1. Mário Melo
mmlmelo@hotmail.com
Guilhermina Lobato Miranda
gmiranda@ie.ul.pt
Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa
Applying the 4C-ID Model to the Design of
a Digital Educational Resource for
Teaching Electric Circuits: Effects on
Student Achievement

2. Summary
1. The Model Background
1.1. The Information Processing Framework
1.2. The Learning Tasks
1.3. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning
1.4. The Cognitive Load Theory
2. The Model 4C-ID
2.1. Empirical Evidence for the Effectiveness of 4C/ID Model
3. Empirical Work: Conception and Implementation of a Virtual Learning Environment Modeled
with the Principles of the 4C/ID Model
3.1. The structure of the learning environment
3.2. Methodology
3.2.1. Participants
3.2.2. The Independent variable
3.2.3. The dependents variables
3.3. Results
3.3.1. Performance
3.3.2. Cognitive load
3.3.3. Instructional efficiency

3. Modal Memory Model (Atkinson & Shiffrin)
[source: http://boweremember.wikispaces.com/Day+5+Memory+Model]
Interview with Richard Shiffrin: http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/cogsci-2010/richard-shiffrin
1.1. The Information Processing Framework: The Modal Memory Model (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968)
1. The Model Background

4. [source: http://graymattertherapy.com/comprehensive_memory_assessment/]
Interview with Alan Baddeley on development of working memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT0NLihOK30
1.1. The Information Processing Framework: Working memory (Alan Baddeley, 1986)
1. The Model Background

5. 1.2. The Learning Tasks (source: Child, Psychology and the teacher, 1986)
1. The Model Background
Students Entry Conditions
(1, 2)
Learning Results
(6)
(1) Cognitive
predisposition
- capacities
- knowledge
- skills
(2) Affective
disposition:
- interests
- attitudes
- motivation
- Self-concept
Cognitive
Results
Instructional
Results
Afective
Results
(3,4,5) The quality of instruction depends on:
- How you organize knowledge
- How you sequence knowledge
- How you present knowledge
- how you reinforce (incentives and feedback)
INSTRUCTION
(3, 4,5)
LEARNING TASKS

6. 1.3. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning ( Richard Mayer et al.)
1. The Model Background
Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (adapted from R. E. Mayer, 2001)

7. 1.2. The Cognitive Load Theory (John Sweller & colleagues)
Three types of Cognitive Load
Intrinsic
Extraneous
Germane
1. The Model Background

8. 2. The 4C-ID Model
Source: van Merriënboer et al. (2002)

9. 2.1. Empirical Evidence for the Effectiveness of 4C/ID Model
2. The Model 4C-ID
Study Domain Mean effect size (d)
Nadolski (2005) Law + 0,12
Nadolski (2006) Law + 0,50
Rosenberg-Kima
(2012)
ICT + 0,82
Flores (2011) Mathematics + 0,21
Lim (2006) ICT + 0,30
Lim & Reiser (2009) ICT + 0,84
Lim & Park (2012) ICT + 1,68
Sarfo & Elen (2007) Arts + 1,39

10. 3.1. The structure of the learning environment
Developed with Adobe Flash CS3®
3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
Learning class 1
(concepts of electric
current and potential
difference)
Learning class 2 (ability
to design an electrical
circuit schema )
Learning class 3
(concepts of serial and
parallel association of
lamps)
General themes

11. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model

12. 3.2. Methodology: Experimental (design quasi-experimental)
3.2.1. Participants:
• 3 teachers
• 131 students (81 EG and 50 CG) with 14 years old (mean =
14,31, SD = 0,54) of the 9th grade from a private school in
Lisbon, placed in 5 intact classes and distributed according to
the table:
3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
Class n Experimental group Control group Teacher
1 28 x A
2 25 x B
3 27 x B
4 25 x C
5 26 x C

13. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.2.2. Independent variable
• Learning environment.
3.2.3. Dependents variables
• Performance (learning reproduction and learning transfer);
• Cognitive load;
• Instructional efficiency.

14. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.3. Results
3.3.1. Performance (scale 0-20 points)
Reproduction test Transfer test
Mean SD Mean SD
Experimental
group
12,19 1,58 11,18 1,88
Control group 11,41 2,13 8,77 2,64

15. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.3.2. Cognitive Load (scale 1-9 points)
Reproduction test Transfer test
Mean SD Mean SD
Experimental
group
2,77 0,73 2,64 1,15
Control group 2,92 1,21 4,21 1,52

16. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.3.3. Instructional efficiency
Reproduction test Transfer test
Mean SD Mean SD
Experimental
group
1,95 1,36 0,55 0,87
Control group 0,028 1,09 -0,42 1,01

17. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.3.3. Instructional efficiency

18. 3. An example of a Learning Environment Designed with the Principles
of the 4C/ID Model
3.3.3. Instructional efficiency

19. 4. General conclusions
• The results indicate that, relative to the control group, the
experimental group was more capable to do learning transfer in the
context of the Electric Circuits theme;
• Learners in the experimental group were better able than the control
group learners to transfer the skills they learned to a new situation, in
this case with some concepts related to electric circuits;
• Learners in the experimental group were better able than the control
group learners to transfer the skills they learned to a new situation, in
this case with some concepts related to electric circuits.