Description
Oftentimes, experimental studies manipulating colors and shapes link their materials to aesthetics. However, a gap exists in understanding what a truly aesthetic design is and how it influences learning. Moreover, the seductive detail effect states that learning-irrelevant details, such as additional aesthetic features, compromise learning. This study aimed to discover how presentation slides varying in their perceived aesthetics influenced learners' motivation, cognitive processes, and performance. The personality trait of creativity was examined as a possible moderator. Preliminarily, 42 designs created by application of the visual aesthetic principle were evaluated according to their perceived aesthetics (n = 70). In the main study, 105 university students were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2-decorative shape (round vs. abstract angular) by 2-color scheme (chromatic vs. achromatic) design. The results revealed that round decorative shapes and chromatic designs were independently perceived as aesthetically superior to abstract angular decorative shapes or achromatic designs. Further, while round decorative shapes reduced extraneous cognitive load and led to better learning performance, chromatic designs had a significant statistical effect on motivation. The interaction between independent variables was not significant for perceived aesthetics, motivation, cognitive processes, and performance ratings. Learners’ trait of creativity strongly moderated the influence of round decorative shapes on learning performance. These results are interpreted within the frameworks of Emotional Design, Cognitive Load Theory, and the Cognitive-Affective Theory of Learning with Media. Future research should explore the application of the Visual Aesthetic Principle in instructional design.
| Names, affilations and contact information | Diana Pak, Institute of Education, University of Zurich, diana.pak@ife.uzh.ch; Juliette Désiron, Centre for Teacher Education for Secondary Schools, University of Fribourg, juliette.desiron@unifr.ch; Sascha Schneider, Institute of Education, University of Zurich, sascha.schneider@ife.uzh.ch |
|---|---|
| Bio | Diana Pak is a PhD candidate at the chair of Educational Technology at the University of Zurich. Her interdisciplinary research explores learner engagement, the role of visual aesthetics, the segmenting principle, emotional design, and AI representations in optimizing educational content. Juliette Désiron is a Senior Researcher at the University of Fribourg. Her research centers on multimedia learning, including the impact of signaling, emotional design, and seductive details, with additional expertise in the use of virtual reality for education. Sascha Schneider is a full professor of Educational Technology at the University of Zurich. His research focuses on optimizing learning processes through the design and use of digital media. |