Learning a procedure from multimedia instructions: The effects of film and practice

Abstract

AbstractCollege students were taught to build a model helicopter from an assembly kit. Their instructions consisted of a narrated film (one viewing or two), hands‐on practice using a model as a guide (one building or two), or a combination (see film first, build second; or build first, see film second). Performance on assembly from memory was assessed either immediately or after a 1‐week delay. Both structural and functional measures were used. (A new structural measure is introduced here.) Performance was best immediately for groups who had hands‐on practice, either twice, or in conjunction with a film. After a week, the group who practised first and saw the film second performed significantly better than all others. A theoretical framework, based on multimedia concept formation, is briefly presented to account for the results. In order for lasting concepts to be formed in memory, a precedence is suggested: motoric elements with their accompanying mental components should be put in first, followed by visual, followed by linguistic.