This week, I made clearer decisions about how my project should present information, not just how it should look. I am still building an interactive timeline on the development of the English language in Articulate Storyline, but the Week 3 readings helped me think more critically about when to use text, when to use audio, and when using both would actually hurt learning. My project is highly visual and self-paced, so I initially considered adding narration throughout the module to make it feel more dynamic. However, Chapter 7 changed that assumption by showing that audio is most helpful when graphics are complex, brief, and system-paced, whereas printed text may be more effective when instruction is self-paced, when explanations are lengthy, or when learners need to refer back to the content over time (Clark & Mayer, 2023, Chapter 7).
That distinction matters for my timeline. Learners will need time to read unfamiliar language examples, compare periods, and move back and forth across screens. Because the content includes older forms of English that may be difficult to process quickly, narration should not replace text. Instead, I now think text should remain the primary explanatory mode, while audio should be used selectively. For example, audio could support the pronunciation of Old or Middle English excerpts, where hearing the sound adds value that printed text alone cannot provide. This feels like a more thoughtful application of the modality principle rather than using narration simply because Storyline makes it possible.
Chapter 8 pushed my thinking even further by warning against redundant design. The reading explains that presenting graphics with narration and identical on-screen text can overload the visual channel and reduce learning, especially when learners must split attention between images and printed words (Clark & Mayer, 2023, Chapter 8). This is especially relevant to my timeline because I had planned to place full-text explanations on screen and potentially read them aloud. After reflecting on the redundancy principle, I now see that this would likely add clutter rather than clarity. A better option is to use concise on-screen text, short labels, and optional audio only where it serves a specific instructional purpose.
My contract has therefore evolved slightly. The overall project remains the same, but I am now planning a cleaner interface with less audio and more intentional use of text. This week helped me move from thinking about visual appeal to thinking more carefully about cognitive load and instructional effectiveness.
References
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2023). e-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (5th ed.). Wiley.
References
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2023). e-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning (5th ed.). Wiley.