Does language matter in multimedia learning? Personalization principle revisited.

This study examines one of the design principles of multimedia learning in a context dissimilar to the one in which it was originally tested. Personalization principle states that the amount of learning increases when the style of language is informal and conversational. In an attempt to uncover the relationship between learning and language styles with varying degrees of personalization and formality, 89 college students were tested with computerized instructional content composed in 1 of the 3 styles: personalized informal, personalized formal, and neutral–formal. The materials consisted of a short text on stellar death with illustrative pictures and animation. The visuals and text were identical for all groups except for additional expressions for personalization and minimal structura…
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