Is contextual animation needed in multimedia learning games for children? An eye tracker study.

The present study investigates affective‐motivational, attention, and learning effects of unexplored emotional design manipulation: Contextual animation (animation of contextual elements) in multimedia learning game (MLGs) for children. Participants (N = 134; Mage = 9.25; Grades 3 and 4) learned eit...

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Published in:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 305 - 319
Main Authors: Javora, Ondřej, Hannemann, Tereza, Volná, Kristina, Děchtěrenko, Filip, Tetourová, Tereza, Stárková, Tereza, Brom, Cyril
Format: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Apr2021
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2021
      vid: 37
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        10.1111/jcal.12489
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        atl: Is contextual animation needed in multimedia learning games for children? An eye tracker study.
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        au:
          Javora, Ondřej
          Hannemann, Tereza
          Volná, Kristina
          Děchtěrenko, Filip
          Tetourová, Tereza
          Stárková, Tereza
          Brom, Cyril
        affil: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
      sug:
        subj:
          Motion Pictures
          Multimedia
          Learning Methods
          Games In Infancy and Childhood
          Human
          Learning Theory
          Grounded Theory
          Funding Source
          Study Design
          Chi Square Test
          Cognition
          Outcomes of Education
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Analysis of Variance
          T-Tests
          Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test
          Hypothesis
          Pretest-Posttest Design
          Child
          Child: 6-12 years
      ab: The present study investigates affective‐motivational, attention, and learning effects of unexplored emotional design manipulation: Contextual animation (animation of contextual elements) in multimedia learning game (MLGs) for children. Participants (N = 134; Mage = 9.25; Grades 3 and 4) learned either from an experimental version of the MLG with a high amount of contextual animation or from an identical MLG with no contextual animation (control). Children strongly preferred (χ2 = 87.04, p <.001) and found the experimental version more attractive (p <.001, d = −1.11). No significant differences in overall enjoyment and learning outcomes were found. Attention differences, measured by dwell times and fixation durations, were small and reached only borderline significance (p =.035; d = −0.39). The implication is that contextual animation in MLG for children increases such instructional materials' attractiveness without compromising cognitive processes needed for learning; however, it does not lead to their higher instructional efficiency. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Contextual animation is frequently used in multimedia learning games (MLGs) for children.Contextual animation is understood to be non‐expository picture motion, which can be added to already existing representational pictures that provide context for target instruction.It is not known whether or not contextual animation, which embellishes already existing representational contextual pictures, harms learning for children in the case of MLGs. What this paper adds: Children (Grades 3 and 4) strongly prefer the game with added contextual animation compared to the game without it.No between‐group differences in overall learning enjoyment and learning outcomes were found.Small attention‐allocation effects of borderline significance were detected. Implications for practice Adding contextual animation (i.e., added non‐expository picture motion) to multimedia learning games for children will increase the attractiveness of the materials and will not hamper learning. Investment into the production of costly contextual animation may be worthwhile in the case of instructional games intended for uncontrolled settings (e.g., at home or during leisure time). In formal contexts (e.g., school), it is less clear whether investment into contextual animation is needed, since children are extraneously motivated to learn and animation does not appear to enhance learning outcomes.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
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        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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