Static Multimedia Tutorial Project & Learning Log

Reflection: Applying the Contiguity Principle

My tutorial, Creating a Class Newsletter in Canva, demonstrates the Contiguity Principle, which emphasizes placing corresponding words and pictures close together in space and time. According to Clark and Mayer (2024), “when words and pictures are separated from one another on the screen, people must use their scarce cognitive resources just to match them up. This creates what can be called extraneous processing, cognitive processing that is unrelated to the instructional goal. When learners use their limited cognitive capacity for extraneous processing, they have less capacity to use to mentally organize and integrate the material” (p. 90). This insight guided my design decisions throughout the tutorial.

To reduce extraneous processing, I intentionally positioned each screenshot directly beside or beneath the step it illustrated. Each instruction was numbered and visually aligned with its corresponding image to help learners immediately connect the text description with the visual action. For example, when explaining how to adjust fonts or colors, the screenshot showing the Canva toolbar appears immediately after the written directions, ensuring the learner does not need to search for the relevant interface element.

This alignment of visuals and text supports learners’ working memory by allowing them to form meaningful connections between the written steps and on-screen actions. By minimizing the need to mentally integrate information across distant locations, the tutorial enables learners to devote their limited cognitive resources to understanding and applying the task. Overall, the design reflects the Contiguity Principle by ensuring that visuals and text work together cohesively to promote clarity, reduce cognitive load, and improve comprehension.