Putting Words to Pictures: Defining, Classifying, and Exemplifying the Static Visuals Used in Multimodal Research

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Multimodal Literacies: Visual, Digital, and Oral Perspectives

Abstract

The use of static visuals alongside text to enhance learning has received substantial attention over the past decades. Despite previous attempts to synthesize this literature, little attention has been allocated to essential features of the visuals, texts, and participants that contribute to reported outcomes. Further, there is a continued lack of consistency in the terms used to classify and describe the types of static visuals used in multimodal research. Thus, this systematic review synthesized 44 articles to reveal that the influence of static visuals on reading comprehension was associated with factors including the pairings’ text length, number of visuals, format of comprehension measures, and source of the materials.

Authors

• Jannah Fusenig, University of Maryland

• Patricia A. Alexander, University of Maryland