The modality effect in learner-paced multimedia learning

AbstractA total of 80 girl 8th-grade students viewed a short computer-based multimedia presentation consisting of 16 slides explaining lightening formation. They studied instructions set up interactivity level with system either low (pause and play buttons) or high (with 2 more buttons of backward and forward) and using either on-screen text or narration accompanying animations and took on cognitive load and performance. The results showed that narrative group spend less time and more mental effort than onscreen text group, while the low interactivity group outperformed the high interactivity group on tests of retention and transfer with spend less time. On findings performance is higher when behavioral activity during learning is lower and the interactivity level is not interacting with text modality