The Effects of Visual Aids Presentation on Memory Recall of First-year

Psychology Students in Ifugao State University

A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Psychology

College of Arts and Sciences

Ifugao State University

Lamut, Ifugao

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Experimental Psychology

By:

Nicole Khate Binwag

Claire D. Bumoliad
Lovely T. Dulmog
Suzette Claire D. Langbayan
Noli paul B. Madangeng
Lesly M. Mayapit,
Sunday D. Ottengan
River Jade P. Purugganan

May 2023
 INTRODUCTION

Learning is a continuous process that involves acquiring new knowledge,

skills, and behaviors. Students’ learning is an essential aspect of their academic

success and personal development. However, a variety of factors, including memory

recall and the impact of technology on students' learning, can influence their learning

status. Memory recall is a crucial aspect of learning that enables students to retrieve

and utilize the information they have learned (DiTullio, 2021). Technology is another

factor influencing the status of learning. In today’s digital era, technology has

significantly influenced the way students learn and recall information (King, 2018).

Technology has had a significant impact on students’ learning experiences in recent

years. According to Kirschner and De Bruyckere (2017), technology can enhance

students’ engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes.

In the field of education, various teaching strategies and techniques are

utilized to facilitate the learning process of students. There are different types of

learners in the classroom setting, which include visual learners, auditory learners,

kinesthetic learners, and reading or writing learners. In relation to that, educators

have established ways to engage their students during the discussion of the lessons.

Students learn through a variety of methods, including traditional classroom lectures,

online courses, and blended learning approaches. Different technological tools were

also created that helped students learn and recall information. With the emergence

of interactive multimedia and visual aids, students have more opportunities to

actively engage in the learning process.

Moreover, visual aids have become an integral part of the teaching and

learning process in modern education. Visual aids refer to any object, image, or

device that is used to enhance, support, or supplement oral communication (NCSE,

2020). There are several types of visual aids, including graphs, charts, diagrams,

videos, images, and others, that are strategically shown during a presentation or

lecture to capture the audience’s attention, clarify complex concepts, and improve

retention (Barton &Tucker). Several studies, including the research of Kalyuga,

Chandler, Tuovinen, and Sweller (2001), Mayer (2009), Raiyn (2016), and

Vanichvasin (2020), have demonstrated that using visual aids can improve memory

retention and recall. Their studies have shown that visuals stimulate cognitive

processes and reinforce concepts, making them more memorable than verbal

information alone.

In the study conducted by Raiyn (2016), he discovered that using visuals in

teaching helped students perform better on tests of memory retention and recall. The

use of visual aids can improve memory recall by up to 42% compared to verbal

communication alone (Mayer, 2009). Additionally, Vanichvasin (2020) studied the

effects of visual communication on the memory enhancement of Thai undergraduate

students, and it was found that students had better memorization when using visual

communication. While words can be nonrepresentational and hard to retain, visuals

tend to be easier to recall. Seeing images of what’s being taught is a powerful way to

build student engagement and boost retention. Instead of imagining it, visual aids

help them understand what is being discussed. Graphics draw the students’

attention, helping them recall what is being discussed. Images are the simplest and

most effective way to make sure that the information gets stored in long-term

memory.

Lindner, Blosser, and Cunigan (2009) conducted an experiment to compare

the effects of auditory and visual presentation modes on learning and memory recall.
The study found that participants who received visual presentations had better

memory recall than those who received auditory presentations, which indicates that

the use of visual learning mechanisms, rather than auditory learning mechanisms

produces greater learning and memory recall. This indicates that utilizing visual

stimuli in the classroom setting produces better recall performance on exams and

quizzes. The findings were in line with those of Hughes (2019), who conducted a

study on the effects of rhythm versus visual images on working memory recall, and

the findings imply that visual images are more effective for working memory recall

than rhythm.

Furthermore, visual aids for learning can have a huge impact on how students

retain information. Therefore, this study aims to further explore the effect of visual aid

presentation on student learning and memory recall in the classroom setting through

an experimental study. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable

insights into the effectiveness of visual aids in presentation and help educators

develop effective teaching strategies to improve students’ memory recall and

learning.

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored to the dual-coding theory of Paivio (1997), which

suggests that human cognition is divided into two processing systems: visual and

verbal. The visual system deals with graphical information processing, while the

verbal system deals with linguistic processing. This theory states that imagery

potentiates recall of verbal material because, when a word evokes an associated

image, two separate but linked memory traces are laid down, one in each of the

memory stores. This entails that either word or image stimulates retrieval of the
other, leading to a high chance that information will be retained and retrieved. Dual-

coding theory also involves the use of different types of stimuli that assist learners in

encoding information directly into the brain, enabling them to accurately retrieve

information later on. This theory was identified by cognitive psychologists as one of

the most effective learning strategies to improve long-term memory.

This further explains that by using both visual and verbal cues, we can

effectively keep information in our long-term memory. This entails that regardless of

the order in which the learners saw it, they can retrieve information. In relation to

this, our brains begin to process when we see something, take in the visual

information, and then store it in our short-term memory. As humans, we are mostly

visual learners; our brains responses to visual cues are intrinsic. Scientists have

found that our brain processes images that it sees faster than the blink of an eye,

and 65% of the population are visual learners, which means that when we see

things, we understand and remember them better (Al, 2023).  Overall, the theory

claims that visual aids, when combined with verbal, are a useful learning technique

that helps individuals process, retain, and recall information more effectively and to

create a productive and interactive classroom setting. Therefore, this study will use

an experimental design to further study the effect of visual aid presentation on

students' memory recall.

Paradigm of the Study

Independent variable Dependent variable

Control Group Plain text presentation

Memory Recall

Presentation with
Treatment Group
Visual Aids

This study will use an experimental design, specifically the between-subject

design, to further study the effect of visual aid presentation on students' memory

recall. There will be two groups for the experiment. One will serve as the control

group, who will be given a plain PowerPoint text presentation, and the other will

undergo the treatment condition, which is a PowerPoint presentation with visual aids.

Then, their memory recall will be tested.

The study aims to understand and have a broad idea about the importance of

visual aids on memory recall. The overall benefits of this study are to bring

awareness to people, give them knowledge about the effectiveness of visual aids,

and provide information that can help us maintain good memory recall. The study

aims to provide significance for future researchers as reference material for their

future research and may serve as a guide for their report and research study; this

may also be a source of sufficient information and data for their works. For
instructors, this study will help them learn how to prepare better PowerPoint

presentations or other visual aids to effectively teach lectures and lessons. The study

will help presenters or speakers of seminars create a better strategy for presenting

their lectures to make an impact and create enthusiasm. For business entertainment

and presentations, this study will help them enhance their presentations to increase

the audience's understanding.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to determine the effects of visual aids on memory recall

among first-year psychology students at Ifugao State University. Specifically, this

study aims to answer the following question:

1. Is there any significant effect of visual aids on memory recall of first-year

psychology students at Ifugao State University?

Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis (HO): There is no significant effect of visual aids on memory recall of

first-year psychology students at Ifugao State University.

 Chapter 2

METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES

Research Design

The study utilized a quantitative design, particularly a between-subjects

design, to determine if there was a statistically significant effect of visual aids on the

memory recall of students. It specifically utilized the experimental-control group

design because it is appropriate for measuring the effect of the independent variable

on the dependent variable. Those who were not given any treatment are the control

group, while the other group underwent the treatment condition. The researchers

measured and compared the group differences to determine whether one condition

is superior to another. Furthermore, this design was best for the research as it is

short and straight-forward, enabling researchers to receive and analyze the data

quickly.

Respondents and Locale of the Study

The respondents to the study are 32 first-year psychology students. There

were 31 females and one male. The locale of the study is Ifugao State University,

Main Campus, which is located in Lamut, Ifugao. A government-owned and funded

university in the Philippines that was established in 1920. The experiment was

conducted in the College of Arts and Sciences main building, room 102.

Table 1

Frequency Distribution of the Respondents

Group Frequency Percentage
Control group 16 50%
Experimental Group 16 50%
Total 32 100%
Data Gathering Tool

The data gathering tool for this study is a PowerPoint presentation made by

the researchers. One PowerPoint text presentation was created and presented for

the control group, and the experimental group underwent the treatment condition,

which is a PowerPoint presentation with visual aids. They were given two minutes to

memorize the twenty words on the presentation, a thirty-second break, and one

minute to write down the words that they could recall from the presentation.

Table 2

List of Words
Eagle Dolly Banana Two Carrot

Parrot Collie Shirt Knees Paper

Four Beagle Blue Ball Wall

Head Door Red Peas Hair

Data Gathering Procedure

Participants for this study were chosen using convenience sampling. This

sampling strategy was appropriate because the participants were nearby and easily

accessible to the researchers. Before conducting the experiment, the researchers

sought permission from the school's authorities. Following approval, the researchers

chose one section from the first year BS Psychology department, and 32 participants

were selected.  Because the intelligence quotient is an extraneous variable,

participants were randomly assigned to groups using range matching. The

participants’ grades in biopsychology were the basis of the matching.  After

assigning the participants into the control group and experimental group, a room was

prepared for the venue of the experiment. The room had the same conditions during

the experiment to balance or control different types of extraneous variables that may

confound the results, and a pilot study was conducted.  On the day of the

experiment, the chairs were provided, and the proctors placed blank papers on the

table. The experimenter first entered the room, and the proctors assisted the control

group to their seats. Following greetings, the experimenter oriented the participants

of the control group about the nature of the study, and informed consent form was

given to them, which they signed. Then, the proctors collected it, and the

experimenter proceeded with conducting the experiment. The experimenter gave the

instructions to the participants, and they were asked if they had any questions or

needed clarification. When everything was clear, a simple PowerPoint text

presentation was presented to them. They were given 2 minutes to memorize the

twenty words in the presentation. The proctors remained in the room and kept an

eye on the participants to ensure that no one wrote on the blank paper within the two

minutes. When the researcher presented the slide, a timer was set, and the projector

was covered when the time was up. After that, the participants were given a 30-

second break. Following the break, the experimenter said "start’ and they had one

minute to write the words they remembered on the blank paper. When the time limit

was up, the alarm sounded, and the proctors collected the papers. The participants
were thanked and dismissed from the room by the experimenter. The proctors had

ten minutes to fix the chairs and place the blank papers on the tables.  Then, the

proctors assisted the experimental group to their seats. Following greetings, the

experimenter oriented the group about the nature of the study, and informed consent

was given to them, which they signed. Then, the proctors collected it, and the

experimenter proceeded with conducting the experiment. The experimenter gave the

instructions to the participants, and they were asked if they had any questions or

needed clarification. When everything was clear, they were given a PowerPoint

presentation with visual aids. They were given 2 minutes to memorize the twenty

words in the presentation. The proctors remained in the room and kept an eye on the

participants to ensure that no one wrote on the blank paper within the two minutes.

When the researcher presented the slide, a timer was set, and the projector was

covered when the time was up. After that, the participants were given a 30-second

break. Following the break, the experimenter said "start," and they had one minute to

write the words they remembered on the blank paper. When the time limit was up,

the alarm sounded, and the proctors collected the papers. The participants were

thanked and dismissed from the room by the experimenter.

Limitation of the study

There are at least three potential limitations concerning the results of this

study. The first limitation concerns the sampling technique. A second potential

limitation is that most of the participants were female, which could limit the

effectiveness of these results. Lastly, the study utilized only one type of visual aid.

For future researchers, it is suggested that they use other sampling techniques and a

larger sample size with a proportional number of males and females. Furthermore,
they can select participants from different departments and use different types of

visual aids.

Statistical Treatment

Statistical treatment means applying a statistical method to a data set to draw

meaning from it. In this study, inferential statistic was used. The software program

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in analyzing the data

collected, specifically the Independent Sample T-test.

Chapter 3

RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the results and discussion of the data gathered on the

effect of visual aids on memory recall of students.

Table 3

Effect of visual aid presentation to memory recall

N Mean SD Df T Sig.
Control group 16 12.56 2.48 30 0.715 0.480
Experimental 16 11.88 2.94
group

The table above shows the difference in memory recall scores between the

control group (M = 12.56; SD = 2.48) and the experimental group (M = 11.88; SD =

2.94). This suggests that the control group got a higher score compared to the

experimental group. However, there is a difference of 0.68, which most likely implies

that participants will get the same result regardless of the type of presentation shown

to them. Furthermore, the table shows that there is no significant difference in

memory recall scores between the control and experimental groups (t (30) = 0.715, p
= 0.480). Therefore, the current result denotes that visual aid presentation is not

effective in terms of memory recall.

Chapter 4

DISCUSSION

The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of visual aids

on the memory recall of students. The results indicate that the memory recall of

participants who were presented with visual aids has no significant difference with

that of those who were shown a plain presentation, supporting the hypothesis. This

implies that regardless of the type of presentation, the results show no significant

difference. Therefore, visual aids, particularly in the learning environment, have no

effect on students' memory recall.

The results contradict the claim of dual-coding theory that visual aids are

useful learning techniques that help individuals process, retain, and recall

information more effectively and to create a productive and interactive classroom

setting.

There could be several reasons why visual aids may not be effective in a

classroom setting. For instance, visual aids may be poorly designed, distracting, or
presented in a way that does not align with students' learning preferences. Moreover,

this could be due to factors such as the complexity of the visual aid, the learning

style of the student, and the amount of information presented. According to Fish,

Mun, and A’Jontue (2016), visual aids were not effective for all students.

Furthermore, visual aids may be ineffective in enhancing memory recall and

learning due to inadequate teacher training on how to effectively use visual aids in

the classroom. A study conducted by Buabeng-Andoh (2012) revealed that many

teachers lacked proper training on how to effectively use visual aids in the

classroom, and as such, many visual aids ended up being irrelevant, inappropriate,

or confusing to students. This highlights the importance of proper teacher training to

ensure that visual aids are selected and used appropriately and effectively.

Lastly, visual aids may not always be effective in enhancing the memory recall

and learning of students if they are not used in conjunction with other teaching

methodologies, such as hands-on activities or group projects. This emphasizes the

importance of incorporating a variety of teaching methodologies to cater to the

different learning styles of students.

 Chapter 5

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based from the results and discussion, the following conclusions have been drawn:

1. There is no significant effect of visual aids presentation on the memory recall of

first-year BS Psychology students at Ifugao State University. Hence, we can

either use both visual aids and non-visual aids on students’ memory recall.

Recommendations:

1. For teachers. It is highly recommended that they utilize all methods of teaching to

enhance the learning and memory recall of students both inside and outside the

classroom setting and have adequate training on how to effectively use visual

aids in the classroom.

2. For future researchers. It is suggested that they use other sampling techniques

and a larger sample size with a proportional number of males and females. In

addition, they can select participants from different departments and use different

types of visual aids

3. For the institution. They should strengthen the teaching capacity of the teachers

through seminars and workshops on the different methods of using visual aids as

an effective means of teaching strategy.

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