Cognitive load theory, modality of presentation and the transient information effect

Abstract

The modality effect occurs when audio/visual instructions are superior to visual only instructions. The effect was explored in two experiments conducted within a cognitive load theory framework. In Experiment 1, two groups of primary school students (N ¼ 24) were presented with either audio/visual or visual only instructions on how to read a temperature graph. The group presented with visual text and a diagram rather than audio text and a diagram was superior, reversing most previous data on the modality effect. It was hypothesized that the reason for the reversal was that the transitory auditory text component was too long to be processed easily in working memory compared to more permanent written information. Experiment 2 (N ¼ 64) replicated the experiment with the variation of a reduced length of both auditory and visual text instructions. Results indicated a reinstatement of the modality effect with audio/visual instructions proving superior to visual only instructions.

Story of a Research Program

“…Indeed, the permanence of written material and the transient nature of spoken material is presumably why we invented writing. Wayne Leahy, a previous PhD student of mine and now a colleague at Macquarie University, found that the modality effect is reversed when using long, complex spoken text (Leahy & Sweller, 2011). Any advantage of using both auditory and visual processors is negated by presenting lengthy, complex text in spoken form.…”

Getting the point: Tracing worked examples enhances learning

“…If the information is extensive and high in element interactivity, many elements of information will need to be held and integrated in working memory. In this circumstance, working memory will be easily overloaded (Leahy & Sweller, 2011;.…”

¿Dónde se posan los ojos al leer textos multisemióticos disciplinares? Procesamiento de palabras y gráficos en un estudio experimental con eye tracker

“…Schontz (2005) propone el 'Efecto General de Redundancia'. Desde este efecto, se señala que los aprendientes que demuestran alto grado de conocimiento previo se desempeñan mejor con textos en que predomina un solo sistema semiótico (Schnotz, 2005;Schnotz & Horz, 2010;Sweller, 2005;Leahy & Sweller, 2011). Así, el procesamiento de textos con información proveniente desde dos o más sistemas, que contribuyan a crear un texto con cierto grado de redundancia, produce una sobrecarga cognitiva en la memoria de trabajo y, consecuentemente, un impedimento en un mejor procesamiento en la memoria de largo plazo.…”