Multimedia Research Article #4: Instructional Message Design
Sean McCarty
smccarty@ucsd.edu
12-11-08
Ed Tec 561 – Wed 7:00pm

36. Multiple-channel Communication: The Theoretical and Research Foundations of Multimedia: Multi-Image Presentations

Summary
Much of Chapter 36 deals with how much complexity learners can process when using multimedia to learn. Many of the studies detailed in the chapter explore the cognitive load of learners and the subject matter. Research on multi-image presentations dealt with screen size and information density. One study on screen size asserted that larger screens were better in terms of visual impact and keeping the learners’ attention because they have more potential to immerse the audience in virtual environments. Other research warned there was a risk of losing the audience if the image was either too complex or too simple, seeming to indicate there is a fine line in balancing the detail of the images. The research related to information density yielded few conclusions, however some studies did point to areas of potential use and directions for future research. Some of the research on comparisons of single-image versus multi-image presentations showed little difference in knowledge retention, but other studies indicated multi-image presentations cause arousal in viewers and help to keep their attention.

Reflection
The use of multiple images in a non-linear or all-at-once method is not conclusively effective but it is not necessarily a bad thing. Research has shown that giving the audience multiple images to view engages them because it allows them control in the presentation. A learner can choose which image to focus on and in which order. A traditional linear method may seem logical but the learner may disengage if a particular image or topic loses their attention. I expected to read the opposite considering the jumbled mess of clip art I have seen thrown out in some presentations, however, reflecting back I suppose you could argue that seeing all those incoherent images did keep my attention focused on the screen. Of course, the author does assert there is a fine line between keeping the viewers’ attention and overloading them with too much information. I think it is likely best to use multiple images at certain points in a presentation and not as a guiding rule for every slide.

Moore, D. M., Burton, J. K., & Myers, R. J. (2004).  Multi-channel communication: The theoretical and research foundations of multimedia.  In D. Johassen, (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (2nd ed., pp. 989-992). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.