Effective Use of Multimedia Presentations to Maximize Learning Within High School Classrooms

摘要

This research used an evidenced-based experimental 2 x 2 factorial design General Linear Model with Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance (RMANCOVA). For this analysis, time served as the within-subjects factor while treatment group (i.e., static and signaling, dynamic and signaling, static without signaling, and dynamic without signaling) served as the between-subject independent variable. Three dependent variables were used to assess learner outcomes: (a) a 14 multiple-choice pre and post-test to measure knowledge retention, (b) a pre and post-test concept map to measure synthesis and structure of knowledge, and (c) four questions based on a Likert scale asking students to rank the cognitive difficulty of understanding four aspects of the animation they engaged in. A mental rotations test was used in the pretest conditions to establish a control and used as a covariate.The treatment contained a four minute and 53 second animation that served as an introductory multimedia presentation explaining the gravitational effects of the moon and sun on the earth. These interactions occur at predictable times and are responsible for creating the tidal effects experienced on Earth. There were 99 volunteer high school participants enrolled in science classes randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions. The research was conducted to determine how motion and the principle of signaling, established in The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning affected precollege learners. The experiment controlled for modality, segmenting, temporal contiguity, redundancy, and navigational control. Results of the RMANCOVA indicated statistical significance for the within subjects effect: over time for all participants, with time and knowledge retention measured from the multiple-choice results, and in the category quality of concepts represented in the concept map analysis. However, there were no significant differences in the between groups analysis for knowledge retention based on the multiple-choice assessment, or among groups over time in the concept map variables number of concepts, levels, and quality of concepts. Additionally, when measuring cognitive difficulty when learning from the animations, no significant differences were measured.