What could school learn from educational research
This article highlights the work and knowledge of Richard Mayer who is one of the most influential educational researchers: His theory of multimedia learning is widely referred to, and many educators turn to his principles for how to design learning materials.
Since the pandemic hit, his research findings are more relevant than ever, as instructors seek guidance on what works as they move their teaching online.
One key finding of Mayer’s work confirms what might seem obvious: Graphics work when it comes to explaining the complicated subject matter. If you use words and pictures, learners understand the information much more than if you just have words. A mix of graphics and words can help students better apply a concept learned in a lesson to a new situation.
For example, an illustration of the forces that cause lightning helps students to recall the words but without it, they would be less able to demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the phenomenon.
He names it “the multimedia effect.”
Mayer has also noticed that some forms of multimedia lead to more effective learning, but the repetition of the exact information do not. His principles for how to design multimedia, based on research, state that repeating the same information in text and in audio in a video lesson or animation can actually limit the learning experience.
For example, imagine an animation used to describe how lightning works. If the caption below the image repeats the same words that are flashing by during the animation, the repetition actually overloads our visual system as we focus either on the words below the image or the image and not the words. It can be therefore better to put the words next to the part of the animation you’re talking about.
Comparably, repeating the same words in the soundtrack of a video and captions on the screen is often less effective than using audio alone.
Another finding of Mayer’s latest research involves testing what kinds of instructional videos work best.
According to him, students learn better if they see a video of the professor actually solving a math problem or concept on a whiteboard than if they see a video of the same professor standing next to a whiteboard where the problem has already been worked out.
This concept can be explained as embodied learning where the students feel more involved in the learning process and feel like they are working out the problem along with the professor when they see the professor solving the problem.
Importantly, when filming educational videos, the instructor’s attitude matters. The professor should be positive, using positive gestures and speaking in a positive way and with a kind voice. This will have a better impact on the learning experience.
Before the pandemic hit, Mayer had started researching the latest form of multimedia—virtual reality when he tested how to develop and use learning materials delivered on the Oculus Rift. It is a virtual reality devise with an immersive experience. He is hoping to find out whether that’s really a useful medium and how you can use that to maximum benefit.
According to Mayer, his research and findings are more welcomed by the corporate training industry and the military than by schools or colleges. However, the current situation (COVID-19) and need in using alternative methods of learning caused the growth and interest in the research in traditional education.
