The Effect of Learner Control and Task Difficulty on Multimedia Learning

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effects of single learner control-pace control and task difficulty-on multimedia learning in 120 undergraduates by a two between-subject factorial design experiment. The findings were that subjective difficulty in simple task learners reported was lower than that in difficulty task, and the recognition performance in learner control condition was higher than that in program control condition when undergraduates learned difficult materials. Further, in complex task condition, learners who used the pace control keys performed better than those who didn't in transfer test. However, there was no difference in recognition test between the learners who used and didn't use the pace control keys when the task was simple. These results indicated that learner control could promote the undergraduates' memory of difficult materials, and using learner control keys could improve their understanding and transfer in difficult materials. The task difficulty moderated the relationship between learner control and learning performance. The findings had important implications on the design of multimedia learning.

Key words: learner control, pace control, task difficulty, cognitive load, multimedia learning

摘要： 使用两因素被试间设计探索在不同任务难度条件下单一的学习者控制—步调控制对120名大学生多媒体学习的影响。结果发现：（1）在复杂任务条件下,学习者控制组的再认成绩显著高于程序控制组;学习者对简单任务的主观难度感知显著低于复杂任务。（2）在学习者控制组,在学习复杂材料时,使用了控制选项的学习者其迁移成绩显著高于没有使用的学习者;但对控制的使用与否对简单任务的学习迁移成绩没有显著影响。本研究的结果表明,学习者控制可以促进大学生对比较复杂学习内容的记忆,对学习者控制的实际使用可以促进大学生对复杂内容的理解和迁移。学习任务难度在学习者控制影响多媒体学习效果中起调节作用。这一结论对多媒体学习设计具有重要启示。

关键词: 学习者控制, 步调控制, 任务难度, 认知负荷, 多媒体学习

CLC Number:

B842.3

Gong Shaoying, Zhang Panpan, Shangguan Chenyu. The Effect of Learner Control and Task Difficulty on Multimedia Learning[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2017, 15(3): 335-342.

龚少英, 张盼盼, 上官晨雨. 学习者控制和任务难度对多媒体学习的影响^*[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2017, 15(3): 335-342.

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