Attention guiding in multimedia learning

Comprehension of an illustrated document can involve complex visual scanning in order to locate the relevant information on the screen when this is evoked in spoken explanations. The present study examined the effects of two types of attention-guiding means (color change or step-by-step presentation of diagram elements synchronized with a spoken explanation) on multimedia learning. These attention-guiding means were expected to facilitate selection of the illustrated information that corresponded to the spoken explanations. The results indicated positive, and in some cases additive, effects on a retention task and on the perceived ease of learning but not on a transfer task. These results are discussed in light of models of multimedia learning.