ABSTRACT
Multimedia systems are developing quickly and will continue to do so in the near future, especially in instructional fields. A multimedia system typically requires the integration of different types of information: verbal information presented visually or auditorily (e.g. words, sentences, or short texts), pictorial information presented visually in a static or dynamic way (illustrations, photographs, schemas), and sound information. Systems that allow users to navigate between different sources of information with the use of hypertext structures are often considered to be multimedia systems, even if only one type of information is provided (for example, verbal information presented visually). The development of technologies is intended to provide the users with quick and easy access to a large amount of information and a choice between different forms of presentations. Thanks to multimedia systems, the instructional process can be made more flexible, rich, and individualized. From a psychological point of view, however, the question arises as to what extent the use of all these overelaborate systems are beneficial to the learning process. The temptation is strong to simply assume that using multiple forms of displaying information, using realistic and vivid presentations, and providing multiple possibilities to interact with a learning system results generally in better learning (Schnotz, 1999a). Despite all technical innovations, however, the acquisition of information through any technical system is subject to the constraints of human information processing. Thus, people involved in the creation and use of this kind of material must then consider a series of relevant questions. In particular, thought must be given to how various sources of information have to be integrated by the user, either simultaneously or successively. This holds true across whatever goal the user has: either instructional, professional, amusement, or other. Further, one has to consider to what extent the user is able to integrate different types of information. For instance, which rules guide selecting the number and nature of simultaneously presented information? What are the sources of individual differences in processing ability from multimedia systems?
