Researchers from the Tokyo University of Science reported on Jul. 10 that a cumulative presentation format in Microsoft PowerPoint can improve learning outcomes compared to traditional whole-slide formats. The study, conducted by Mr. Hikaru Ito and Professor Hiroko Ichikawa, examined whether displaying visual elements one by one as they are explained helps learners connect verbal explanations with corresponding visuals more effectively.
The research involved 40 Japanese university students divided into two groups: one experienced the cumulative presentation format, where new visual elements appeared sequentially with the narration, while the other group viewed all information at once before narration began. Both groups completed a pre-test to assess baseline knowledge, watched and listened to a seven-slide PowerPoint presentation (with only the format differing), had their eye movements tracked during viewing, and then took a post-test along with a questionnaire about perceived difficulty.
Results showed that both groups started with similar levels of knowledge. However, after the presentations, those who experienced the cumulative design scored higher on tests than those who saw all information at once. Eye-tracking data indicated that participants in the cumulative group focused earlier and longer on newly introduced visual elements relevant to what was being said by the speaker.
The study also found no significant difference between groups regarding how difficult they perceived either the lesson or test to be. This suggests that while learning outcomes improved for those using cumulative designs, their subjective experience of difficulty did not change.
Professor Ichikawa said, "Teachers, trainers, and presenters can segment visual information and match each segment with the relevant verbal explanation. In this way, learners can process the visual and auditory content step by step and gradually build an overall understanding of the slide. In the future, AI-based systems for generating educational materials can also be trained to apply cumulative presentation design and create teaching materials that are learner-friendly."
