Contiguity

= Contiguity =

** Summary **
Meaningful learning occurs when learners can connect pictures and words in their working memory to make sense of processes, tasks, etc., and when learners are forced to search between screens to link pictures and words together this taxes the working memory (Clark & Mayer, 2008). Learners’ benefit when the contiguity principle is applied to e-Learning programs. The definition of contiguity is “a series of things in continuous connection” (Dictionary, 2012). An e-Learning program that adheres to the contiguity principle places graphic and text in close proximity to one another and has audio synced to the corresponding graphic depicting an event. Using the contiguity principle has psychological advantages by allowing the learner to dedicate his or her cognitive resources to understanding the materials, rather than trying to determine which graphic corresponds to which words (Clark & Mayer, 2008). There are times when the amount of text is greater than the space available on the screen. Using rollovers keep the contiguity principle intact, so when the learner’s mouse touches an area of the graphic a pop-up message appears with the corresponding text. The contiguity principle should also be applied to feedback from responses or questions, so when a questions is asked and answered, the response should include the question so the learner does not have to go back to the previous screen to refresh his or her memory on what the question was. When presenting animation and related text, a solution for ensuring contiguity is to provide a play button to allow the learner to read the instructions before viewing the animation and have the text remain on the screen should the learner wish to review while watching the animation (Clark & Mayer, 2008).

Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2008). Applying the multimedia principle: use words and graphics rather than words alone. E-Learning and the Science of Instruction. (3rd ed). Pfeiffer. San Francisco, CA.

Dictionary. (2012). Contiguity. Dictory.com. Retrieved from []

** Contiguity Examples **
The contiguity principle is the idea of presenting text next to its corresponding graphic. The principle also applies to audio – spoken words should be heard in conjunction with the corresponding graphics (Clark and Mayer, 2011). An example of the contiguity principle would be the use of pop-up messages that appear when the user clicks or places the mouse over a portion of the graphic. Another example is the use of providing feedback to on-line questions placed next to the chosen answers; this allows for immediate feedback without having to page back and forth between windows.

An example of the application of the contiguity principle can be found in an Adobe sneak peek multimedia. The advertisement is designed to inform e-learning designers about the new software program from Adobe Captivate 6. The slides use video and audio to guide the designer through the key features of the program. The guide minimizes the audio and visual stream to display a corresponding storyboard template. As the audio continues the participant is guided to the new tools offered through the software program.

Another good example of contiguity can be seen in the demonstration overview from Virtual Classroom e-Learning. The demonstration utilizes audio and graphics to guide the viewer through the training presentation. Also audio and text are utilized with corresponding graphics, but because the text used is brief and notes key points, it avoids being redundant. The animations smoothly transition the viewer from one slide to the next. The presentation is extremely effective in demonstrating the value of enrolling in courses through the Virtual Classroom.

Partridge, Allen. “Adobe Captivate 6 Sneak Peek: Themes”. (June 1, 2012). Rapid e-learning: Adobe Captivate Blog. Adobe Systems Incorporated. Retrieved June 2, 2012 from the World Wide Web: []. “Virtual classroom e-learing.” (2012). Demos. Global Knowledge. Retrieved June 2, 2012 from the World Wide Web: []