NEXUS - Mayer's 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning

Mayer's 12 Principles of

Multimedia Learning

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MAYER'S 12 PRINCIPLES OF MULTIMEDIA LEARNING

Redundancy

Segmenting

Multimedia

Personalization

Voice

Coherence

Spatial Contiguity

Pre-training

Signalling

Image

Temporal Contiguity

Modality

• There is an introductory guide about basic definitions, terms, and concepts.
• Provide a cheat sheet.
• Structure the learning from the basics and move up into more complicated concepts.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Pre-training Principle

This principle states that humans learn more efficiently if they already know some of the basics.

+Strategy

• Present only relevant information.
• Use simple text and visuals.
• Use a contrasting color to improve readability.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Coherence Principle

This principle states that humans learn better when irrelevant and distracting elements are not included.

+Strategy

• Keep the content simple and casual.
• Avoid using overly professional, long, or complex words.
• Use first-person language (you, I, we, our).

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Personalization Principle

This principle states that humans learn best from a more informal, conversational voice than an overly formal voice.

+Strategy

• Provide control for students (next buttons, customizable setting).
• Divide the content into small bite-sized chunks for easier comprehension.
• Make sure there is not too much information packed into one screen.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Segmenting Principle

This principle states that humans learn best when information is presented in segments, rather than one long continuous stream.

+Strategy

• Make sure the visual elements and narration or audio elements occur at the same time.
• Make sure voiceover audio is always timed well.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Temporal Contiguity Principle

This principle explains that humans learn best when corresponding words and visuals are presented together, instead of in consecutive order.

+Strategy

• Try to limit the amount of talking head screen time by the instructor.
• Use relevant animations and visuals to help reinforce the audio voiceover.
• Talking heads can be used early in the meeting to build credibility and trust.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Embodiment Principle

This principle states that humans do not necessarily learn better from a talking head video.

+Strategy

• Put text and its corresponding graphics close to each other.
• Choose relevant and supporting graphics for the text.
• Use arrows, numbers, and lines to highlight the process.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Spatial Contiguity Principle

This principle suggests that humans learn best when relevant text and visuals are physically close together.

+Strategy

• Limit the amount of text, make sure text is used only for key definitions, lists, and directions.
• Too many visual elements (text, animations, and graphics) would overwhelm learners.
• Rely more on relevant graphics and only use animations to explain a process or other concepts that need movement.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Modality Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from visuals and spoken words than from visuals and printed words.

+Strategy

• Avoid only using text on a screen.
• Make sure the graphics you use enhance and clarify the explanation.
• If you have to present text, be mindful of spacing, contrast, and font.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Multimedia Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from words and pictures than just words alone.

+Strategy

• If there is narration, focus on presenting graphics for the visual element
• If you decide to use text, make it minimal
• For accessibility purposes, you can add closed captioning that can be turned on and off.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Redundancy Principle

This principle states that humans learn best with narration and graphics, as opposed to narration, graphics, and text.

+Strategy

• Use highlight, underline, or bold to point out key information.
• Add partitions between sections to signal different parts of the learning topic.
• Use arrows, red circles, and lines to highlight visual elements.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Signaling Principle

This principle states that humans learn best when they are shown exactly what to pay attention to on the screen.

+Strategy

• Use audio that was recorded professionally by a human.
• Use a neutral tone.
• Use a calm and easily comprehensible voice.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Voice Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from a human voice than from a computer or artificial voice.

+Strategy

• There is an introductory guide about basic definitions, terms, and concepts.
• Provide a cheat sheet.
• Structure the learning from the basics and move up into more complicated concepts.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Pre-training Principle

This principle states that humans learn more efficiently if they already know some of the basics.

+Strategy

• Present only relevant information.
• Use simple text and visuals.
• Use a contrasting color to improve readability.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Coherence Principle

This principle states that humans learn better when irrelevant and distracting elements are not included.

+Strategy

• Keep the content simple and casual.
• Avoid using overly professional, long, or complex words.
• Use first-person language (you, I, we, our).

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Personalization Principle

This principle states that humans learn best from a more informal, conversational voice than an overly formal voice.

+Strategy

• Provide control for students (next buttons, customizable setting).
• Divide the content into small bite-sized chunks for easier comprehension.
• Make sure there is not too much information packed into one screen.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Segmenting Principle

This principle states that humans learn best when information is presented in segments, rather than one long continuous stream.

+Strategy

• Make sure the visual elements and narration or audio elements occur at the same time.
• Make sure voiceover audio is always timed well.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Temporal Contiguity Principle

This principle explains that humans learn best when corresponding words and visuals are presented together, instead of in consecutive order.

+Strategy

• Try to limit the amount of talking head screen time by the instructor.
• Use relevant animations and visuals to help reinforce the audio voiceover.
• Talking heads can be used early in the meeting to build credibility and trust.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Embodiment Principle

This principle states that humans do not necessarily learn better from a talking head video.

+Strategy

• Put text and its corresponding graphics close to each other.
• Choose relevant and supporting graphics for the text.
• Use arrows, numbers, and lines to highlight the process.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Spatial Contiguity Principle

This principle suggests that humans learn best when relevant text and visuals are physically close together.

+Strategy

• Limit the amount of text, make sure text is used only for key definitions, lists, and directions.
• Too many visual elements (text, animations, and graphics) would overwhelm learners.
• Rely more on relevant graphics and only use animations to explain a process or other concepts that need movement.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Modality Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from visuals and spoken words than from visuals and printed words.

+Strategy

• Avoid only using text on a screen.
• Make sure the graphics you use enhance and clarify the explanation.
• If you have to present text, be mindful of spacing, contrast, and font.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Multimedia Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from words and pictures than just words alone.

+Strategy

• If there is narration, focus on presenting graphics for the visual element
• If you decide to use text, make it minimal
• For accessibility purposes, you can add closed captioning that can be turned on and off.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Redundancy Principle

This principle states that humans learn best with narration and graphics, as opposed to narration, graphics, and text.

+Strategy

• Use highlight, underline, or bold to point out key information.
• Add partitions between sections to signal different parts of the learning topic.
• Use arrows, red circles, and lines to highlight visual elements.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Signaling Principle

This principle states that humans learn best when they are shown exactly what to pay attention to on the screen.

+Strategy

• Use audio that was recorded professionally by a human.
• Use a neutral tone.
• Use a calm and easily comprehensible voice.

Image Source: Debel, A (2019)

Voice Principle

This principle explains that humans learn better from a human voice than from a computer or artificial voice.

+Strategy