Effects of different tagging approaches on achievement, cognitive load and motivation in multimedia learning

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different tagging approaches in multimedia learning materials on the participants' achievement, cognitive load and motivations. The study was conducted using true experimental design with a total of 375 undergraduate, in 2017-2018 at the Faculty of Education, Anadolu University, the total of participants in all stages was 2339. Within the scope of the study, an Achievement Test for Basic First Aid Knowledge and a Material Motivation Scale were developed. The participants' levels of working memory capacity and prior knowledge were measured before the intervention. Following the intervention process, the cognitive load scales, the achievement test, recall, transfer and retention tests and the motivation scale were applied. According to the findings, in the recall, transfer and retention tests, the 2D-tagged group was found more successful than the voice-tagged and untagged groups. In addition, the text-tagged group was found more successful than the voice-tagged group in the retention test. Moreover, no significant difference was found regarding Intrinsic, Germane, Extraneous and Objective Cognitive Load levels. According to the mean achievement test scores, the text-tagged group differed significantly from the voice-tagged and untagged group, and the 2D-tagged group showed higher performance than the untagged group. The motivations of the female in the text-tagged group differed positively and statistically significantly compared to the voice-tagged group. Furthermore, comparison of the participants' motivation levels in the symbol-tagged group and voice tagged group showed a statistically significant difference in favour of the male.