What multimedia principles improve your e-learning?

1 The coherence principle

The coherence principle states that e-learning content should avoid adding any irrelevant or extraneous information that might distract or confuse the learners. This includes unnecessary graphics, sounds, words, or background music that do not support the learning objectives or the main message. By eliminating these elements, you can reduce the cognitive load on your learners and help them focus on the essential information.

2 The signaling principle

The signaling principle states that e-learning content should use cues and indicators to highlight the important information and guide the learners' attention and processing. This includes using headings, subheadings, bold fonts, colors, arrows, outlines, or animations to emphasize the key points, concepts, or steps. By using these signals, you can help your learners organize and structure the information and improve their comprehension and recall.

3 The redundancy principle

The redundancy principle states that e-learning content should avoid presenting the same information in more than one mode or format, such as text and narration, or graphics and text. This can cause cognitive overload and interfere with the learners' ability to integrate the information. Instead, you should use a single mode or format that is most suitable for the content and the learners' preferences. For example, you can use narration to explain a complex graphic, or text to summarize a simple graphic.

4 The modality principle

The modality principle states that e-learning content should use different modes or formats for different types of information, depending on their characteristics and demands. For example, you can use verbal modes, such as text or narration, for abstract or conceptual information, and visual modes, such as graphics or video, for concrete or procedural information. By using the appropriate mode or format, you can leverage the learners' dual-channel processing and enhance their learning outcomes.

5 The segmentation principle

The segmentation principle states that e-learning content should break down complex or lengthy information into smaller and manageable chunks or segments. This can help the learners process and understand the information more easily and efficiently, without overwhelming their working memory. You can use segmentation in different ways, such as dividing a long video into shorter clips, separating a text into paragraphs or bullet points, or presenting a graphic in parts or layers.

6 The personalization principle

The personalization principle states that e-learning content should use a conversational and informal tone and style, rather than a formal and academic one. This can create a sense of social presence and rapport between the instructor and the learners, and increase their motivation and engagement. You can use personalization in different ways, such as using first-person or second-person pronouns, addressing the learners directly, using humor or anecdotes, or adding human-like features or voices to the multimedia elements.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?