For this assignment, I choose the topic “How To Be Healthy” to help people who want to have a healthy life. I hope they can learn how to have a healthy body.
Actually, I use the “The Signaling Principle” to change my multimedia learning object. Because when multiple pieces of information are displayed on the screen, learners need to know what to look for, where they are in the presentation, and how to integrate the information to construct their own mental models. Thus, the signaling principle suggests that teachers add cues to direct learners’ attention to salient material. Mayer is careful to point out that this can be overkill, so presenters should use signals with caution. I also agree with Mayer said: “People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.” The multimedia principle is the starting point for all other principles because it shows that learners perform better when they are exposed to text and pictures, not just text. That is why I use a lot of pictures in my learning object. That can very help people to understand what they learn. As Mayer tells us, “instructional design involves not just presenting information, but also presenting it in a way that encourages learners to engage in appropriate cognitive processing” (p. 168). Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning tells us that the words and pictures that we choose for instruction are important and impactful. That’s why I add 3 videos to my PowerPoint for students easier to understand.
I did not change the overall layout of the learning object but added more details to the original introduction. Because I feel that my learning objects have the principle of coherence. Mayer also warns against including seductive details (interesting but irrelevant material that the presenter might include to re-engage the audience or create emotional responses), which the audience often retains better than the intended core message (p. 97). I use simple visuals in my learning objects that include only images, text, and narratives that support the learning objectives. There is no overly complex narrative or text.
Reference
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.