Is spoken text always better? Investigating the modality and redundancy effect with longer text presentation

The reported study investigated the influence of longer text presentation on the modality and the redundancy effect. In particular, the auditory-recency-effect explanation, which predicts that both effects should disappear when longer texts are presented, was tested against the text-processing explanation, which predicts that both effects should even reverse if text-processing strategies can be applied.In Experiment 1, a 2 × 2 between-subject design with animation presentation (yes vs. no) and text modality (written vs. spoken) was used (N = 81). In line with the auditory-recency-effect explanation text modality did not influence learning outcomes. Moreover, animations facilitated transfer performance due to reduced cognitive effort.In Experiment 2, a 2 × 3 between-subject design with pacing (system-paced vs. learner-paced) and text modality (written vs. spoken vs. written and spoken) was used (N = 122). Again, text modality did not influence learning outcomes regardless of whether the learning environment was learner- or system-paced, supporting the auditory-recency-effect explanation. The analysis of log-files, however, indicated that learners within the learner-paced condition with written text replayed the single text segments more often; moreover, replaying segments was positively correlated with learning outcomes. Thus, processing written text more intensively was associated with better learning outcomes, which supports the text-processing explanation.

► Investigation of the multimedia design principles with longer text presentation.
► In Experiment 1 no modality but a multimedia effect was observed.
► The multimedia effect was due to reduced difficulty with animation presentation.
► In Experiment 2 no multimedia effects occurred with system or learner pacing.
► Replaying written text segments was associated with better learning outcomes.