Extending social cue based principles of multimedia learning beyond their immediate effects

Two experiments are presented in which the influence of socially cued videos on the knowledge acquisition of video and subsequent non-video content in a computer-based learning environment was assessed. Participants explored a computer-based learning environment including four subsections - two subsections preceded by a video containing a high level of social cues and two subsections preceded by a video containing a low level of social cues. Knowledge acquisition of video and subsequent non-video content was assessed immediately (Experiment 1) and one week later (Experiment 2). The results show a social cue effect on the knowledge acquisition of video contents immediately after the exploration of the computer-based learning environment, an effect probably stemming from reduced cognitive effort. When tested one week later, there was only an effect on knowledge acquisition of the subsequent non-video contents of the computer-based learning environment, indicating procedural priming of deeper processing strategies.