Multimedia -- Fact and Fantasy

People learn easily through multimedia instruction.

Multimedia and networks can provide some wonderful technical solutions to enhance communication, distance learning, and self-paced instruction. But there is nothing inherent in the computer itself that magically enhances learning. The successful use of a computer's unique strengths relies on good instructional design, not simply on the act of using a machine.

Multimedia addresses a wide variety of learning styles.

People have different learning styles. Some people learn from lectures, others have to see and read what they are learning. While multimedia does allow us to integrate video, text, audio, and interactivity to address multiple learning styles, without careful balancing, multiple sensory experiences can impede comprehension. Elements can confuse student attention rather than help to focus on what is important.

Interactivity allows the instructor to draw the student into the learning process and become more active.

Hands-on involvement can be an extremely effective element in the learning process. One needs to be clear, however, on the difference between a hypertext encyclopedia, which is a great research tool with myriad connections between seemingly-unrelated elements, and computer-aided instruction, which must provide guidance so the students will discover what the teacher had in mind. There is clearly a place for both, but they are not interchangeable.

Networks give us the ability to reach a large number of people at various locations.

This is obviously true, but it is particularly useful when the material fits well within the network's limitations. Response time can be an important consideration. Slow or uneven response time might be a minor annoyance while reading email, but can be a major problem in some learning experiences and can interfere with comprehension. Security of proprietary material is another consideration. A major national testing service recently removed computer test options due to cheating-related security issues. On the other hand, learning activities such as research can work well in a World Wide Web format. The advantage is the ability to reach vast numbers of students around-the-clock.

Networks allow you to develop your work more collaboratively with your colleagues.

Networked collaborations have dramatically increased, both in quality and quantity, even among people who have never met face-to-face. New interdisciplinary projects have become possible; for example, one might develop a project that includes the overlap between math and chemistry courses or between linguistics and history courses. New working relationships, however, require new tools to solve new problems. One may need to use revision control systems, or shared whiteboards, or special data-interchange formats, so that multiple working copies are properly coordinated, and multiple incompatible versions don't crop up.

This package comes with templates. Just point and click. What could be simpler?

Templates are predefined layouts used for formatting screen displays and program flow. They can make the development task easier, and are great when the material naturally fits into the predefined template design. If you need to modify the template, however, some packages become very complicated. The key point is to use a layout that supports your talk or learning module, not to shoehorn your material into whatever template happens to be available. Focus on the end result, and use a template only if it works well for your presentation.

Easy to use!

Yes, multimedia development packages are getting much easier to use. But the idea of buying a new package on Monday and producing an interactive presentation with complete video and animation by Friday is just not realistic. Depending on your project, you may have to use one software package to grab and edit the video, another to create the animation, a third package to work with audio, and another package to assemble these elements in a format that is instructionally sound.

Developing multimedia modules is not as simple as picking up a pencil and writing. Maybe it will be someday. Ongoing research is attempting to bring multimedia development to that level of simplicity. In the meantime, even with its demands, multimedia can provide some wonderful opportunities. By focusing on your learning goals and making careful, well thought-out choices, this new technology can be a remarkable tool.

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