Does Working Memory Capacity Moderate the Effects of Signaling in Multimedia Learning? An Eye Tracking study

Abstract

The study of multimedia learning involves the presentation of information using both verbal and pictorial forms. One principle that has been shown to enhance learning is the signaling principle. Signaling includes the addition of cues that draw attention to relevant information in the learning material. However, the effects of signaling for learners with different working memory capacities (WMC) remain inconclusive and understudied. This eye-tracking study aimed to fill this research gap by examining whether WMC moderates learning outcomes in the presence of cues, while also exploring attention allocation patterns. Employing a within-subjects design, fifty participants engaged in a multimedia lesson on synaptic transmission, which included color-coded and non-color-coded slides. Each participant was randomly assigned to a group where the order of the cueing conditions was manipulated. Contrary to expectations, the results did not reveal any significant effects of WMC and cueing on learning outcomes. However, cueing did demonstrate significant effects on fixation counts and total fixation duration, indicating that cues effectively directed attention toward the cued elements. Moreover, an order effect was observed, suggesting that the sequence in which cueing conditions were presented influenced fixation behavior. The implications of these findings and future directions are further discussed.