Create engaging educational video content using these cognitive theories

In recent years, the popularity of educational videos has soared, offering educators a powerful tool to enrich learning experiences and broaden access to quality education. However, understanding and applying cognitive principles is vital to creating compelling educational videos. I use a strategic approach, based on Richard Mayer's 15 multimedia design principles, which I will go through in this resource.

The coherence principle: simplify your content. Learners grasp information better when extraneous material is removed. Distracting visuals, sounds or information can divert attention from the core message, so focus on essential content only. Avoid unnecessary background music, flashy animations or irrelevant text. 

The signalling principle: highlight key points. Students benefit when key information is emphasised with cues that direct their attention. Use arrows, colour highlights or bold text to guide students to critical points. 

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The redundancy principle: avoid overloading imagery with text. Excessive text in videos does not enhance learning, research has shown, so try pairing visuals with spoken narration rather than written text. For example, use an animation or video tutorial to demonstrate a process while explaining it verbally, rather than cluttering the screen with extra text.

The spatial contiguity principle: keep text and visuals close. Placing text close to relevant images minimises the need for students to seek associated information elsewhere. Ensure you place descriptive labels close to corresponding visual aids. 

The temporal contiguity principle: synchronise words and images. Learning improves when relevant visuals accompany narration simultaneously, rather than before or after.

The segmenting principle: break content into manageable chunks. Learners absorb information better when divided into smaller, digestible segments. Instead of creating one 30-minute video, divide your content into five-minute sections that cover specific topics.

The pre-training principle: introduce key concepts first. This principle is based on the idea that learners perform better if they are introduced to key terms and concepts before more complex material. Start your video by defining key terms before going into more depth. For example, explain terms like “photosynthesis”, “chloroplast” and others before discussing the detailed processes behind them.

The modality principle: use narration with graphics. A complement to the redundancy principle, this is based on the idea that learners retain more information when graphics are paired with narration rather than text. Pair verbal narration with visual aids rather than corresponding text. For instance, show a timeline of events while narrating the history behind them instead of reading paragraphs of text aloud as they appear on screen.

The multimedia principle: combine words and pictures. If you still want to use on-screen text, combine it with graphics, because students learn more effectively from a combination of text and visuals than from text alone. Enhance verbal explanations with relevant images, diagrams or video clips. For example, show a video of someone carrying out a specific experiment/process alongside your verbal narration explaining it.

The personalisation principle: use a conversational tone. This is more effective than a formal one for engaging students and narrowing the gap between student and teacher. Imagine you are speaking directly to your students in your videos. 

The voice principle: use a human voice. Narration delivered in a friendly, human way is more effective than artificial-sounding narration. Ensure the speech in your video sounds natural by recording your own voice or using a professional voiceover artist, rather than AI, and use a warm and engaging tone.

The image principle: avoid showing the speaker. Research indicates that showing the speaker’s image on screen doesn’t necessarily improve learning outcomes. Rather than appearing onscreen yourself, focus on using visuals that support the learning content, such as diagrams and animations.

The embodiment principle: use gestures to enhance engagement. If you do choose to appear on screen, use expressive gestures, which are proven to engage more deeply. Move your arms and hands to emphasise important points and create a more engaging viewing experience. 

The immersion principle: 2D is often just as effective as 3D. Contrary to popular belief, learners don’t necessarily benefit more from 3D presentations than they do from 2D visuals. Keep visuals straightforward to avoid distracting students from the core content. 

The generative activity principle: encourage learners to generate knowledge. Active learning happens when learners are prompted to explain or summarise their understanding of the material. To encourage this, incorporate moments for students to pause and think. After explaining a concept, encourage them to apply it to a real-life scenario or solve a problem before continuing.

Videos do not need to be high-budget masterpieces. Like me, you can ensure that students get the most out of their multimedia learning experiences by referring to these easy-to-apply principles.

FA Triatmoko HS is the deputy director of academic development and learning resources and a PhD student in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Indonesia.

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