Abstract
This study compares the effect of text-based and narration-based multimedia presentation modalities on the accuracy and efficiency of procedural performance, a combination that the introduction to the New Standards for Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education of the New York State Education Department uses as the definition of "procedural fluency" (New York State Education Department, 2005). In addition, this study also examines the influence of reading skill on both procedural fluency resulting from and student choices of presentation modalities. By studying community college students with low computerized placement test scores, a wide range of reading skill levels was sampled. The independent variable, was the mode of presentation (text only, narration only, and learner’s choice) in instruction to teach a new computer procedure.
While results showed no overall advantage for any of the treatment conditions in procedural fluency, improvement was seen in the amount of time it took for students to complete the tutorial lesson when they were allowed to choose their preferred mode for receiving the lesson. The results showed that a disproportionately large portion of those students who failed to complete the procedure at all had been placed into the mode where reading was chosen for them. It was recommended that unless other factors dictate that the use of spoken presentations is counter-productive to the learning at hand, narration be included as an alternative presentation modality. This was recommended to increase the accessibility of the instructional product, to reduce the amount of time spent going through the lesson, and to increase the likelihood that learning of the procedure will take place
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