Multimedia-Assisted Chinese Character Second Language Acquisition: Is More Interaction Actually Better?

This study observed the effects of two types of multimedia-assisted learning materials on novice Chinese learners’ learning outcomes and perceptions toward Chinese character second language acquisition. The two types of learning materials are different in their interactivity levels: low-level interaction (linear-based) and high-level interaction (interactive-based). Fourteen first-year American college students participated in this study and completed four lab practices. The participants learned radicals using linear-based learning materials during the first and the third practices, and from interactive-based materials during the second and the fourth practices. The following data were collected from immediate tests after each lab practice: two surveys after every two lab practices, and a delayed test 7 weeks after the last lab practice. The primary results indicated participants performed better when using multimedia materials with lower-level interaction. The survey results concurred. The participants found both linear-based materials more helpful in learning Chinese radicals. Thus, linear-based materials positively influenced their learning results. Data also revealed 79% of the participants were in favor of linear-based materials in which radicals, pinyin, and English were placed together in a consistent design layout. This study suggests that in order to help students achieve optimal learning, multimedia-assisted learning materials for radical learning should be provided to meet learners’ proficiency level. In addition, when designing multimedia learning materials, the priority should be on presenting content explicitly, in a more simple way, minimizing unnecessary interactivity of multimedia.