Enhancing Chinese character achievement in primary education through multimedia-assisted deep learning module

Chinese character literacy is essential for developing literacy competence in primary education; however, traditional instructional methods often rely on rote memorization, limiting student engagement, and deep learning. This study examined the effectiveness of a multimedia-assisted deep learning (MADL) module, designed based on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) and cognitive semantic theory, in enhancing primary students’ academic achievement in Chinese character learning. A quasi-experimental design was adopted with 222 second-grade students from three schools, with an experimental group (MADL, n=110) and a control group receiving traditional instruction (n=112). Academic achievement was assessed using pre-test and post-test, measuring overall scores, reading, writing, and understanding. Non-parametric Mann–Whitney U tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests revealed that the MADL group significantly outperformed the control group in overall post-test scores (p