The Program of Systematic Evaluation (PSE), which began as an attempt to explore the instructional dimensions of multimedia, has evolved into the most comprehensive set of experimental multimedia studies exploring the varied dimensions of cognitive load theory as they relate to the design of effective and efficient visual learning environments for different types of educational objectives. To date more than 160 experimental studies have been completed, and 130 research associates and over 100,000 participants have been involved in the PSE. Research studies conducted in the PSE have resulted in more than 175 refereed publications in scholarly journals, 100 doctoral dissertations, and more than 300 refereed presentations at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The "unique feature" of the PSE is that all studies utilized the same instructional module and four individual criterion measures while systematically examining the effectiveness of different cognitive load variables.