Coherence+Principle

=__**media type="custom" key="5447901" Coherence Principle**__=

By: Jennifer Holmes, Christi Cowgill, Tacia Keeton, Sandy Stinson

The coherence principle states that including extraneous information can hinder, rather than improve understanding of material presented. The coherence principle states that people better understand from a multimedia lesson containing essential material (concise lesson) than from a multimedia lesson containing essential material and additional material (expanded lesson). This should be considered from three principles: 1) “Learning is improved when //interesting but irrelevant// **words** or **pictures** are excluded from a multi media presentation. 2) “Learning is improved when interesting but irrelevant **sounds** and **music** are excluded from a multimedia presentation.” 3) “Learning is improved when //unneeded// **words** and **symbols** are eliminated from a multimedia presentation.” This should be applied to our practice as educators in a multimedia world. When using technology to teach, you must carefully consider what you are using to present key information. Make sure whatever you use or create is concise and to the point. Extra words, symbols, pictures, sounds and music can distract from retaining the important information and transferring what is presented to what needs to be understood. Just remember, when presenting information in a multimedia world, keep it simple.