Spatial Contiguity in Moodle Quizzes

Spatial contiguity is a multimedia principle that recommends placing graphics and relevant text close together to indicate their relationship and reduce cognitive load. It also supports students with physical accessibility needs by removing the fine motor effort involved in scrolling back and forth. This is especially important during reading comprehension activities involving passages and corresponding questions, and math or science questions referring to a diagram.

While Moodle’s quizzes and assignments lack a native side-by-side layout, you can create a split-screen effect with these tips:

1. Hyperlink the relevant content (e.g., passage, diagram, or any relevant information) in the question field. 
2. Set links to open in a new window (this makes navigation easier and sets the stage for extending a display or splitting the screen for simultaneous viewing).
3. Group relevant questions together by using the “Repagination” or “Page-break” feature (watch a video tutorial about how these features work). Then, use the side block in Moodle to share relevant excerpts from the text, diagrams, or external websites.
4. Repeat short key directions in the questions rather than only placing them at the top. For longer directions, use the side block.

By reducing technical overhead, spatial contiguity ensures that all students – regardless of physical ability – can focus on learning and demonstrating their skills.