Static media include text and still-pictures (graphics, photo, illustrations). These media are stable over time, i.e. enabling the observer to perceive the information in a self-chosen speed. Our differentiation between static and stable media is practically motivated. Static media have traditionally been employed and easy to produce. The following guidelines are very related to the qualities of the media rather than the quality of the information they represent, i.e. many of the following guidelines emerge from an approach based on the qualities and possibilities of the media.

The employment of static media is related to two questions: first, when do these media fit at all (or do not fit at all)? Second, when are static media a good replacement for more complex dynamic media, e.g. when little resources exist for the employment and development of more complex presentations (e.g. film, animation etc.)?

For retaining simple information over longer periods of time, text appears to be better than sound for communicating verbal information. Text has been found to be better for when the verbal information was a list of words, instructions, four-line poems, and nonsense syllables. [Najjar01] [Guttormsen00a]

Thus some media appear to communicate specific kinds of information better than other media. For communicating verbal information, text is better than auditory narration. [Najjar01] [Guttormsen00a]

Text may also be more elaborate than audio verbal media. Text-only conditions have been found to produce better learning than audio-only conditions. However, unlike audio conditions, text conditions also allow the learner to process the verbal information at the learner's pace. [Najjar01] [Guttormsen00a]

A picture, it is commonly said, can be worth a thousand words. Pictures seem to help people learn information more effectively than text. This picture superiority effect appears to be strong. For example, pictures of common objects can be recalled and recognised better than their textual names. Exceptions seem to occur when the items are conceptually similar (e.g., all animals or all tools) causing the pictures to be easily confused, or when the items are presented so quickly that learners cannot create verbal labels for the pictures. Also, pictures cannot be used to communicate abstract concepts such as "freedom" or "amount." When used in more complex ways, the benefits of pictures are less strong. [Najjar01] [Guttormsen00a]

Pictures seem to be better than text or auditory instructions for communicating spatial information, e.g. to draw and label the human heart. For recalling and recognising items, pictures are better than text. [Najjar01] [Guttormsen00a]

Some multimedia application designers apparently believe that pictures improve learner interest, motivation, and, therefore, learning. This does not appear to be the case. Adding unrelated illustrations does not improve learning, and in fact it may actually decrease learning. Unrelated illustrations may it even make it harder for learners to comprehend the text. [Najjar01]

Guttormsen Schär, S. and Krueger, H. (2000). Using new learning technologies with multimedia. IEEE MultiMedia Magazine. 2000 (July-September 2000).

Najjar, L.J. (2001). Principles of educational multimedia user interface design. In Andrews, R.W.S.D.H (ed.). Readings in training and simulation. Santa Monica, CA, pp. 146-158.