The Interaction Between Text Modality and the Learner's Modality Preference Influences Comprehension and Cognitive Load.

Janina Lehmann,Tina Seufert

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02820

Abstract

This study investigates the aptitude–treatment interaction between text modality and learners’ modality preference on learning outcomes and cognitive load, which is currently a point of controversy. The Meshing Hypothesis postulates there are better learning outcomes when the modality of a learning environment matches the learner’s preference. However, previous research supporting the Meshing Hypothesis shows methodological issues. Therefore, clear empirical support is needed. We tested 42 learners in a between-subject design: Their preferences were either auditive–ambiguous or visual, and half of each preference group randomly learned either with an auditive or a visual text. As expected, we did not find any main effects, but a significant interaction between the text modality and the learner’s preference for comprehension outcomes, extraneous cognitive load, and germane cognitive load. Specifically, learners with a preference for visual texts benefit from learning with their preferred modality, they showed higher comprehension scores and less extraneous load when learning from a visual text. Auditive–ambiguous learners showed almost equal results with both text modalities. This might be explained by the fact that most texts in everyday life are presented visually, and therefore learners with an auditive preference needed to develop appropriate reading strategies. Thus, our results partly support the Meshing Hypothesis.

Highlights

AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDWhen deciding which type of learning materials to use for which kind of task, instructional designers have to consider the cognitive affordances of the learning material
The aim of this study was to assess the differences in learning outcomes and cognitive load when learning with the preferred or non-preferred modality, which could be either visual or auditive
We analyzed the effects of text modality, modality preferences, and especially the interaction between the two factors

Summary

Introduction

AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDWhen deciding which type of learning materials to use for which kind of task, instructional designers have to consider the cognitive affordances of the learning material. The question arises as to whether preferences, Text Modality and Modality Preference as a motivationally driven concept, moderate the effects of specific designs of instruction. Many learners prefer to learn in a specific way, which is known as the Learning–Styles Hypothesis (e.g., Cassidy, 2004; Pashler et al, 2008). The question of whether learners really perform better while learning with their preferred modality (Meshing Hypothesis; e.g., Pashler et al, 2008) still demands clear evidence because most previous research showed methodological issues (Kirschner, 2017). In order to investigate the question of whether there is an aptitude-treatment-interaction between the learner’s preferences for auditive or visual text as an aptitude and the text modality itself as the treatment factor, it first needs to be considered how auditive and visual information is processed

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