TY - JOUR
T1 - Managing cognitive load in educational multi-user virtual environments
T2 - Reflection on design practice
AU - Nelson, Brian
AU - Erlandson, Benjamin E.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - In this paper, we explore how the application of multimedia design principles may inform the development of educational multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). We look at design principles that have been shown to help learners manage cognitive load within multimedia environments and conduct a conjectural analysis of the extent to which such principles can help manage cognitive load in the highly immersive "beyond multimedia" environments that 3-D educational MUVEs represent. We frame our discussion as a design practice analysis of the River City MUVE, a science inquiry environment that has middle school students collaborating to develop and test hypotheses regarding illnesses sweeping a virtual town. We analyze the current River City interface design using a framework describing cognitive overload scenarios and associated approaches to manage cognitive load. We also discuss the potential difficulties that may be seen as multimedia principles are applied to 3-D MUVEs. Our discussion describes a blueprint for research implementations that we are undertaking to systematically investigate the effect of an educational MUVE interface design based on multimedia principles-implementations that we hope will provide an action framework for other MUVE researchers to use in their own studies.
AB - In this paper, we explore how the application of multimedia design principles may inform the development of educational multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). We look at design principles that have been shown to help learners manage cognitive load within multimedia environments and conduct a conjectural analysis of the extent to which such principles can help manage cognitive load in the highly immersive "beyond multimedia" environments that 3-D educational MUVEs represent. We frame our discussion as a design practice analysis of the River City MUVE, a science inquiry environment that has middle school students collaborating to develop and test hypotheses regarding illnesses sweeping a virtual town. We analyze the current River City interface design using a framework describing cognitive overload scenarios and associated approaches to manage cognitive load. We also discuss the potential difficulties that may be seen as multimedia principles are applied to 3-D MUVEs. Our discussion describes a blueprint for research implementations that we are undertaking to systematically investigate the effect of an educational MUVE interface design based on multimedia principles-implementations that we hope will provide an action framework for other MUVE researchers to use in their own studies.
KW - Cognitive processing
KW - MUVEs
KW - Multimedia design principles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=54449083316&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1007/s11423-007-9082-1
DO - 10.1007/s11423-007-9082-1
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:54449083316
VL - 56
SP - 619
EP - 641
JO - AV communication review
JF - AV communication review
SN - 1042-1629
IS - 5-6
ER -