Supporting Dual Coding
Below are various means of supporting dual coding. You can incorporate some of these assets and interactive opportunities into your courses and you can share these ideas with your students to that they have a means of building dual coding into their own study sessions.
Customizable Tools to Support Dual Coding
This tool has been designed to be customizable by faculty, and can be embedded directly into your LMS content. For further information on how to utilize this tool in your LMS see the Interactive-Components page.
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Accordion Builder
Accordion ID | Accordion Name | Accordion Contents | ||||||||||||||||
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Flip Cards |
Flip cards can be used to promote dual coding by including both an image and text to describe the same topic. Flip Cards Exemplar
Flip Cards Component Selected.
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Flip Cards Builder
SettingsThe following setting(s) are available, please type 'y' for yes or 'n' for no in the following space provided:
Tips for Using Flip Cards
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EdTech Tools to Support Dual Coding
There are many EdTech tools that can support you in incorporating dual coding into the learning experiences you create. In addition, making students aware of some of the simpler tools below can support them in building strategies for more effective independent learning.
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For Helpful Tips and Information on how to Edit, Customize, Copy, Delete, please visit the
Quick Start Guide page for this component by simply right clicking
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Accordion Builder
Accordion ID | Accordion Name | Accordion Contents | |
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1 |
H5P |
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2 |
MindMeister or Venngage |
Create a mind map or process illustration using Microsoft Visio or web-based applications such as MindMeister or Venngage. |
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3 |
Canva or Piktochart |
Illustrate concepts, create cue cards or annotate images using Canva or Piktochart. |
Using Dual Coding Outside the Digital Space
To support students in building their own tool box of study strategies, encourage students to engage in some of the following activities as they are preparing for your assessments.
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For Helpful Tips and Information on how to Edit, Customize, Copy, Delete, please visit the
Quick Start Guide page for this component by simply right
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Accordion Builder
Accordion ID | Accordion Name | Accordion Contents |
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1 |
Summarize or Label Images |
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2 |
Mind Maps |
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Venn Diagrams |
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Timelines, Flowcharts, & Illustrations |
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Important Consideration
All images used in digital tools must have alternative (alt) text that describes their meaning. When including images in a dual coding activity, ensure that the alt text does not include the answer to the corresponding question (e.g. if asking students to name planets based on their images, include descriptor words in the alt text instead of the planet names).
Tips to Support Dual Coding
Below are some quick tips that you can use when you are building your learning experiences to embed retrieval practice directly into the learning.
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- Use visuals that directly relate to the text or verbal material or to your own prior knowledge or understanding.
- Present text content next to the visual tool to help students make connections.
- Use visuals with minimal or no background detail, to ensure focus is on the main subject. Avoid photos and live videos when possible, because they increase cognitive load.
Checking Your Knowledge
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Question 1 text: What does “dual coding” mean?
hint :Dual coding theory proposes that the brain processes visual and verbal information separately and simultaneously.
Question Settings
The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:
- Question 1 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 3
- Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes
Question 2 text: Dual coding is an effective learning strategy by:
hint :When a concept is presented using both images and text/speech together, students encode both representations of the concept separately, resulting in more thorough processing and deeper retention of the information.
Question Settings
The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:
- Question 2 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 1
- Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes
Question 3 text: Which image will result in more durable learning?
feedback :In the first option, the image is decorative and does not contribute to learning about the topic. In the second image, the image supports the text, by showing that oxygen is being released by the tree and broad leaf canopy.
Question Settings
The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:
- Question 3 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 2
- Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes
Quiz Settings
The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:
- Randomize the questions when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. yes
- Insert Quiz Questions inside a Panel?Type y for yes or n for no. yes
- Make Panel Collapsible? Type y for yes or n for no. no
- Panel Title? Type the title of the panel.
References
Photography on this page used with permission from the Durham College Online Photo Database.
Boser, U. (n.d.). Science of learning: Research meets practice – dual coding. The Learning Agency Lab. https://www.the-learning-agency-lab.com/learning-strategies/dual-coding/
Clark, J.M., & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149-210. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01320076
The Learning Scientists. (n.d.). Dual coding. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/dual-coding
Weinstein, Y., Madan, C.R. & Sumeracki, M.A. (2018). Teaching the science of learning. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0087-y
Weinstein Y., & Smith, M. (2016, September 1). Learn how to study using... dual coding. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/9/1-1