Learning Technologies in Education & Enhancing Teaching and Learning with IT and Multimedia - Essay Example

Essay Topic: Learning Technologies in Education & Enhancing Teaching and Learning with IT and Multimedia   Introduction The increasing popularity of information technology and multimedia as instruction tools for learning has paved the way to many scholars to study the implication of these interactive instruments in the process of learning (Malone and Lepper, 1987; Hough and Elis, 1997; Mayer and Gallini, 1990). According to Hough and Elis (1997), technology has served a new venue for knowledge acquisition, where juxtapose with learning is fun and play. As this paper progresses, it is the ultimate goal of the author to integrate learning theories to support the various activities that will be implemented in the project. The main unit theme is ‘Using multimedia for Learning’ where specific unit topic will cover ‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’. In this regard, students in grades 10 and 11 shall be the target audience. Through utilization of various forms of multimedia and computer programs, the project intends to facilitate learning through application of an interesting and stimulating learning environment. Likewise, the design of the project shall be in the form of a web quest which is a learning activity that allows the learners to read, analyze and synthesize information by using the World Wide Web. Specifically, some details are given to make the web quest design a unified one. As such, the facilitator has chosen the colors light yellow and blue for its background. In the introductory portion, an Anthem of Saudi Arabia will be uploaded into the audio file; whilst, images of the Saudi Arabian map and peninsula shall be included also to add to the interactive modality of the project. Apart from this, there will be a synthesis of activities to which the project is planned and developed accordingly. Core objective of the project is to educate students about The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which they will learn about its history, geography, culture and cities. Apart from this, it is also envisaged that this project will provide a better learning environment through utilization of information technology and various mediums of multimedia. Web quest has been chosen as the design for the project as it integrates literacy, current class theme and multimedia approach. By using this medium of learning, the students are able to work at their own pace and able to improve skills as individuals and groups. The activities which will be provided to the students include information gathering about Saudi Arabia to be derived from the World Wide Web and some power point presentations which were prepared by the facilitator; after which, a note taking form and worksheet will be furnished for the students to answer. Hereunto, a power point presentations and wikis about Saudi Arabia must be developed by the students which will also be part of the factors to be assessed by the facilitator (Author of this project). Collaborative theory applied in the project Working together as groups define a collaborative learning (Dixon et al, 2008), in which its major attributes include the provision of a common and fitting task for the group to work on, facilitation of small group learning, to develop cooperation, interdependence and individual responsibility as well as accountability amongst group members. In lieu of this, the project ought to apply the said theory of collaborative learning as it also involves group task for the students. In which case, the creation of power point presentations and wikis will be the central aim of the group activity. Here, social interaction is encouraged to allow students to learn from each other’s strength. Bonk and Reynolds (1997) stressed that learners should be interactive in order to promote optimal learning experience and social presence that will help develop personal meaning. Based on this argument, the project aims to foster team working skills and individual skills as well. Whilst the group activity intends to foster camaraderie and team work, this project still encourage each student to work in an independent manner as they depend on themselves to work on every tasks. The teacher will only serve as a facilitator who provides support and guidance but not necessarily interferes directly with the learner’s natural setting. This role of the teacher which is to assist the participants or learners to develop appropriate cooperative behavior ought to promote learning outcomes (Dixon et al, 2008). Indeed, social interaction through collaboration is essential in developing effective learning environment as it posits high-critical thinking skills, individual and group responsibility. Constructivism theory as applied in the project With the emerging age of technology, learning theories also evolved. The constructivists’ theorists propose that student or learners can learn best through contextualization of learned information to apply for immediate circumstances and to integrate personal meaning. In this manner, learners are perceived to be active rather than passive in accumulating information for learning. According to Swan (2005), objectivism and constructivism is similar in the sense that both of them acknowledge the existence of a real world which we experience. Yet, they are different as objectivism perceives that meaning exists in this world and need only to be discovered, whilst, constructivists believe that meaning exists because we impose it. The most common form of constructivism is social constructivism theory. In this regard, learning is significantly identified a social activity where meaning is constructed through communication and collaborative activity. As such, the project also applies this theory as the students are allowed to work individually and as groups to facilitate learning. From individual tasks, the students are instructed to gather information relevant to the topic from sources provided by the facilitator and through research on the World Wide Web. Another task would include taking down notes from the sourced information about Saudi Arabia and then filling in a work sheet after wards. In regards group activity, the students will be divided into four groups where each group will be tasked to create a power point presentation about one of the following topics: a. The history of Saudi Arabia; b. The geography of Saudi Arabia; c. The culture of Saudi Arabia; and d. The cities of Saudi Arabia. It is expected that students will come up with ten (10) slides without any fancy backgrounds and distractive images. As a last task, the group will make a wiki regarding their assigned topic in which everyone in the class will be is added to their wiki. The facilitator will assess both individual and group performance. With the presence of the teacher as mere facilitator who guides the learners in the process of performing the learning activities and with the help of peer collaboration, it is likely that learning will occur. In the study of Sthapornnanon and Theeraroungchaisri (2009), it is emphasized that student learn best when they actively construct their own understanding though social interaction with peers. From here, they are encouraged to make self-discovery in terms of solution and ideas. As the project intends to promote learning through implementation of group activities, constructivism theory is integrated as students are allowed to experience working in a group that will help the individual to use his or her metacognitive skills. Behaviorism theory as applied in the project Behaviorism offers a particular perspective to give insights on how learning happens and how teaching as a vessel influences the process. Behaviorists posited that learning is a change in observable behavior affected by environmental external stimuli (Dixon et al, 2008). It is a persisting change in performance or performance potential which results from experience and interaction with the world. In this regard, behaviorist believes that reinforcement can be utilized to strengthen behavior as well as learn new ones. In applying this to class management, it is important that disruptive behaviors are reprimanded to imply that there is a consequence for any negative behavior while in the class. Similarly, this can also be applied in course design to weigh assignments or projects and exams that will be given to the students in proportion to the amount of effort expected of them to be exerted on these activities. Likewise, rewards and reinforcement are also necessary. In this project, the facilitator also has assessments to integrate as part of the reinforcement. By knowing that there will be assessment as per group and individual efforts, students are expected to comply with the activities as per instructions of the facilitator and to exert utmost effort in order to receive high rating. As emphasized by Cicciarelli (2007), facilitative directions and rubrics are essential in deriving deep learning as it entails learners to know what is expected of them. As such, rubrics are provided by the facilitator in the project to evaluate performance of tasks by the students. Another reflective of behaviorism is elaborative theory which implies that materials in a course need to be organized. As such, instructor needs to begin with knowledge that students are already familiar with before transcending to more complex ones. In this regard, the project starts with assessing the student’s own knowledge about the topic ‘Saudi Arabia’ through conduction of a short assessment test using hot potatoes. From here, the students will gain familiarization about the content of the unit theme, after which will start the exploration of other new information to facilitate learning. Connectivism theory as applied in the project The digital age commence the networked age. It is therefore concomitant that people need to connect with the networked environment to learn and work (Siemens, 2004). As a learning theory, it is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, complexity and self-organization theories. Thus, due to information explosion, learners need to explore and research current information to initiate autonomy and independence. In some cases, it also vital to facilitate unlearning old information as some information may be obsolete due to changes in the field and innovation. Part of this theory also implies that learners need to recognize knowledge that is valid or not, which means keeping up-to-date information is significant in this digitalized era. Moreover, technology plays a very important role in learning nowadays. Therefore, as part of globalization, people are connected by telecommunication technology and learning becomes more multidisciplinary. As applied in this project, the facilitator opted to utilize information technology and other forms of multimedia as tools in facilitating learning process for the students. With the integration of these interactive mediums, the environment becomes more conducive for learning. Through internet, the students are able to acquire wide array of information relevant to the topic assigned to them. This is one way of connecting with people around the world where information sharing is possible. Multimedia learning theory as applied in the project In a multimedia learning, the learner is motivated due to four major factors which are challenge, curiosity, control and fantasy (Malone and Lepper, 1987). Multimedia learning is challenging as activities should be kept continuously at an optimal level of difficulty. It also elicits sensory and cognitive curiosity through usage of audio-visual devices. In a multimedia learning, feeling that learning outcomes are determined by the learner’s own actions define control. Lastly, fantasy refers to learner’s experience of situations that are not actually present but intrinsically motivating. Moreover, there are different principles concerning cognitive theory of multimedia learning. As such, multiple-representation principle means that it is more effective to present two models of representation such as illustration and narration or image and text to facilitate learning; such is called the multimedia effect (Mayer and Gallini, 1990). Moreover, there is Contiguity principle where a multimedia explanation ought to be presented in words and pictures contiguously for better understanding; Split-attention principle, where giving multimedia explanation, words must be presented as auditory narration rather than as visual on-screen text; Individual difference principle, implies that the foregoing principles are more suitable and effective for low-knowledge and high spatial learners than those who are high-knowledge and low-spatial learners; Coherence principles, where multimedia explanation ought to use fewer words and pictures rather than many extraneous words and images which can only cause disruptions in the learning process. In relation to the project, the task to create power point presentation about the topic ought to be simple without any fancy images and backgrounds. Yet, there will be images and audio particularly that of the Saudi Arabian Anthem, map and peninsula images, which will be added to the web quest. Through these, a more interactive environment that provides a simple yet comprehensive and very good venue for learning shall be developed. Conclusion There are many schools of thoughts on learning, yet no one school is said to be exclusive as a design for online materials and learning. Therefore, it is inevitable to use a combination of theoretical approach to develop an effective learning material. In this regard, the project is an example of a learning initiative that is postulated within a variety of learning theories. Through integration of these theories and principles, activities are provided herein with different underlying objectives which are central to what the facilitator ultimately aim – to enhance learning and teaching through usage of IT and multimedia. It is expected that outcome is positive as the students embraced the advantage of technology as a learning vessel for information. Likewise, the facilitator ought to gauge the effect of the project in regards student’s skill development and team working skills by using rubrics as assessment tool for the success of the project. 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