Listening comprehension in multimedia learning: An extension of the generative theory of multimedia learning

One hundred and seventy-one second semester French students listened to a 331-word historic French passage using multimedia modules. Students used key word annotations to look up helpful information to accompany the aural text. Depending on their treatment type, students received no annotations, verbal annotations, visual annotations, or both. Differences in comprehension and vocabulary acquisition between treatment groups were investigated using pre- and post-treatment vocabulary tests and recall protocol post tests, while students' attitudes and beliefs concerning the available modes were obtained through interviews.; Identification of word translations and recall of the passage were worse for students who did not access annotations, moderate for those who had access to either annotation type alone, and best for those who had access to both annotation types. For aural comprehension, high spatial ability learners outperformed low spatial ability learners in the delayed recall protocol test when only visual annotations present. High verbal ability learners outperformed low verbal ability learners when they accessed visual annotations alone or both annotation types. For vocabulary acquisition, there were no moderating effects of spatial ability. However, processing of visual annotations alone resulted in better performance among high verbal ability learners than among low verbal ability learners. Visually displayed trends revealed that students with low cognitive abilities often outperformed students with high cognitive abilities when both modes were present. Students did not differ when visual annotations were absent.; Students' attitudes and beliefs reinforced the strength of visual annotations for more deeply processing the passage and the helpfulness of interaction with annotations for gaining new knowledge from the aural text. Students' attitudes towards the difficulty of visual or verbal annotations also revealed the amount of mental effort they may have applied to either annotation type.; The results extend the generative theory of multimedia learning to aural processing in second language learning. A new model for listening comprehension suggests that a multimedia focus whereby students select from and organize multiple modes of information into working memory and make connections between the verbal and visual mental representations will help them to best comprehend an aural passage and acquire new vocabulary.