Microsoft PowerPoint has become the default tool for presenting learning materials in classrooms, universities, corporate training programs, webinars, and distance learning environments. But is it being used effectively? This question arises because learners are facing a major challenge. They are trying to listen to the speaker while simultaneously trying to connect to the relevant visual elements on the slides, which can hinder learning.
Microsoft PowerPoint has become the default tool for presenting learning materials in classrooms, universities, corporate training programs, webinars, and distance learning environments. But is it being used effectively? This question arises because learners are facing a major challenge. They are trying to listen to the speaker while simultaneously trying to connect to the relevant visual elements on the slides, which can hinder learning.
Recently, two researchers, Professor Hikaru Ito and Professor Yuko Ichikawa from Tokyo University of Science in Japan, investigated whether the problem could be addressed simply by changing the design of the presentation. Drawing on educational psychologist Richard Mayer’s well-supported cognitive theory of multimedia learning, they proposed a “cumulative presentation” format in which new visual elements are presented one at a time as the speaker explains.
For example, while explaining a graph, if the speaker says,Prey and predators increase over time. ” The curve of the corresponding graph will appear rising, and when the speaker says,When a predator eats its prey, the number of prey decreases, which in turn reduces the number of predators“” displays the curve of the graph downward. To test whether this format worked, the researchers compared it to traditional or full-slide presentation formats, where information is presented all at once (for example, an entire graph) before the narration begins. Their research was published online on June 25, 2026, in Volume 42, Issue 4 of the journal. computer assisted learning journal In this study, we specifically evaluated whether cumulative presentation can effectively guide learners’ visual attention to relevant information and improve learning.
Previous research has primarily evaluated the effectiveness of teaching material presentation methods by analyzing test scores. However, we analyzed eye-tracking measurements along with test scores to understand not just whether learning improved, but how. ”
Hiroko Ichikawa, Tokyo University of Science
To achieve this objective, the researchers recruited 40 Japanese university students and assigned 20 to the cumulative presentation condition and 20 to the whole slide presentation condition. Both groups then completed three steps.
First, they completed a test that assessed their knowledge of the presentation topic to confirm the basic knowledge of both groups. Both groups then watched a recording of the same seven-slide PowerPoint presentation, only the presentation format differed between the groups. During the presentation, participants’ eye movements were recorded using a screen-based eye tracker. Third, they completed the same test administered before the presentation and completed a short questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale to assess whether they experienced any difficulties during class or testing.
The analysis showed that the pre-presentation test scores of both groups were not significantly different, indicating that they had similar knowledge about the presentation topic before the presentation. However, the cumulative presentation group had higher post-presentation test scores than the whole slide presentation group, indicating that the cumulative presentation design improved learning outcomes.
But what is the mechanism underlying this improvement? Eye-tracking data showed that compared to the group that viewed the entire slide, participants in the cumulative presentation group fixated (or looked) faster and longer at the visual elements associated with the emerging narration. In other words, the cumulative presentation format allowed us to quickly attract the learners’ attention to the visual information that matched the narration and maintain that attention for a longer period of time.
Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the perceptions of the two groups regarding the difficulty of the classes and tests. This suggests that cumulative presentation designs can improve learning outcomes without changing learners’ perceived difficulty.
Professor Ichikawa will highlight how cumulative presentation design can be applied to multimedia educational settings. “Teachers, trainers, and presenters can segment visual information and match each segment with the associated verbal explanation. In this way, learners can process visual and auditory content step by step and gradually build an overall understanding of the slides. In the future, AI-based materials generation systems can also be trained to apply cumulative presentation design and create learner-friendly materials.”
As digital education and virtual presentations become an inevitable part of the learning process, it is important to optimize the presentation of multimodal content. This requires more evidence-based presentation strategies, such as cumulative presentations, to reduce information overload. This allows learners to focus on relevant information at the right time and improve their learning experience.
sauce:
Tokyo University of Science
Reference magazines:
Hiroshi Ito, Hiroshi Ichikawa (2026) “Cumulative presentations enhance learning outcomes by guiding learners” Visual Attention. computer assisted learning journal. DOI: 10.1002/jcal.70286. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcal.70286.
