Introduction: While prior research has delved into the emotional aspects of instructional design, it has not extensively examined whether integrating affective features specifically relevant to the theme of the learning materials is essential for enhancing learning effectiveness compared to incorporating general affective features. This study aims…

Background: Drawing is generally regarded as a promising learning strategy and has been explored in the touchscreen setting with different drawing modes. Although both a finger and a digital pencil can help individuals complete drawing activities effortlessly on touchscreen devices, there is no guarantee that they show the same effect on learning,…

Background: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a new technology that could motivate learners, but also could contain distracting elements that increase cognitive demands on learners. In contrast, learning with conventional media, such as a narrated slideshow could be less motivating, but also less distracting. Objectives: This experiment…

Introduction: Media comparison studies examining the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality in education have yielded inconclusive findings, leaving the question of its impact on learning compared to conventional media unanswered. To address this issue, our study employs a novel approach that combines media comparison with an investigation on…

Background: Emotional design of multimedia lessons involves adding features that are intended to increase learner enjoyment and promote learning--such as adding narrative, anthropomorphizing non-human elements, and using warm colours. Objective: The present study extends this work to examine the potential of Japanese animation (anime) for…

Background: Online learning is becoming increasingly popular among learners. To enhance the effectiveness of online learning, researchers have embedded an affective pedagogical agent (PA) on the computer screen to help regulate learners' emotions and support their learning. However, previous research has paid little attention to the effects of…

Background: Many studies have highlighted the positive effects of visual programming instruction (VPI) on students' learning experiences, programming self-efficacy and flow experience. However, there is a notable gap in the research on how these factors specifically impact programming achievement and learning intentions. Our study addresses this…

Background: Online videos featuring human-generated drawing are increasingly popular in education. However, their effectiveness may vary depending on learners' prior knowledge, and further research is needed to confirm their advantages over other common instructional videos. Objectives: The primary goal of this study is to investigate the impact…

Background: Enjoyment and epistemic emotions are essential in education as they drive learners to actively and persistently engage with learning material. Augmented Reality (hereinafter referred to as AR) is an emerging educational tool that offers unique opportunities for immersive learning experiences. By incorporating AR into the learning…

Background: Visual metaphors (VMs) have gained significant attention from cognitive linguists for their ability to help learners understand linguistic structure. However, few studies have explored how incorporating a VM-supported instructional design can help instructors elucidate the abstract concepts of the business model canvas (BMC) to enhance…

Background: Effective communication in education employs diverse methods, with hologram technology representing teaching staff. Holograms, using different character realism levels, aim to sustain student interest and motivation. This study explores whether student valence, influenced by hologram tutor character appearance, significantly mediates…

Background: There are two major types of pictures that have been the focus of multimedia learning research, namely, seductive and interpretational pictures. Despite an increasing body of literature documenting the effects of either seductive or interpretational pictures added to text-based materials, there is a paucity of research explicitly…

Background: Deep discussions play an important role in students' online learning. However, researchers have largely focused on engaging students in deep discussions in online asynchronous forums. Few studies have investigated how to promote deep discussion via mobile instant messaging (MIM). Objectives: In this study, we applied learning…

Background: Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a predictive variable in students' academic performance, especially in virtual reality (VR) environments, which lack monitoring and control. However, current research on VR encounters challenges in effective interventions of cognitive and affective regulation, and visualising the SRL processes using…

Dual display desktop computers are becoming more prevalent in the home, workplace, and schools, yet there has been little research into how learning and productivity are impacted by having a second display. One useful method in exploring this question is to measure cognitive load during an intensive learning event. This study compared perceived…