library .uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW - PDF document

library .uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW A. The Nature of Information Processing in Learning Context 1. The Concept of Human Learning Information is the core of civilization as it affects human life. The growth and the development of the human depend on how well they exchange the information. Regarding this case, Paas, Renkl, and Sweller (2003, p. 2) state that the information processing goes through four steps, namely perception, attention, selection, and organization. Those four steps will end up in long term memory where the brain accumulates, stores, and integrates the memory. Moreover, Bodemer, Ploetzner, Bruchmaller, & Hacker (in Zolna, 2007, p. 141) believe that the integration of mental process is considered important in learning. Sweller, Ayres, Kalyuga (2011, p. 129) also support this statement by arguing that mental integration plays its role in processing separate yet related sources of information. As the information is processed in human brain, the modes of the information will automatically influence how well a human digests the information obtained. The various modes of information generate the various outcomes as well. The modes of information can be in the form of vocal, non-vocal, verbal, non-verbal in which they are addressed to the specific communication situation such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and public. This statement is supported by Mayer (1989) that says the mixture of media increases the likelihood that people will learn a large amount of information from many sources. According to Altas (2014), the point of mixture of media by stating that the combination of verbal and non-verbal representations of knowledge will generate the most effective learning environment – it is so called as mixed-modality approach. Several pieces of research have been conducted in order to explore how well the 10

11 library .uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id human receives and processes the information of the single mode and the combination of them. As what already being investigated by Mayer (1989) about how the human receive the dual representation, the cognitive load theory is coined to make the clear understanding about the capacity of human brain. The human sensory channels are designed to process sufficient information; however, the sensory channel will not optimally work if each sensory channel receives a large amount of information. It is due to the limited capacity of the human brain in receiving the input through each sensory channel. Therefore, it is later known as ‘cognitive load’ in which it assumes that the learner is not supposed to process a large amount of information through each channel at a time (Chiu & Churcill, 2016). In another side, it also can be concluded that the various representation that the learners receive through their sensory channels will promote the information processing in their brain as each channel has its own limited capacity. It is the way to optimize the human brain to digest the sufficient information with its various modes. As a result, it must be taken into account that the multimedia used in educational field must be designed as detail as possible to optimizes the ability of human brain to process the multimedia input and to avoid the cognitive load of the human brain that can reduce the learners’ focus in processing the information. 2. Using Multimedia in Integrating Information A number of research have explored how well the human brain process the information using more than one mode. In terms of language learning, the integration of words and pictures is considered to support the instructional materials when mixing the modality by replacing the text with narration (Zolna, 2007, p. 142). Many educators agree to the statement saying that multimedia improves learning.

12 library .uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id In defining multimedia, some experts have the similar understanding of how multimedia is defined. Campbell (1997) states that multimedia is the inclusion of sound, video, graphics, and animation that the writers do to have a multisensory approach to publication for extending readership. Meanwhile, Mayer (1997), as mentioned earlier, defines multimedia as the presentation of more than one mode, such as pictures and words. In other related researches conducted by Mayer, he also explores how the information is delivered in more than one mode and processed in the working memory until it is stored in long-term memory. It is in line with the definition stated by Ploetzner, Fillisch, Gewald, and Ruf (2015, p.3) that multimedia deals with the verbal information that can be mentally transformed into a pictorial representation and vice versa. This is also similar to the definition of Chiu and Churchill (2015, p.2) that mention multimedia as the presentation of data or information through the two channels – audio and visual. Therefore, based on the above-mentioned definitions from the experts, it can be concluded that multimedia is the presentation of data or information consisting of more than one mode received by two channels that can be transformed into other modes in order to have multisensory approach. The combination of audio and pictorial information eases the brain to process and integrate the information. Mayer (2009) highlights two approaches of multimedia design, they are technology-centered and learner- centered. Learning combining those two is believed to have a better outcome. The exploration of those approaches are as follows: a. Technology-Centered It is started by how capable the multimedia technology provides and accesses the information. The issue that may arise is the way how the human uses the cutting edge technology in designing multimedia presentation. It deals whether or not the technology integrates to the human’s abilities in creating multimedia presentation.

13 library .uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id b. Learner-Centered The starting point in learner-centered approach deals with the way how the human mind works to aid the human cognition. The human or the learner is required to think and use the conscious mental process in order to adapt the multimedia technology. Responding to the human cognition, Yang et al. (2012, p. 209) propose that there are two distinct yet interconnected systems that make the human process the information that has different modes (i.e. visual and non-visual modes) in different channels. The system of human mind has its own way of processing the information. It is also affected by the prior knowledge in human mind and the new knowledge obtained from the new information. In the study conducted by Yang et al. (2012, p. 210), the prior knowledge bridges the interaction between types of graphics and information processing behavior. Their research resul t suggests that the students’ performance with prior knowledge has a better outcome in the process of information decoding and integration. They are also allowed to think and link the information across various modes of presentation. Previously, Mayer (2005) explains how the information turns to prior knowledge. Multimedia presentation provides both words and pictures that will go through the sensory memory. The input will be received by the ears and the eyes in which the selected information will be transferred into the working memory in the form of sounds and images. Afterward, the integration process occurs when the organizing words and the organizing images turn to verbal model and pictorial model – in which the result is commonly called as prior knowledge. Therefore, the multimedia learning has two aspects to be considered in processing the information, they are the approaches and the human knowledge. Those are inseparable because they affect the information outcome.