Exploring Media Modalities for Cultural Heritage Learning on Social Platforms: A Comparative Analysis of Short Videos, Nine-Grid Pictures, and Sequential Pictures

In the digital era, short videos have emerged as a dominant medium on modern social media platforms. Their rapid development and extensive reach mark them as key tools for information dissemination and entertainment. However, the rise of short videos hasn't eclipsed other media forms. Text, sequential images, nine-grid pictures, and animations continue to thrive alongside video content. This paper explores the emotional response, learning effectiveness, and cognitive load associated with various media used during learning cultural heritage on social platforms. Our study focused on three media: video, nine-grid pictures, and sequential pictures. These were used to present identical learning materials to three separate groups of participants (Groups A, B, and C). Post-exposure, interviews were conducted to gather participant feed-back and encourage questions about their experience. The findings revealed diverse opinions across the groups. Group A felt that short videos might not provide in-depth explanations for complex topics. They noted that the scrolling nature of videos and animations could hinder consistent information absorption and fail to offer a clear view of content context. Group B found the nine-grid format offered better control over reading pace, promoting a more subjective and coherent learning experience. Conversely, Group C indicated a lower inclination to explore and learn within this interactive format. This study reveals key implications for cultural heritage learning. By comparing various media formats such as videos and nine-grid pictures, it identifies effective methods for presenting heritage content, enhancing public engagement and understanding. The findings suggest formats like the nine-grid picture are more efficient for coherent content delivery, aiding in preserving and disseminating cultural heritage knowledge. This research also underscores the integration of modern technology with traditional learning, providing a foundation for future explorations in optimizing educational strategies for heritage preservation and dissemination.