| The current generation of learners is exposed to new and more abundant technologies for education and entertainment. Associated with these technologies are sophisticated graphic medium that rely more heavily on realism for visual aesthetics than had past technologies. Although modern technology and associated medium may be appropriate for entertainment, questions persist concerning their visual propriety as agents of effective pedagogy.;Animation represents one such medium where concerns of whether and to what degree, visual saturation of graphic information impacts cognitive load. The depth of these concerns increased in recent years as e-learning formats expanded into what was once thought to be outside of e-learning's possibilities, that being studio-based education.;This study investigated the impact of animation on extraneous and intrinsic cognitive load associated with levels of visual reality, and prior experience. Using a posttest control group design, participants from various studio-based design majors received qualities of Lean and Rich animation treatment using instructional materials on typography anatomy. Data collection included both qualitative and subjective rating techniques, and data analysis included results from both linear regressions and t-tests.;Research findings indicated that total extraneous cognitive load, was not statistically significant (p<.05) either as a total score, or in five of the six individual cognitive load subset category scores for demand on thinking, effort to learn, success in learning, physical demand and frustration. Only time demand categories proved statistically significant, with increases found within the Rich participant group (p>.001). These findings suggest studio-based learners studying in visual design disciplines were able to actively reconstruct significant schematics to compensation for extraneous load caused as a result of the animation quality, and that time demand increases offered the most significant instructional cognitive load impact.;Additionally, when calculating animation's impact on intrinsic cognitive load using mental effort load as one variable, along with prior experience, again no statistically significant result was indicated. Also indicated was participants' preference of receiving instruction via animation over other instructional formats. The study determined that cognitive load from animated instructional material, is subject to the participants' visual literacy, which continues to increase with greater use of sophisticated graphics. |
