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Algebra 1

Multimedia Principle

Algebra 1Multimedia Principle
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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 people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone (Mayer, 2022).

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.

How to use the Multimedia Learning Principle

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.

The Multimedia Learning Principle in the OpenStax Algebra 1 Curriculum

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.

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

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.

A screenshot from the curriculum showing the student graphic organizer titled MLR 7: Compare and Connect with three model categories: Concrete, Representation, and Abstract. Each category has a box where students are directed to create a visual of how they made sense of the problem in one of the three categories. In the next sections, there are guiding questions for comparing visuals with other students and finding connections between the various approaches. Textboxes organize the questions and provide a space for student responses.

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.

A screenshot from the curriculum showing a diagram titled GENERAL STRATEGY FOR FACTORING POLYNOMIALS classifies strategies using a hierarchy. First, all polynomials should be checked for a GCF. Then, depending on whether the expressions are binomials, trinomials, or have more than three terms, the strategies vary and the general patterns are provided for each. After the diagram, the key steps for how to factor the trinomial 4 times x squared plus 20 times x times y plus 25 times y squared is provided in a table as an example.

References

Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning (Third edition). Cambridge University Press.

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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