Supporting visual and verbal learning preferences in a second-language multimedia learning environment.

Abstract

Erfurt University of Education English-speaking college students who were enrolled in a German course read a 762-word German language story presented by a computer program. For key words in the story, students could choose to see a translation on the screen in English (i.e., verbal annotation) or view a picture or video clip representing the word (i.e,, visual annotation), or both. Students remembered word translations better when they had selected both visual and verbal annotations during learning than only 1 or no annotation; students comprehended the story better when they had the opportunity to receive their preferred mode of annotation. Results are consistent with a generative theory of multimedia learning that assumes that learners actively select relevant verbal and visual information, organize the information into coherent mental representations, and integrate these newly constructed visual and verbal representations with one another. Current developments in information technologies have resulted in rapid advances in the application of instructional and educational technology. There seem to be, however, only small advances in corresponding basic research on the psychological principles of human learning in a multimedia learning environment (Kozma, 1991). This article deals with two of these psychological principles. On the one hand, multimedia learning requires the learner to process information presented in different modes (e.g., in a verbal and a visual mode). Thus, cognitive psychological theories on processing information such as Mayer's (1997) generative theory of multimedia learning are relevant. On the other hand, the term