When someone describes multimedia, my thoughts first go to audio and video. However, multimedia includes a mixture of text, graphics, audio, animation, video, graphic graphics (objects) defined as 2D & 3D, and interactivity content forms. The Multimedia concept traces to Paul Nipkow, who in 1884 developed the first video disc. At present, multimedia has changed our culture, industry, and education, and multimedia is categorized from website to movies, television to magazines, and advertising that has been one of the biggest multimedia productions.  

Multimedia used in the education environment has significantly affected education. Since the time multimedia started to use computers in the classroom, researchers have been evaluating whether technology significantly impacts the student’s achievements. After reading Clark & Mayer’s e-learning and the science of instructions, my previous ideas changed entirely with the following theories and principles. The multimedia principle notes that “people learn better from words and pictures than from pictures alone” (Clark et al., 2016). With the heat of the multimedia research, I realized that this was a critical theory that the presentation needs to have both words and pictures when the multimedia presentation is developed.

The presenter’s goal is to present information and encourage the learner to engage in appropriate cognitive processing during learning. Learning involves:

• Making sense of the represented materials and the information.
• Recognizing these.
• Connecting to what you already know. 

As per Clark et al., (2016) research evidence, the cognitive theory suggests that e-learning courses incorporate words and graphics than words alone. The comments utilize text, spoken text, and illustrations by drawing charts, graphs, maps, photos, and animation or video. As words and pictures create value for the learner, the job analysis should show that the course is designed with visuals and words together. 

The learners are encouraged to engage in active learning mentally, connect the words and pictures, and verbal interpretation. This will enable the learner to mentally organize the material into a clear, most precise representation of the existing knowledge. On the other hand, less experience and expertise in shallow learning presenting in words alone may encourage these learners. Still, our job is to help guide learners’ cognitive process during learning. As such, incorporating words and graphics is a valuable approach.

Clark et al. (2016) also note that students enhanced their knowledge from reading a lecture on teaching methods followed by watching a video rather than reading followed by a text-based description. Due to images being rich in detail and must be held in memory. A more effective way to teach animated visuals is through hands-on procedures. To promote understanding of theoretical information static visuals might be most effective. As the learner can always review a series of static frames, it does not impose an extra cognitive load.  

Another important factor when designing e-learning is that the text describing an action needs to be placed near the corresponding part of the graphic. A lesson has words that express action, not to have to scroll up or down to view the graphics and text. The scarce cognitive resources are used to match one another when words and pictures are separated, called extraneous processing. When words and images are together, they are held in learners working memory that makes meaningful connections. When words and pictures are placed apart, it creates split attention and coordinates numerous information the learner uses limited memory.

I enjoyed the phycological aspects and theories of multimedia learning and how e-learning training needs to be developed. Having been a programmer in the information technology area in the early days of my career (1990). I am glad that most of the scenarios used and explained were practiced when developing instructional guidelines, which I am proud to mention. However, these were never connected to learning theories then.

References

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2016). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. John Wiley & sons.

Babiker, M., & Elmagzoub, A. (2015). For Effective Use of Multimedia in Education, Teachers Must Develop their Own Educational Multimedia Applications. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 14(4), 62-68.

Prakash, I. (n.d.) Fundamental Concepts of Multimedia

http://www.rncollegehajipur.in/rn/uploads/products/FUNDAMENTAL%20CONCEPT%20OF%20MULTIMEDIA.pd

                                                                                               LTEC 6210, Spring 2022