COGNITIVE THEORY OF MULTIMEDIA LEARNING

COGNITIVE THEORY OF MULTIMEDIA LEARNING 

Before starting to explain what the cognitive theory of multimedia learning is,clarifying multimedia learning provides us comprehend this conept. Multimedia learning is building mental represantations from words and pictures. Moreover, it is a cognitive theory of learning which was famous thanks to Richard Mayer and other experts. According to cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CLMT), there are principles that guide teachers for optimal learning. It will be the best if enlightening the relationship between the way of processing information and Mayer's CLMT with starting information processing theory. Learning stems from three cognitive processes which are sensory memory, working memory and long-term memory considering information processing theory. Briefly, sensory memory receives information like sounds or visuals then it transfers them to working memory. In this part, the received information rearranged in a meaningful way then, information relocates in long-term memory. Long-term memory is permanent and has unlimited capacity unlike working memory. And CTML depends upon three principles. Dual channel, limited capacity and active learning. As to dual channel principle, people have separate channels and sensory memory for processing auditory and visual information. Therefore, CTML suggests both pictures and words to activate both channels. Limited capacity principle , on the other hand, remarks that working memory cannot process a big amount of information in each channel at one time. Last principle called active learning consists of three cognitive processes. First one is selecting the words and images with attention. The second process is organizing information in working memory and the last process is integrating information with prior knowledge, which concludes with moving information to long-term memory. As a consequence, thi is the Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning.