The Effect Multimedia Webpage Design Has On Content Transfer Over A Very Fast Network  

by 

Jon Storslee  

Question: Why Do Smart Students Sometimes Fail When Using Computers & the Web?

No Frame of Reference

Not Comfortable With Technology

Overwhelmed With Too Much Information

Common Replies When asked about the Problem:

Cognition and Web Media

How Do We Think & Interact with Media?

Which Media is Best Suited for the Web?

What can be done to Improve Cognition?

Cognitive Theory

Cognitive Loading

Cone of Experience

Dual Coding Theory

Media Generative Theory

Cognitive Loading (Sweller & Chandler)

Cognitve Loading Is Unique to Each Individual

Steps Can Be Taken to Lower Cognitive Loading of Content

Graphics and “Colorful Wording” Will Reduce the Cognitive Load of Content

Cone of Experience (Dale)

Real World Is the Best Training Environment

Simulation of Real World Next Best

Need to Recreate the Training Environment

Dual Coding Theory (Paivio )

Information Is Processed Using Two Channels

Verbal Channel CalledLogogens

Nonverbal Channel (I.E. Pictures) Called Imagens

Better Retention When Both Channels Accessed

Media Generative Theory (Mayer)

“The Design of Multimedia Instruction Affects the Cognitive Processing” (Mayer, 1997)

Media Can Work in Conjunction With Other Media to Enhance the Cognitive Process (Mayer, 1997)

Factors that Hinder Cognition (Cognitive Interference)

Inappropriate Use of Media (Constant Running Animation or Large Graphics)

Poor Interface Design (Colors and Layout)

Learning Environment(Noise, Poor Lighting, Etc)

Hypermedia (Bush & Jonassen)

Theorized a Database With Associative Linking That Models the Brain (Bush, 1946)

Hypermedia Is Capable of Mapping a Knowledge Structure (Jonassen, 1989)

Problems with Media on the Web

Limited Bandwidth

Rapid Growth of Web

Slow Delivery

Inconsistent Delivery

New Media Tools

Summary of Theory

“Real World” Experience Is Best

Media Helps Recreate Work Environment

Media That Creates Mental Images Improves Learning

Misuse of Media Can Hinder the Learning Process

Webpage Media Model

Cognitive Loading Associated With Content

Cognitive Loading to Process Media

Cognitive Interference Generated From Webpage Download Time

Environment

Type & #Media

Type of Knowledge

Prior Knowledge

Misc.

# ofMedia

DownloadTime

Content

Cognitive Loading Factors

Text

Media Processing

Download Time

Content Processing

Text Cognitive Loading Model

Text

Graphics

Media Processing

Download Time

Content Processing

Text & Graphics Loading

Text

Graphics

Animation

Media Processing

Download Time

Content Processing

Text, Graphics & Animation

Text

Sound

Animation

Graphics

Media Processing

Download Time

Content Processing

Text, Graphics, Animation & Sound

Text Text &Graphics

Text ,Graphics &Animation

Text ,Graphics,

Animation &Sound

Content Media Download

Summary Cognitive Loading by Content

Very Fast Network (10 Mbps Dedicated)

Question: What Is the Best Media for the Web?

Text, Graphics, Animation & Sound?

Text Only?

Text with Graphics?

Text, Graphics & Animation?

Webpages Tested are located at http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~storslee/net

Text (index.html)

Text with Graphics(gindex.html)

Text, Graphics & Animation (aindex.html)

Text, Graphics, Animation & Sound (sindex.html)

Mixed Methods Testing

Qualitative

Quantitative

Qualitative Test Methodology

2 Question on PosttestWhat Did You Like?What Did You Dislike?

Interview With Students

Observation of Students

Quantitative Test Methodology

4 Sets of Webpages

Same Content but Different Types of Media

Random Assignment of Subjects by Perl Script

Pre- & Post-test Assessment of Content

The Results

Text, Graphics, Animation and Sound for Very Fast Networks

Text, Graphics and Animation For Fast to Moderate Speed Networks

Implications of the Study

Adding Media Will Improve the Content Retention of Text-only Webpages

Adding Sound to Animations on Webpages Does Not Help or Hinder Content Retention

Recommendations for Future Research

Replicate the Study on a Slower Network

Replicate the Study With the Subjects Accessing From Home

Testing Only a Single Medium