set of words was related words and the other not, and they did different studies to see how well they were remembered. They used male and female voices and lowercase and capital words in the study. When a capital word was shown, the participant had to recall that information. The recall of a visual word was interfered with when having to recall it was a capitalized word, but it had no effect if the word was auditory. They also noted that even if words were related, but one was presented auditorily and one was presented visually, the participant recalled the information by presentation mode (auditory or visually) and not logically.
Another study that is in the chapter was by Margrain who studied visual and auditory recall of digits. The findings showed that delayed recall of auditory lists of digits was better than the delayed recall of visual lists regardless if the list was written or auditory when recalled. Their conclusion was that in some conditions auditory retention may be getter to visual retention in working memory. They also noted that the recall of the digits is better if it is presented in a mode different than it is recalled.
Penney performed studies that tested patterns of presentation mode using different combinations of 10 digits of audio and visual. Penney’s findings show that working memory might be organized in terms of modality, rather than order of presentation.
There was another study done by Levin and Divine-Hawkins with elementary aged students having them read a book, or have a book read to them while they looked at the book. The students retained much more information when the book was read to them while they looked at the visuals, showing that even elementary school aged children can be affected by overload of working memory, but when you have information coming from visual and auditory, more information can be processed.
The chapter also discussed expertise reversal, where if someone is already knowledgeable about something they are learning, the dual mode of presentation is not helpful and the modality principle does not apply.
Also, the information to be learned has to be needed for understanding. If you are teaching things that aren’t reliant on each other, then the modality principle does not apply.
Overall, the modality effect has been shown to be an effective way to reduce memory overload in the proper application.
