Comparing the efficacy of multimedia modules with traditional textbooks
for learning introductory physics content
arxiv.org (submitted to AJP)
Timothy Stelzer, Gary Gladding, Jose Mestre, and David T. Brookes
A clinical study was performed comparing the efficacy of multimedia learning modules with traditional textbooks for the first few topics of a calculus based introductory electricity and magnetism course. Students were randomly assigned to three different groups experiencing different presentations of the material; one group received the multimedia learning module presentations and the other two received the presentations via written text. All students were then tested on their learning immediately following the presentations as well as two weeks later. The students receiving the multimedia learning modules performed significantly better than the students experiencing the text-based presentations on both tests.
The final version of this paper is available from AJP.
