This podcast explores the concept of dual coding, which involves combining words and pictures to enhance learning. It discusses the benefits of making information concrete and providing multiple retrieval cues. The podcast also distinguishes dual coding from learning styles and discusses its effectiveness in different subjects. It explores strategies for effective use of visuals in education and highlights the benefits of using drawings and pictures as a learning strategy. The podcast also introduces a method of using pictures for retrieval practice and combining all six strategies for effective studying.
Combining words and pictures in dual coding makes learning more concrete and aids in information recall.
Using both visuals and words in dual coding provides multiple retrieval cues, enhancing learning for all students.
Deep dives
The concept of dual coding
Dual coding refers to combining visual information (such as images and drawings) with verbal information (words) to make learning more concrete. Concrete information is easier to remember than abstract information. By using both words and pictures, there are multiple channels or retrieval cues to remember the information, thus enhancing learning. Students can draw out information or use pictures and diagrams to aid in studying and retrieval practice.
Differentiating dual coding from learning styles
Dual coding is different from the concept of learning styles. Learning styles theory suggests that individuals have their own preferred style of learning, such as being visual, verbal, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. However, research shows little evidence supporting the matching hypothesis, which suggests that instruction should be tailored to a student's learning style. In contrast, dual coding emphasizes the use of both visual and verbal information for all students, regardless of their preferred learning style. Combining different formats, like visuals and words, is more effective for learning.
Effective implementation of dual coding
In order to use dual coding effectively, it is important to ensure that the visuals used are relevant and helpful in understanding the material. Finding pictures that are tangentially related or purely for entertainment purposes can distract students from the main content. Slowing down and providing verbal explanations of the visuals can reduce cognitive overload and aid in comprehension. Students can also create their own drawings or cover up text in existing visuals to practice retrieval and aid in information recall.
Today, in our last of the 6 learning strategy podcasts, we are talking about dual coding, which involves combining words and pictures while learning. Dual coding can help learning in the following ways:
1) Adding images to verbal explanations can make ideas more concrete
It is easier for us to remember concrete information than abstract information (1). (You can listen to the Concrete Examples episode for more than this.) It is harder to visually depict abstract concepts, so by engaging in the process of expressing an idea in a picture, you are effectively making it more concrete.
2) Images can provide additional cues at retrieval
According to the original dual coding theory, the combination of words with visuals provides us with two different channels for later recall (2). Another way to think about this is that we are adding another retrieval cue by representing the information as a picture in addition to words. For example, a student could forget the verbal description of a process, but still remember a diagram and reconstruct their understanding of the process on the exam from their memory of that picture.
The difference between Learning Styles and Dual Coding
Learning Styles is the idea that each individual has a "style" of learning, such as auditory, kinesthetic, etc., and that it is a good idea to identify that style for each student and teach them accordingly (the "matching hypothesis) (3). However, there is very little evidence that this hypothesis plays out. Instead, we all learn best when we combine these formats. Of course, students do have preferences! But, that does not mean that students will perform better when they study in their preferred style. On the other hand, certain information certainly lends itself better to one presentation style than another. Instead of focusing on which student requires which type of format, we should be focusing on providing all students with multiple relevant representations of the information they are trying to learn.
Too much of a good thing?
It is important not to overdo it by including numerous pictures, as they may distract from learning instead of enhancing it. This is particularly an issue when pictures are not relevant to the information being learned, and are just included for decoration.
Irrelevant image from Pixabay
At this point, images can become distracting "seductive details" (4). See this post for more on the pitfalls of overusing dual coding.
We end the episode by highlighting some ways that teachers and students can combine words with visuals during learning.
(1)Gorman, A. M. (1961). Recognition memory for nouns as a function of abstractedness and frequency. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 61, 23–39.
(2) Paivio, A., & Csapo, K. (1973). Picture superiority in free recall: Imagery or dual coding? Cognitive Psychology, 5, 176–206.
(3) Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9, 105–119.
(4) Harp, S. F., & Mayer, R. E. (1998). How seductive details do their damage. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 414–434.
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