What are some of the Implications of the Research for Cognitive Theory?
Given the richness of interactive software such as simulations, microworlds, and games, there are many theoretical perspectives one can use in trying to understand their role in learning and cognition. Only two will be reviewed here: Dual coding theory and mental models. Other relevant theories include activity theory (Barab, Evans, & Baek, 2003; Jonassen & Rohrer-Murphy, 1999) and Play Theory (Pellegrini, 1995; Rieber, 1996b; Sutton-Smith, 1997). When viewed from the point of view of message design, the focus is on the way in which information is represented. Paivio’s dual coding theory has been used extensively to demonstrate the well-known picture superiority effect for memory tasks (Paivio, 1990, 1991; Sadoski & Paivio, 2001). Although adaptations of dual coding theory exist (e.g., Mayer, 2001), dual coding theory remains well suited to explain learning from multimedia. In my own work, I’ve tried to extend dual coding theory to include a user’s dynamic interactions with a simulatio
