The Segmenting Principle states that people learn best when information is presented in segments, rather than one long continuous stream.
Putting the Segmenting Principle into practice:
Basically, this principles states that chunking information into smaller pieces helps people learn. This can be easily accomplished by not packing too much information into one lesson, one slide, one learning module, or one video.
Another aspect of this principle relates to the pace of learning. Mayer found that when learners are given the ability to control the pace of their learning, they later perform better on recall tests. Allowing learners to control the pace of their learning can be accomplished by providing learners with the ability to pause, then continue with their learning. Adding “Next” buttons at the bottom of each slide or page in a learning module clearly separates information into discrete pieces. Speed options for videos, as well as scrubbing abilities, pause/resume buttons, using chapter separations between topics in a video, etc., can all give users the ability to separate information into smaller pieces and give them a sense of control over their learning.