Educational multimedia design principles affect local and global information processing in functional brain networks

Educational multimedia has become increasingly important in modern learning environments because of its cost-effectiveness and its ability to overcome the temporal and spatial constraints of traditional methods. However, the complex cognitive processes involved in multimedia learning present challenges for understanding its neural mechanisms. This study employs network neuroscience to investigate how multimedia design principles influence the underlying neural mechanisms by examining interactions among various brain regions. Two distinct multimedia programs were constructed using identical auditory content but differing visual designs: one adhered to five guidelines for optimizing multimedia instruction, referred to as principal multimedia, while the other intentionally violated these guidelines, referred to as non-principal multimedia. Cortical functional brain networks were then extracted from EEG data to evaluate local and global information processing across the two conditions. Network measurements revealed that principal networks exhibited more efficient local information processing, whereas non-principal networks demonstrated enhanced global information processing and hub formation. Network modularity analysis also indicated two distinct modular organizations, with modules in non-principal networks displaying higher integration and lower segregation than those in principal networks, aligning with initial findings. These findings suggest that the brain may employ compensatory mechanisms to support learning and manage cognitive load despite less effective instructional designs.