How to Arrange Texts and Pictures for Online Visitors? Comparing Basic Ceramic Display Forms with Eye-Tracking

In the context of online text-picture relic exhibitions, two exploratory experiments were conducted to investigate the role of integrate / separate display, background information, and annotation type in learning tangible heritage. Using ceramic as an example, we tracked the eye movement of subjects under different display forms and tested if they obtained the relevant information. Experiment 1 (N = 48) adopted a 2 (integrate / separate display) × 2 (with / without background information) design and Experiment 2 (N = 93) investigated distinct types of annotation (no annotation, indicative / direct / picture / contour shape annotation). We found that: (1) In the segmented relic display, the usage time, fixation count, and total fixation duration of relic names were lower than those in the integrated case. The probability that subjects would learn comparatively was also lower in the separate display. However, the performance on retention or transfer tests did not differ depending on the integrate / separate display. After reading the background information, subjects paid less attention to relic names but had better knowledge transfer performance. (2) The viewers’ attention allocation to the materials was not significantly influenced by the annotations. Mere visual annotations did not provide an advantage for information acquisition. By contrast, indicative verbal annotation required relatively more time for better target information memory, and the direct verbal cue consumed the least time. Based on the results, we discussed the application scenario of multimedia learning principles and potential recommendations for designing online relic displays.