Coherence Principle Analysis

For this module, I completed an analysis of the Coherence Principle and how it applies to instructional design and classroom practice. My report focuses on how removing unnecessary visuals and distractions allows students to focus on essential content, especially in lessons that require clear step by step understanding.

The subject of my analysis centers on a real example from my own classroom where students struggled with writing topic sentences. In my first attempt, my slides were overloaded with decorative elements, animations, clipart, and long examples. Students were distracted by everything on the screen which made it harder for them to understand the purpose of a topic sentence. This was a direct violation of the Coherence Principle.

In my redesigned lesson, I removed all decorative content and focused only on the definition, one clear model, and a color coded support note. I also broke one busy slide into three simple ones. This change helped students write clearer topic sentences and better understand how to separate the main idea from supporting details. This experience showed me how powerful the Coherence Principle can be when applied correctly.

In the paper, I also reflected on how this principle connects to other multimedia learning principles and why it is valuable for teachers. I explained the importance of reducing cognitive overload, especially for middle school learners, while also balancing the need for student engagement and warm visuals in the classroom.