Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning
If you are designing a PowerPoint presentation, developing an online course or preparing to flip your classroom, you may need to reconsider how you will get learners to engage with the material without the traditional face-to-face interaction. In the book Multimedia Learning (Cambridge Press, 2001), Richard E. Mayer discusses twelve principles that shape the design and organization of multimedia presentations
We’re going to cover the basics of his 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning in this Moodle book.
The Pre-Training Principle - Start with the Basics
The Pre-training Principle states that humans learn more efficiently if they already know some of the basics. This often means understanding basic definitions, terms, or concepts before beginning the learning experience.
And this makes intuitive sense. If a learner starts an eLearning course knowing about the topic, they can easily become overwhelmed once complex visuals and definitions start being thrown their way. A bit of pre-training before starting the course really would have helped.
How to use the Pre-Training Principle:
You can use this principle by creating an introductory “guide” or “cheat sheet” for learners to use throughout the course. Or you can create an entire lesson up front dedicated to understanding the basics, before the learner moves into the actual course.
Further examples can be found HERE