Multimedia Learning - Coursework Example

Multimedia Learning Introduction Multimedia has gained a lot of importance in every aspect of today’s world. We can categorize any type of information we use as multimedia.Top Bits (2010) states that “Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media integrated together. Media can be text, graphics, audio, animation, video, data, etc. The term Multimedia is said to date back to 1965 and was used to describe a show by the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. The show included a performance that integrated music, cinema, special lighting and human performance”. Multimedia can take any form like different type of media being integrated with one another or CD ROMs which aid in teaching a language or videogames. In today’s age multimedia has a hand in everything like videogames, music, cinema, special lighting and even in magazines which contains images and pictures. One of the biggest industry which uses multimedia is Advertising field. They send their messages to the masses with the help of it and it also shows a better result. Multimedia can also be called as hypermedia or rich media. Multimedia has also proven very effective in the education field to teach individuals in variety of subjects. According to Ballantyne(2010) “Multimedia is increasingly finding its way into traditional classroom presentations as an adjunct to lectures. Students learn better from words and graphics when words are spoken rather than printed”. A human brain learns things with the help of many senses like sight and hearing. If an instructor uses different video images and pictures the information is retained more effectively in the mind of the student. Vaughan(2008,p 23) claims that “Multimedia is any combination of text, art, sound animation and video delivered to by the computer or other electronic or digitally manipulated means. It is richly presented sensation.” When the sensual elements of multimedia are put together the minds of people can be taken to a different imaginative world which is filled with splendor. Multimedia activities need a lot of expertise, effort and knowledge about the subject. Your skill would be very effective if you have very deep knowledge about the different elements of multimedia. Learning by multimedia is very beneficial as the world is presently running on it.Human Computer Interface is the process through which multimedia learning come into effect. Human Computer Interface and Multimedia Research in Human-Computer Interface (HCI) has been greatly successful, and has fundamentally changed computing field. Even the incredible growth of the World-Wide Web is a primary result of HCI research: using hypertext technology to browsers help one to traverse a link across the world with a click of the mouse. Interface growth more than anything else has triggered this unbeleivable growth. The multimedia is one of the technology formed with the help of Human Computer Interface system. Multimedia learning is one aspect of Human Computer Interface process.Interface for learning requires efficiently combining media in well reasoned manner that allow take advantage of each medium’s unique characteristics. The most effective interface provides a learning experiences that is like mirror real-world experience. This let learners apply and understand the content in various contexts. Presenting instruction with the help of multiple media can be more effective than doing it through a single medium (such as text), but what is crucial is combining media effectively, not merely adding media. Multimedia offers the opportunity to augment learning with a vibrancy that the previous computer-based training did not possess. For example, multimedia can give clarity through multiple views, as in process guidelines with an animation. It can provide more deep meaning through additional information channels and resources. It can also add more soul and meaning, with the help of video and tell and show facts. And, if it is not done perfectly can add needless complexity and create frustration. The graphics illustrate very well each term, audio demonstrates the accurate pronunciation, animations helps in visualization of different parts of each whole, and video shows everyday use. Learners can use electronic flashcards and download print resources to help them in studying. However, the classroom-based course allows for live interaction, whereas, the old computer based training provided flexibility in training. Benefits of multimedia learning Multimedia gives the opportunity to extend the amount and type of information available to learners. Multimedia can offer variety of beneficial resources, provide layers of information leading to effective learning .For example, online encyclopedias can give links to articles and additional videos on specific topics of interest, reference links to audio commentaries, new stories ,replays of video footage links to websites with additional resources. Online instruction can include links to resources, explanations, simulations, photographs and illustrations, and myriad types of activities that can also include multiple media. Too many resources and media is a big benefit for the learners in grasping information. Researches show that multimedia helps people in learning more easily because it appeals more instantly to diverse learning choices. Multiple media is good as our brains access information when it is presented in a nonlinear form. Although multimedia gives opportunities for improved learning, it can also be ineffective, even detrimental, when implemented in a poor way. Littlefield(2010) suggests that “A growing number of online universities offer multimedia learning components such as chat rooms, collaborative projects, and web conferencing. These multimedia components can help online students effectively master the subject matter.” Learning is often considered as information transfer from one individual’s head (an instructor or expert) into another’s (the learner). Learners are thought to receive information from an expert and store it to their own memory. Although this view of learning is widely practiced, it is too simple in manner: in this process the learners act as passive receivers of information and doesn’t provide assistance for designing effective learning environments. In fact, people who hold this view of learning often create learning environments that may not include aspects critical to effective learning, such as effective interaction, feedback, and the ability to learn over time. Well-designed multimedia allows the learners to build more accurate and effective mental models than they get from text alone. The different benefits of multimedia learning are active participation, accelerated learning, alternative perspectives, high- order thinking, problem solving skills, autonomy and focus etc. According to Mayer(2001,p11)“Multimedia instructional messages offer a potential powerful learning technology – that is, a system fro enhancing human learning.” Since human being possess visual and auditory information processing capabilities, multimedia, takes advantage of both capabilities at once. Apart from this, these two senses process information quite differently, so the combination of multiple media is beneficial in calling on the capabilities of both systems. Meaningful combination between text and graphics clearly allow for deeper understanding and better mental models than from either alone. Multimedia can make a very good positive impact on learning, but it has to be designed with a great deal of care and planning. Learning process with multimedia Elements in learning The four elements involved in a learning environment can be embedded in e-learning or put in use in a combination of technology-based and non-technology-based instruction, but the environment must consist of all four elements to be effective. Although most of the elements can be put in use without multimedia, multimedia can make them even more effective and meaningful. The main point is that if the appropriate elements are chosen and combined, they are potentially more powerful and effective. Processing of information Our ability to process information has different process that involves the perception, attention selection, organization and integration of information. At the core of this process is long term memory. As the name suggests, our long term memory stores our accumulated knowledge. Our accumulated knowledge is processed into pieces of information and this is known as Schemas. Schemas help us to organize information in meaningful ways and help us integrate and organize new information. Long term memory In brief, our long term memory is where we store information and where we integrate new information. If information does not flow into long term memory, it is lost. Learning can be thought of as working in our long term memory.The auditory channel process the information that is heard, while the visual channel handles information that is seen. Text seems to have different processing requirements, with words initially grasped. Research suggests that the visual channel process less information compared to auditory channel. However, when information is delivered using both the visual and auditory channels, working memory can process more information as a whole by the visual channel and then converted to sounds in the auditory channel. SEG (2008) refers that “The excess reliance on technology combined with our knowledge on brain processing, offers great potential for instruction”.We know that the brain processes information by means of two channels—visual and auditory. When information is delivered using both channels, the brain can store more new information. By taking advantage of this technology-based tools and multimodal processing capability, we can enormously enhance student learning through multimedia instruction. Multimedia applications Multimedia applications are very effective when learner is more concentrated. Austin ( 2009) claims that “Research yields support for the notion that display design can split attention, increase cognitive load, and reduce transfer learning”. Split attention occurs when the learner is compelled to attend to information that is far away, like when content is visually far away on the screen or if it is presented at two different timing. In short, when the relative contents are presented together in time and visually, learning is more effective. When relative contents are presented separately it split and the brain has to work harder to integrate the disparate sources of information. Words and pictures presented together are more effective than when presented separately. For example, narration and animation shown together easily contribute to student learning than the presentation of narration and then animation (or animation and then narration). Presentation of multimedia for effective learning It is believed that multimedia learning is most effective when it has only content that is relevant and aligned to the instructional objectives. Learning is most effective when uninteresting and unrelated information is omitted because of the brain’s limited information processing resources. Not all students have the ability to learn at the same pace. When learners can control the pace of the presentation they learn more effectively. Multimedia presentations are more beneficial when the learner has the capability of interacting with the presentation, by bringing down the speed or by starting and stopping it. This pacing can also be done by breaking the presentation into sections; shorter sections that allow users to select sections at their own pace work better than longer sections that offer less control. Fuente(2006) “Technology in itself does not change or improve teaching and learning. Attention to management processes, strategy, structure, and most importantly, roles and skills, are the key to successfully introducing technology in teaching and learning”. Learning from multimedia presentations is efficient when the design for organizing the information is activated. Helping students recollect or acquire design that will help them organize and understand the information can be accomplished in many ways. Activation can be achieved by allowing students to overview the content through discussion, demonstration, directed recall and written descriptions. These preview activities should be focused on activating prior knowledge, signaling what is crucial, and depicting how the content is organized. Conclusion Multimedia is a tremendous aspect in the current world which informs the public and entertains them. It has its presence in all entertainment mediums and educational and other service facilities. There is a numerous body of research showing that students learn in various ways and that information should be put forward to them different ways to engage students with differing learning styles.Ross (2002) states that “According to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, meaningful learning is most likely to occur when corresponding aspects of the verbal and pictorial representations are in working memory at the same time”. Multimedia learning provides a significant opportunity to reach out to a greater number of students and most effectively aid students with different learning styles. Involving multimedia as part of instruction can definitely enhance student learning. Wiesen (2010) refers that “This effort to give the tools of learning to students, then allow them to learn in the way that is most meaningful for them, is one of the cornerstones of multimedia learning”.While multimedia learning technology is not a remedy for all problems, it would undoubtedly occupy a prominent place in the 21st century instructional toolbox. Thus, Multimedia has very well proven to be a significant tool for student engagement and learning. Bibliography Austin, K.A, 2009. Multimedia learning. Multimedia learning: Cognitive individual differences and display design techniques predict transfer learning with multimedia learning modules, 4/53, 153-160. Ballantyne, N, 2010. Multimedia Learning and Social Work Education. Social Education, 27/6, 613-622. Fuente,I.D, 2006. Multimedia Learning Environments for English Language Learners. [ONLINE] Availableat: http://www.isaacdelafuente.com/documents/Literature _Review.pdf. [Accessed 10 November 10]. Littlefield,J, 2010. Multimedia Learning in Online Classes. [ONLINE] Available at: http://distancelearn.about.com/od/studyskills/a/multimedia.htm. [Accessed 10 November 10]. Mayer, R.E, 2001. Multimédia learning. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ross, B.H, 2002. The psychology of learning and motivation. 1st ed. London: Academic Press. SEG . 2008. Understanding Multimedia Learning. [ONLINE] Available at: http://s4.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/76/76426_BrainPOP_White_Paper-20090426.pdf. [Accessed 11 November 10 - 5 Top Bits. 2010. Multimedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tech-faq.com/multimedia.html. [Accessed 10 November 10 - 1 Vaughan, T, 2008. Multimedia: making it work . 2nd ed. New York: Mc Graw Hill Wiesen,G, 2010. What Is Multimedia Learning?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-multimedia-learning.htm. [Accessed 10 November 10 Read More