Integrating Multimedia Learning Principles in Middle School Science: A Cross-Cultural Study of Computer-Based Optics Instruction in Turkey and Indonesia

OpenAlex · İngilizce

This study investigates the effectiveness of a computer-based learning environment grounded in the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) for improving middle school students’ conceptual understanding of optics and inquiry skills in two distinct contexts: Turkey and Indonesia. Using a quasi-experimental design with 134 eighth-graders, participants were assigned to either a CTML-informed e-learning experimental group or a traditional instruction control group. Data from two-tier conceptual understanding and inquiry skills tests were analyzed using non-parametric methods (Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann–Whitney U). Results indicated the experimental group achieved significantly greater improvements in both variables compared to the control. Notably, cross-cultural comparisons revealed a significant divergence in post-intervention conceptual understanding favoring Turkish students, despite both groups exhibiting statistically similar inquiry skills and baseline knowledge. Medium-to-large effect sizes support the efficacy of CTML principles in realistic settings. This research addresses gaps in scientific inquiry for underrepresented middle school populations and demonstrates that a comprehensive suite of multimedia principles can optimize learning in complex, authentic environments. The findings enhance the generalizability of CTML in diverse educational systems, particularly in low- to middle-income country settings.