In complex clinical education, learners often struggle to balance deep engagement with core content and accessing supporting evidence. To address this, the ATLAS eLearning program introduced a Hover-Over In-Text References feature—interactive tooltips that reveal Vancouver-style citations on demand. Grounded in cognitive load theory and multimedia learning principles, this innovation reduced on-screen clutter, reinforced evidence-based practice, and empowered self-directed exploration. Early beta-tester feedback confirmed significant gains in usability and learner satisfaction, making it a signature interaction across all ATLAS modules.

Background & Challenge

ATLAS (Arthritis Training, Learning & Upskilling) modules deliver advanced musculoskeletal content to health professionals. These modules often cite numerous guidelines, clinical studies, and systematic reviews—necessary for academic rigor but potentially overwhelming for learners. Traditional footnotes or end-of-slide reference lists introduce two main issues:

  1. Split-Attention Effect: Learners must shift attention between content and references, increasing extraneous cognitive load (Sweller, 1988).

  2. On-Screen Clutter: Visible reference lists compete with primary content for visual real estate, reducing germane processing of key concepts (Paas & van Merriënboer, 1994).

To maintain focus on core learning objectives while ensuring ready access to evidence, we sought an on-demand reference system that aligned with multimedia learning best practices (Mayer, 2009).


insert Learner-Facing Screenshot 1: Base Slide with In-Text Reference
– Caption: “Figure 1. In-text citation hotspot on a content slide.”

Learning Science Rationale

  1. Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988)

    • By hiding references until requested, we minimise extraneous load, allowing learners to allocate working memory solely to essential content.

  2. Segmenting Principle (Mayer, 2005)

    • Presenting information in manageable “chunks” supports deeper understanding. On-demand citations segment evidence access from narrative flow.

  3. Redundancy Principle (Mayer, 2005)

    • Avoiding simultaneous display of full reference lists prevents redundant processing and keeps the interface clean.

  4. Self-Regulated Learning (de Jong & van Merriënboer, 2016)

    • Empowering learners to decide when to access evidence fosters autonomy and metacognitive control.

Combined, these principles suggest that hover-triggered tooltips would optimise both usability and learning effectiveness.

Solution Design & Implementation

  1. Feature Overview

    • Hotspot: A transparent rectangular shape over each in-text reference number (styled in ATLAS blue).

    • Layer: A slide-layer named refX containing the full Vancouver citation (author list, year, journal, DOI).

    • Animation: 0.5-second fade-in/fade-out for the tooltip box, minimising visual disruption.

      embed Learner-Facing Screenshot 2: Hover-State Tooltip
      – Caption: “Figure 2. Tooltip revealed on hover, showing Vancouver citation.”

  2. Slide-Level Setup (added only where needed)

    After describing Slide-Level Setup, show Authoring-Side Screenshot 5: Storyline Slide Layers Panel
    – Caption: “Figure 3. ‘ref1’ layer alongside the base layer in Storyline.”

    • Characters & Context: On each slide containing citations, hotspots and layers are added slide-by-slide rather than on a master slide—ensuring tooltips appear only when references exist.

    • Triggers:

      • Show layer refX when user hovers over Hotspot RefX

      • Hide layer refX when user hovers out

      Immediately following the Triggers section, insert Authoring-Side Screenshot 6: Triggers Pane
      – Caption: “Figure 4. Show/Hide triggers for Hotspot RefX.”

      At the end of this section, drop in Template Libr


      ary Snippet (Screenshot 8)
      – Caption: “Figure 5. Template slide in the library ready for reuse.”

  3. Template Library Components

    • Master Reference Layer: Base tooltip shape with locked font size (Poppins) and padding.

    • Named Hotspots: Hotspot Ref1, Hotspot Ref2, … ready for copy/paste.

    • Layer Naming Convention: ref1, ref2, definition (for medical-term tooltips).

    • Grouped Trigger Set: Exportable triggers for rapid deployment.

  4. Development Workflow

    • Initial Template Creation (3–4 hours): Built in a dedicated “reference-tooltip” Storyline file, tested across multiple slide layouts.

    • Applying to New Slides (5–10 minutes per slide): Copy template components, position hotspots over text, adjust layer content, and test in preview.

Cross-Module Deployment

This feature was uniformly deployed across all ATLAS modules, including:

  • Advanced Arthritis Management

  • Multidisciplinary Care

  • Pain Science Foundations

No variations in styling or placement were made—ensuring a consistent learner experience.

After naming the modules, insert Learner-Facing Screenshot 3: Resources Tab
– Caption: “Figure 6. Full reference list accessible via the Resources menu.”

Results & Learner Feedback
Right before the learner quote, place Short Demo Video (30–60 sec) showing hover-overs in action.
– Title: “Video 1. Interactive walkthrough of hover-over citations.”

  • If you have the Mobile demo, you can tuck Learner-Facing Screenshot 4 or Mobile/Tablet Tap Demo here as an inset (or as a short animated GIF).

  • Beta-Tester Comments

    “I loved being able to hover over the reference number and instantly see the citation—without it taking up space on the slide.”

  • Survey Insights

    • 92% of testers agreed that the hover tooltips improved their ability to locate background evidence.

    • 89% said the feature felt intuitive and did not distract from learning.

Learners reported increased confidence in evidence-based decision-making and appreciated the minimalist interface.

Discussion & Future Directions

By embedding on-demand citations, ATLAS leveraged cognitive load theory and multimedia design to deliver an elegant solution for evidence engagement. Future enhancements may include:

  • Visited-State Tracking: Mark citations that learners have viewed, supporting spaced-retrieval practice (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008).

  • Mobile Touch-Support: Adapting hover tooltips for tap interactions on tablets and smartphones.

  • Dynamic Linking: Integrating DOI lookups to auto-generate citations from an external database.


Conclusion

The Hover-Over In-Text References interaction exemplifies how learning science can inform practical eLearning design. By reducing cognitive barriers and facilitating self-directed exploration, this signature feature strengthens ATLAS’s commitment to evidence-based, learner-centered education.

References

  • de Jong, T., & van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2016). Cognitive load theory: A broader view on the role of constructs in the theory. Educational Psychology Review, 28(4), 483–505.

  • Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966–968.

  • Mayer, R. E. (2005). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press.

  • Paas, F., & van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (1994). Instructional control of cognitive load in the training of complex cognitive tasks. Educational Psychology Review, 6(4), 351–371.

  • Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.