Effects of cueing interventions on online learning outcomes: a meta-analytic review of 40 studies

As a key element in multimedia learning design, cues influence learning outcomes through psychological mechanisms such as attention guidance, cognitive load regulation, and learning motivation stimulation. To systematically examine the effects of different cue interventions on online learning outcomes, this meta-analysis integrated 40 experimental and quasi-experimental studies (N = 5,049) published between 2000 and 2025. It conducted in-depth analyses focusing on moderating variables such as educational level, learning material type, and cue type. Cue types encompassed social cues (teaching proxies, teaching gestures), visual cues (subtitles, color, bold, highlighting), and combined cues (social and visual cues). Findings indicate: (1) Cue interventions significantly enhanced online learning outcomes at a moderate effect size (p < 0.001); (2) Social cues (g = 0.634) significantly outperformed visual cues (g = 0.261) in enhancing effects, while combined cues exhibited a negative effect (g = -0.635); (3) Learning outcomes were significantly moderated by variables including educational level, learning materials, assessment tools, total gaze duration, and instructional video length. Collectively, these findings elucidate the influence mechanism of cue intervention, aiming to provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for optimizing online learning environments and enhancing student learning outcomes.