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<p>As educators, we have all heard about or learned about “learning styles” such as visual learners vs auditory learners. That said, it turns out the notion of “learning styles” is not actually supported by research, and in fact a large body of work suggests that everybody learns better through a combination of words and pictures. This body of work has culminated in the “Multimedia Learning Principle” which asserts that <strong> people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone </strong> (Mayer, 2022).</p>

<p>The theory behind the Multimedia Learning Principle is related to “cognitive load.” It appears humans have separate working memory loads for our auditory and visual channels. If we can split information between these channels, it frees up “cognitive load” for us to process the information. This principle should be particularly effective for subjects that are difficult to learn and require a high amount of “cognitive load,” or for students that are struggling to make sense of a concept. </p>

<h5>How to use the Multimedia Learning Principle</h5>

<p>Whenever possible, try to supplement verbal information with visual information and try to supplement visual information with verbal explanations. Try to make these supplements complementary, rather than redundant. The goal is to facilitate students making connections between the visual information and the auditory information, and to free up some processing space in both channels by dividing the load between them. </p>

<h5>The Multimedia Learning Principle in the OpenStax Algebra 1 Curriculum</h5>

<p>We have added a number of animations throughout Unit 1 and Unit 6 to take advantage of the multimedia principle when introducing students to translating word problems into equations and solving polynomials. </p>

<p>We have also created a number of graphic organizers to help students make visual and auditory connections for some concepts. </p>

<p>This example shows the graphic organizer that was developed in support of “Math Language Routine 7: Compare and Connect.”  You will find similar graphic organizers embedded throughout the course in support of various mathematical language routines; designed to support your emerging bilinguals.  </p>

<img src="https://k12.openstax.org/contents/raise/resources/3f9f402c46b3dc86b290331843a3f11d248646fc" class="os-raise-media-responsive">
<p>Additional graphic organizers are provided throughout the course to help students connect large quantities of written text with specific mathematical processes. Another example from Unit 6 shows how a graphic organizer lifts the cognitive load for students by summarizing the information in prior lessons and then providing a thinking tool to support student use of the graphic organizer.  </p>
<img src="https://k12.openstax.org/contents/raise/resources/ee377946eced8bee14789ffcf6c82898e656083e" class="os-raise-media-responsive">

<p><strong>References</strong></p>

<p>Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning (Third edition). Cambridge University Press.
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<p>Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (1998). A Split-Attention Effect in Multimedia Learning: Evidence for Dual Processing Systems in Working Memory. 9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.90.2.312
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