Applying the cognitive theory of multimedia learning: an analysis of medical animations Carole Yue, 1 Jessie Kim, 2 Rikke Ogawa, 3 Elena Stark 4 & Sara Kim 5 CONTEXT Instructional animations play a prominent role in medical education, but the degree to which these teaching tools follow empirically established learning principles, such as those outlined in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML), is unknown. These principles provide guidelines for designing animations in a way that promotes optimal cognitive processing and facilitates learning, but the application of these learning principles in current animations has not yet been investigated. A large-scale review of exist- ing educational tools in the context of this theoretical framework is necessary to examine if and how instructional medical animations adhere to these principles and where improve- ments can be made. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive review of instructional animations in the health sciences domain and examined whether these animations met the three main goals of CTML: managing essential processing; minimising extraneous processing, and facilitating genera- tive processing. We also identified areas for pedagogical improvement. Through Google keyword searches, we identified 4455 medical animations for review. After the application of exclusion criteria, 860 animations from 20 developers were retained. We randomly sam- pled and reviewed 50% of the identified ani- mations. RESULTS Many animations did not follow the recommended multimedia learning principles, particularly those that support the management of essential processing. We also noted an excess of extraneous visual and auditory elements and few opportunities for learner interactivity. CONCLUSIONS Many unrealised opportuni- ties exist for improving the efficacy of anima- tions as learning tools in medical education; instructors can look to effective examples to select or design animations that incorporate the established principles of CTML. technology use Medical Education 2013: 47: 375–387 doi:10.1111/medu.12090 1 Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA 2 Instructional Design and Technology Unit, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA 3 Biomedical Library, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA 4 Department of Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA 5 Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Correspondence: Carole Yue, Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. Tel: 00 1 310-825-2961; E-mail: caroleleigh@ucla.edu ª Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2013; 47: 375–387 375