Contextual animation in multimedia learning materials for pre-adolescents: The saga of null results continues

Emotional design approaches tend to be instructionally effective in the case of higher education learners. However, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of emotional design for children is limited. Contextual animation is one way that emotional design can be realized. Contextual animation refers to the non-expository animation of context-providing representational pictures. This study examines the effects of contextual animation on learning outcomes and situational interest in the case of pre-adolescents. Participants included 50 children 9–11 year of age recruited from all parts of the Czech Republic. Participants studied exponential growth and public opinion polls from two, 3-min-long, narrated videos; one included contextual animation and the other did not (counterbalanced within-subject design with randomization). Each child participated separately in one online session with a research administrator. Although animated videos triggered interest (d = 0.18, 0.36), null results were found both as regards learning outcomes and maintained situational interest. This study adds to a small body of literature pointing at limited effects of emotional design approaches on pre-adolescents. Additional studies with young audiences and using other forms of emotional design would be a welcome addition to the literature.