Encoding and Retaining Information in the Visuals and Verbals of an Educational Movie

摘要

Viewers watching a narrated movie are simultaneously presented information in two media, visual and verbal/auditory. This study shows there is no competition for resources in an educational movie: when one is encoding information in one medium, one is not hindered from encoding information in the other. Even when the visual and linguistic information are presented sequentially, doubling study time, no more information is extracted than in an intact movie. College students are good dual media processors. In a sequential presentation, spoken narration first and visuals second is far inferior to visuals first and narration second. When the verbal material in a sequential presentation is read rather than listened to, order does not matter. Regarding retention, much information is extracted from linguistic material, but only half remains after a week. Less information is extracted from visual material, but it stays over a week. Practical applications are discussed. (Author)