Spatial Contiguity Principle

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Chapter 5: Spatial Contiguity Principle
Mayer, R. E. (2001). Multimedia learning. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Keywords: Mayer, multimedia principle, transfer, retention, dual channels, limited capacity and active processing
In this chapter Mayer describes by means of the example of the process of lightning, the spatial contiguity principle (Students learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen. P81) He presents two cases, one in which words and pictures are separated and one in which they are integrated. He also approaches the principle in under both views the information-delivery theory and the cognitive theory.

Useful Quotes

• …The amount of available space is limited. A screen or page can hold only a finite amount of verbal / written or visual material. P82
• The learners first studies the words that describes steps in lightning formation and then studies the pictures that depict the same step. P87
• For the information-delivery theory. When the same information is delivered at different times (…) it has a greater effect because the learner has two chances to store it in the memory. P87
• In the integrated version of the lesson, words and pictures are presented in a way that encourages learners to build mental connections between them. P87
• Thus integrated presentations foster understanding that is reflected in performance on transfer tests, and to some extent on retention tests. P87
• …separated presentations are less likely to foster understanding than are integrated presentations. P88
• ….Students learn more when printed words and pictures are near rather than far from each other on the page or screen. P99
• The spatial contiguity effect for transfer is that students perform better on transfer when corresponding words and picture are presented near rather than far from each other. P91
• Sweller and his colleagues define the split-attention effect as any impairment in learning that occurs when a learner must mentally integrate disparate sources of information, and they have demonstrated it in the contest of learning from worked-out examples. P92
• …the process of integrating words and pictures appears to proceed in small chunks. P93
• According to the information delivery view, presented material is simply information that the learners add to their memories. This account may be accurate when the learning task is a collection of arbitrary fragments such as a list of unrelated nonsense syllables, but it does not provide a complete explanation of how people learn conceptually deeper material. P94
• In sum, our results are consistent with the three major assumptions underlying the cognitive theory of multimedia learning – dual channels, limited capacity and active processing. P94

Questions he asks

• How to allocate space on a page or screen among alternative uses
• In a multimedia presentation consisting of printed text and graphics should corresponding text and graphics be near or far from each other on the page or screen? P88

Alberto Ramirez Martinell