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 Image Principle - Facecam
The Image Principle states that humans do not necessarily learn better from a talking head video. Talking head videos are incredibly common in eLearning courses and MOOCs. The research on this one is also still in its early phases, so take this principle with a grain of salt.
The thinking here is that if there is important information to be learned, relevant visuals on the screen will be more effective than showing a talking head of an instructor.
How to use the Image Principle:
Instead of having a talking head of the instructor, use relevant animations and visuals that help reinforce the audio voiceover. Note that talking heads can provide some value for the instructor by building credibility and trust. This is especially useful to establish at the beginning of your learning experience. Just try to limit your use of talking heads as your video or course dives deeper into the learning content.