Multimedia learning content is most effectively learned when its design is in harmony with the way the human brain works, according to Richard Mayer (2003). Our brain’s information processing system has dual channels for processing: for visual/pictorial and for auditory/verbal learning content.  Each of these channels possesses a limited capacity for the learning content. When a coordinated set of cognitive processes takes place during the learning of this content, it is considered that the person is actively learning.

Students learn more effectively when: the learning content doesn’t require paying attention to multiple sources of mutually referring information (split-attention principle), the verbal part of the learning content is auditory instead of visual (modality principle), and from being exposed to animation and narration alone, instead of along with text simultaneously (redundancy principle).