Recency Effect on Problem Solving in Interactive Multimedia Learning
Robert Zheng
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychological Studies in Education (PSE), College of Education, Temple University, Pennsylvania, USA, robert.Zheng@temple.edu
Bei Zhou
Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in Education (CITE), College of Education, Temple University, Ritter Hall 472, 1301 Cecil B Moore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA, Tel: +1 215 204 6372, zb713@temple.edu
ABSTRACT: This study investigated the impact of recency effect on multiple rule-based problem solving in an interactive multimedia environment. Forty-five college students were recruited and assigned to two groups: synchronized and unsynchronized interactive multimedia groups based on their spatial ability score. Results show that students in the synchronized interactive multimedia group outperformed their counterparts in the unsynchronized interactive multimedia group in terms of response time and test scores. Results also indicated that low spatial ability learners in the synchronized interactive multimedia showed an improvement in problem solving.
Keywords: Multimedia, Problem solving, Recency effect, Rule-based reasoning, Working memory
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