Lesson 5 Instructional Environments and Multimedia
5-4 More on the Modality Principle
What if your learner could have a personal guide explaining information to them every step of the way. By employing the modality principle (Clark & Mayer, Chapter 6, p. 113), you can present words as audio narration rather than on-screen text as having someone talking in your ear while you’re looking at the scene. You are providing complementary information in more than mode at the same time; think about when you see a video demonstration and the performer narrates while performing the task.
What to look for:
- Use of audio narration to explain on-screen graphics or animations. (Note that the below example adheres to the modality principle but could do better with respect to the redundancy principle).
- Use of text for information that learners will need as a reference, such as technical terms or directions to practice exercises.
⭐ Shar’s Note: The use of multiple modalities an important concept for Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This is an important concept to talk about with stakeholders when designing eLearning: multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression.
Also be sure that if you have audio narration, there is a transcript someplace for users who cannot hear the audio.