Examining the Influence of Gender on the Modality Effect

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of modality and gender on learning from a computer-based matrix graphic organizer. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was created by crossing two presentation modes (visual text vs. spoken text) and gender. Dependent measures included transfer and comprehension tests. Results revealed a significant modality by gender interaction on the transfer test. These results suggest that when the goal of learning is to transfer information to new contexts, males benefit from a dual mode presentation of text, whereas females benefit from a text only (single mode) presentation. This study adds to the literature by showing that gender is another factor to consider in conjunction with expertise and modality in multimedia learning.In this Information Age, the dissemination of information via multimedia is pervasive not only on the World Wide Web, but also in computer-based instruction both online and in traditional classroom settings. Information presented through multimedia learning can be designed in numerous fashions and can encompass various presentation modes including text, graphics, and/or sound. In an effort to understand effective designs for multimedia learning, comparisons of these different presentation modes have become quite common in the literature

Boys-Specific Text-Comprehension Enhancement With Dual Visual-Auditory Text Presentation Among 12–14 Years-Old Students

“…We have not detected age-related changes in language comprehension, surely because of the short-range of age in our sample. The fact that Flores et al (2010) detected transfer gender-differences in older subjects suggests that learning and developmental changes compensate for reading difficulties in boys only to some extent. Friederici (2012) and recently Mossbridge et al (2017), conducted researches where they predicted the support of cognition in dual or crossmodal visual-auditory signals by enabling the dynamic coordination of inner and sensory processes.…”

“…In addition to the use of low difficulty texts, previously unnoticed sexdifferences, and perhaps age-differences, could explain the controversy. Regarding the age, text comprehension in young adults, men or women, do not seem to be aided by dual-modality, however, interestingly, more complex processing evaluated by transfer tests (which requires the use of text information to solve questions in other contexts) is better with dual-modality in men and worse in women (Flores et al, 2010). This report, together with our results supports the idea that the benefit of dual-modality in boys but not girls depends on age.…”

The Relations of Metacognitive Awareness, Multiple Intelligences and Gender with Undergraduates' Perceived Motivation in Using Multimedia

“…Research on modality effects such as texts and audio narration on multimedia learning have resulted in significant difference between male and female students [9]. The findings indicate that when the learning aim is to transfer information to a new context, male learners would have perform better than female learners, as the former are most adaptable to dual presentation mode as opposed to the latter who tend to gain better from single mode presentation.…”