Does the Modality Effect in Multimedia Learning Appear only with Text Containing Spatial Information?

Abstract

Abstract.The current study tested the assumption that the modality effect in multimedia learning only appears when the text conveys spatial rather than non-spatial information. This assumption is based on findings from working memory research suggesting that the processing of spatial text contents and the execution of eye movements during reading may interfere with each other in visuo-spatial working memory. To test this hypothesis, 80 students were randomly assigned to four groups, resulting from a 2 × 2 design with text modality (spoken vs. written text) and text contents (visual vs. spatial) as between-subject factors. Learning outcomes were measured by means of text and picture recognition. Eye movements were recorded during learning. The results did not confirm the expected interaction between text content and text modality. In addition, the main effect of text modality effect was limited to picture recognition but did not appear for text recognition. This modality effect was mediated by the amount of concentration participants reported to have invested into studying the pictures. These results imply that the often found superiority of spoken text in multimedia learning might simply be due to a better availability of pictorial information instead of an overload of visuo-spatial working memory when processing written text.