Multimedia design for learner interest and achievement: A visual guide to pharmacology

Background: Medical education increasingly relies on digital learning materials. Despite recognition by the Association of American Medical Colleges Institute for Improving Medical Education, medical education design often fails to consider quality multimedia design principles. Further, the AAMC-IIME issued a call to study the role of design principles in medical education. Thus, the current study investigated the cognitive and affective effects of redesigning PowerPoint slides used to support pharmacology content during the preclinical years of medical school training. Methods: : Researchers implemented a quasi-experimental design, using traditionally-designed slides with a Control group (n=32) and slides redesigned to follow principles from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning with an Experimental Group (n=28). Participants completed a post-survey incorporating the Situational Interest Survey for Multimedia to indicate motivational engagement with the media. Students in the Experimental group also responded to additional preference questions. Researchers analyzed survey responses and students’ scores in pharmacology-related coursework across the preclinical Foundations Phase of training to determine impact on achievement and motivation. Results: : Findings related to learner achievement showed a modest but significant increase at the Experimental site compared to the Control site (101%, p = 0.043). Additionally, participants in the Experimental group (M=4.85, SD=0.25) indicated a significantly higher average triggered situational interest than the Control group (M=3.23, SD=1.40, t=-6.33, p<0.001). Similarly, the interest rating of the Experimental group (M=4.87, SD=0.24) was significantly greater than that of the Control group (M=3.89, SD=0.86, t=-6.824, p<0.001). Moreover, results further indicated significant differences in the maintained-feeling and maintained-value constructs, and all participants in the Experimental group indicated a preference for the redesigned slides. Conclusions: : The findings provide strong evidence in support of using the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning design principles to intentionally design media in medical education. In addition to increased achievement scores, students in the Experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of situational interest, especially triggered interest and maintained-feeling interest. Medical education learning designers should seriously consider redesigning media to achieve similar results.