Sean Junkins

EDIT 720: Psychology of Instructional Technology

17 April 2016

Multimedia Product Critique Paper #3: USA Test Prep

Overview:
USA Test Prep is a web-based educational resource designed to help improve student test
performance. The goal of this program is to allow students to interact with self-directed activities
while other students are receive more individualized attention from the teacher. Access to the
USA Test Prep program does require an annual subscription. Once purchased, teachers can track
student progress as students work with state specific grade level standards and indicators. Using
this program can provide a teacher with a wealth of data on student performance. Also a wide
variety of built-in accommodations are available for special needs students. The ultimate purpose
of USA Test Prep is to provide students with a uniquely created learning pathway that includes
diagnostic assessments, individualized learning, and opportunities for classroom support.

Purpose:
Many schools and districts use this platform in a variety of ways to support student learning.
While it was primarily designed as a resource for test preparation, it can be used as a tool for
remediation as well. Since USA Test Prep includes a wealth of activities, tests, and games, it can
be used as an in-class resource. Some choose to use the program as a testing center since it offers
fully customizable formative and diagnostic tests. Parents also find using USA Test Prep at home
beneficial since it aligns directly to the standards being taught in the classroom.

Audience:
USA Test Prep offers three different product solutions for K-12 students: an elementary solution,
a middle school solution, and a high school solution. Each product is design to help students
prepare for state and national assessments. In South Carolina, the elementary and middle school
solutions are designed to prepare students for the SC Ready and SC PASS tests. While the high
school solution is more diverse and offers opportunities for students to prepare for the EOC,
WorkKeys, ACT, SAT, and AP assessments.

Format:
USA Test Prep is a fully web-based solution that works on any device or browser that has access
to the internet. Like most test preparation services, USA Test Prep offers practice questions, but
their resources go well beyond that. This program provides students with games and puzzles, as
well as skill-building and self-directed activities. Their vast question database is aligned to state
specific standards and large enough to avoid repetitive questions. They also have a video library
which teaches content and checks for understanding. Students also receive instant feedback as
they work and their progress can easily be monitored by their instructors. USA Test Prep works
to evolve with the changing nature of assessments and their platform includes a variety of
technology enhanced items designed to elicit and assess higher order thinking skills.

Multimedia Principle:
According to their website, USA Test Prep includes highly engaging, dynamic content. However,
much of their test preparation content and materials do not represent the kind of multimedia that
Mayer would consider highly engaging based upon his twelve principles. Questions are typically
presented strictly as text. While this does present questions in a format similar to how they will
appear on state assessments, it does not provide students with an engaging learning experience
based upon the best practices of multimedia learning. According to Mayer and Moreno, people
learn best from words and pictures, as opposed to words alone (Mayer and Moreno, 2010). The
creators may be attempting to have the delivery of their content mirror how it will likely appear
on a standardized test, but in doing so they are not presenting multimedia in a way that engages
the learners full participation and cognitive focus.

Pre-Training Principle:
In their Principles of Multimedia Learning, Mayer and Moreno (2010) indicate that people learn
best when they know the characteristics of the main concepts they are learning. He references
this idea specifically in his pre-training principle. USA Test Prep offers a series of short videos
designed to teach new concepts students encounter on their self-directed learning pathway. These
videos, often void of visuals and a clear violation of the multimedia principle, deliver content
that does not directly align with the information students receive in the questions that follow.
Students may receive a short overview of a major concept only to be asked to recall minute
details in the questions. In essence, the USA Test Prep program is not adequately pre-training the
learner for the tasks they are going to be asked to complete.

Cognitive Load:
Cognitive load is always at play when information is being presented and USA Test Prep does
not overburden the learner or cause that cognitive load to be extraneous. While USA Test Prep
does not overload the learners cognitive ability, it may not be activating cognitive functioning
properly either. By presenting question after question as a form of test preparation, students are

not having the opportunity to apply new information. According to research, its the process of
actively using information present in the working memory that allows the learner to connect that
information to pre-existing schema and thus make those critical connections that move that new
information into the long-term memory. (Neigemann, Leutner, and Brunken, 2004) If students
are interacting with questions and not making connections as they go, then the experience may
not be beneficial to the overall learning process.

Redundancy Principle:
While USA Test Prep attempts to assess knowledge and prepare students for upcoming
assessments, it does not effectively consider the inherent pitfalls of redundant information. This
service offers a wide variety of built-in diagnostic assessment tools to track student mastery and
progress, but it does not take action to limit the time a student may spend interacting with
information they have already mastered. According to Kalyuga (2014), having expert learners
process redundant information is a waste of their cognitive processing. While creating a program
that forces learners to constantly interact with necessary information may benefit struggling
learners, it can actually work counter intuitively with high achievers. This is precisely what
Kalyuga refers to as the expertise reversal effect. According to his research, when it comes to
multimedia learning, the expertise of the learner must be noted, considered, and factored in in
order to create the best instructional experience possible (Kalyuga, 2014).

Conclusion:
USA Test Prep is a very comprehensive education resource for K-12 students. It can be used by
teachers, administrators, and parents in a variety of ways to meet student learning needs.

However, as a multimedia resource, there are some problems with how the programs delivers
instruction, assesses student mastery, and adapts to meet specific student needs. The information
is not always presented in the most effectively way to elicit student engagement and the learners
cognitive processes are not always put to best use within the context of the program. However,
there are some steps the creators could take to improve their product. Their multimedia content
could be redesigned in accordance with research and thus provide the learner with a truly
engaging and thought provoking experience. Additionally, the built-in diagnostics could remove,
or largely limit, the amount of time students spend working with information they have already
mastered to provide students with a learning experience that is purposefully and strategically
tailored to their changing level of expertise.

Works Cited:
Kalyuga, S. (2014) The expertise reversal principle in multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.),
The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. (pp. 576-597). New York: Cambridge. (e.g.
Chapter 24)
Mayer, R.E., & Moreno, R. (2010). Techniques that reduce extraneous cognitive load and
manage intrinsic cognitive load during multimedia learning. In J. L. Plass, R. Moreno, & R.
Brnken (Eds.),Cognitive Load Theory (pp.131-152). New York: Cambridge.
Neigemann, H. & Leutner, D. & Brunken, R. (2004) Encouraging the Active Processing of
Information During Learning with Multiple and Interactive Representations. Instructional Design
for Multimedia Learning. (pp. 127-148). New York: Waxmann Munster.
USA Test Prep: Take a Tour. (2016). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://usatestprep.com/