The effects of video on cognitive load and social presence in multimedia-learning Bruce D. Homer a, * , Jan L. Plass b , Linda Blake a a Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, 239 Greene Street, NY 10003, United States b Educational Communication and Technology Program, New York University, United States Available online 10 April 2007 Abstract Two studies examined the use of video in multimedia learning environments. In Study 1, partic- ipants (N = 26) viewed one of two versions of a computer-based multimedia presentation: video, which included a video of a lecture with synchronized slides, or no video, which included the slides but only an audio narration of the lecture. Learning, cognitive load and social presence were assessed, but a significant difference was found only for cognitive load, with video experiencing greater cognitive load, t (24) = 2.45, p < .05. In Study 2, students (N = 25) were randomly assigned to either video or no video condition. Background knowledge and visual/verbal learning preference were assessed before viewing the presentation, and learning, cognitive load, and social presence were assessed after viewing. No significant differences were found for learning or social presence. How- ever, a significant visual/verbal learning preference by condition interaction was found for cognitive load, F (1,21) = 4.51, p < .05: low visual-preference students experienced greater cognitive load in the video condition, while high visual-preference students experienced greater cognitive load in the no video condition. Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Instructional media; Learning; Cognitive load; Social presence; Human channel capacity One of the great promises of computer technology for education is the ability to com- bine text, sound and images to create multimedia learning environments. For educational researches, the question to be investigated is not whether these new forms of media are 0747-5632/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2007.02.009 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 212 998 5564. E-mail address: bruce.homer@nyu.edu (B.D. Homer). Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 786–797 Computers in Human Behavior www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh