Why Multimedia Learning is not Always Helpful

The effectiveness of multimedia documents depends on a complex interaction between document design features, learners’ characteristics and task demands. A series of experiments demonstrated that depending on learners’ level of prior knowledge, animations may serve an enabling or a facilitating function. Those functions results in different patterns of learning processes and learning outcomes. The results are interpreted in terms of a general model linking document features, learner characteristics, task demands and learning outcomes. It is concluded that, in order for learning to occur, multimedia documents should not seek to facilitate any kind of cognitive processing. Instead, they should stimulate cognitive processes that are both learning effective and within the capabilities of the learners.

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