UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

KUMASI CAMPUS

COURSE CODE:

ITM 365

COURSE TITLE:

PROJECT IN MULTIMEDIA TUTORIAL

LECTURER:

MR. G. AGYEDU

NAME: ALFRED MENSAH ATOMBOH

INDEX NUMBER:108015052

MULTIMEDIA TUTORIAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROJECT BRIEF
We intend to develop an executable windows application that seeks to replace
the status quo of face-to-face teaching with a tutorial on the teaching and
learning of computer hardware as expressed in the Ghana Education Senior High
Core ICT Syllabus. The program would come with its own media player to avoid
the need for plug-ins and the installation of any additional media player. It is also
aimed at avoiding the need to connect to the internet before having access to the
tutorial as with traditional learning management systems. In addition we wish to
develop a pre and post test for the user to evaluate his or her learning before and
after the learning experience. The software would allow a user to select video
tutorial, Pre-Testing and Post Evaluation and view evaluation score.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

MODULE / TASK

DURATION /
COMPLETION DATE

RESOURCE

Concept
Development

1 Day

5 April 2011

Ms. Word
SHS ICT Syllabus

Project Brief

1 Day

5th April 2011

Ms. Word

Project Plan

5 Days

5th April 2011

Ms. Word

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

11

12

th

Literature
2 Weeks 19th April 2011
Review
Recording
5 Days
24th April 2011
Video
Editing Video 2 Days
26th April 2011
Recording
5 Days
26th April 2011
Audio
Editing Audio 2 Days
26th April 2011
Synchronising
Video and
1 Week
4th May 2011
Audio
Pre- Test
Evaluation
1 Week 11th May 2011
Questions
Post- Test
Evaluation
1 Week 11th May 2011
Questions
Software
16th May 2011
Development 3 Week

13

Testing

14

Packaging

15

Final Testing

2 Days
1 Day
3 Days

18th May 2011

18th May 2011
18th May 2011

REFERENCE
Principles of
Multimedia Learning
(Jane Bozarth)
Concept/Topic Proposal
Project Management
(D. Lock, 4th Edition)

Ms. Word

Clarks and Mayer

Digital Camera

Creative Cow Lab

Camtasia Studio
Microphone
Camtasia Studio
Camtasia Studio

Creative Cow Lab

Camtasia Studio

Creative Cow Lab

SHS ICT Syllabus

Introduction to
Computers
SHS ICT Syllabus
Introduction to
Computers

Measurement and
Evaluation in Education
(F. K. Archer,2009)
Measurement and
Evaluation in Education
(F. K. Archer,2009)
Microsoft Developer
Network(MSDN)
Microsoft Developer
Network(MSDN)
Microsoft Developer
Network(MSDN)
Microsoft Developer
Network(MSDN)

Visual Basic 6
Windows XP,
Vista, 7
Visual Basic 6
Windows XP,
Vista, 7

Creative Cow Lab

Creative Cow Lab

LITERATURE REVIEW
A Tutorial is a self-paced learning exercise; a lesson prepared so that a student
can learn at their own speed, at their convenience (Wiktionary). A tutorial could
be lecturer based or computer based.
Lecturer based tutorial is characterised by a lecturer, instructor or teaching
assistant meeting a small group of students and guiding them to better
understand concepts and processes that has previously been taught or is yet to be
introduced. This is predominant in Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and
USA. In British academic parlance, a tutorial is a small class of one, or only a few,
students, in which the tutor (a lecturer or other academic staff member) gives
individual attention to the students. The tutorial system at Oxford and Cambridge
is fundamental to methods of teaching at those universities, but it is by no means
peculiar to them; Heythrop College (University of London), for instance, also
offers a tutorial system with one on one teaching. It is rare for newer universities
in the UK to have the resources to offer individual tuition; six to eight (or even
more) students is a far more common tutorial size. At Cambridge, a tutorial is
known as supervision. In some Canadian universities, such as the University of
Waterloo or the University of Toronto, a tutorial refers to something more like a
recitation in an American university, that is, a class of between 12-18 students
that is supplemental to a large lecture course, which gives students the
opportunity to discuss the lectures and/or additional readings in smaller groups.
These tutorials are often led by graduate students, normally known as "Teaching
Assistants" (TAs), though it is not unknown for the primary instructor of a course,
even if a full professor, to take a tutorial. At Princeton University, these tutorials
are known as preceptorials and are led by preceptors. Woodrow Wilson
developed the preceptorial system, intending it to be the main form of teaching.
In Australian and New Zealand universities, a tutorial (colloquially called a tute) is
a class of 1030 students. Such tutorials are very similar to the Canadian system,
although tutorials can occasionally be led by honours or postgraduate students,
known as 'tutors'. At the two campuses of St. John's College, U.S. and a few other
American colleges with a similar version of the Great Books program, a "tutorial"
is a class of 12 - 16 students who meet regularly with the guidance of a tutor. The
tutorial focuses on a certain subject area (e.g. mathematics tutorial, language
tutorial) and generally proceeds with careful reading of selected primary texts and
working through associated exercises (e.g., demonstrating a Euclid proof or
translating ancient Greek poetry). Since formal lectures do not play a large part in

the St. John's College curriculum, the tutorial is the primary method by which
certain subjects are studied. However, at St. John's the tutorial is considered
ancillary to the seminar, in which a slightly larger group of students meets with
two tutors for broader discussion of the particular texts on the seminar list. Some
US colleges, such as Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, offer
tutorials almost identical in structure to that of an Oxbridge tutorial. At Williams,
students in tutorials typically work in pairs alongside a professor and meet
weekly, alternately presenting position papers or critiques of their partner's
paper.
Computer based tutorials makes use of the computer and offers tutorials in some
many forms. Internet computer tutorials a form of computer based tutorial take
the form of a screen recording, a written document (either online or
downloadable), or an audio file, where a person will give step by step instructions
on how to do something.
Tutorials usually have the following characteristics:
A presentation of content, usually with an example or examples, often
broken up into discrete modules or sections.
Some method of review that reinforces or tests understanding of the
content in the related module or section.
A transition to additional modules or sections that builds on the instructions
already provided. Tutorials can be linear or branching.
While many writers refer to a mere list of instructions or tips as a tutorial, this
usage can be misleading. In computer-based education, a tutorial is a computer
program whose purpose it is to assist users in learning how to use (parts of) a
software product such as an office suite or any other application, operating
system interface, programming tool, or game. There are two kinds of software
tutorials: movie tutorials that the user views; and interactive tutorials where the
user follows on-screen instructions (andin some caseswatches short
instruction movies), whereupon he/she does the tutorial exercises and receives
feedback depending on his/her actions. Some computer based tutorials can also
be put up on the Web. There are a host of others that fall under learning
management system. While there are several definitions of a learning
management system (LMS), the basic description is a software application that
automates the administration, tracking, and reporting of training events.
However, its not that simple. A robust LMS should be able to do the following:

centralize and automate administration

use self-service and self-guided services
assemble and deliver learning content rapidly
consolidate training initiatives on a scalable web-based platform
support portability and standards
personalize content and enable knowledge reuse.

Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content

forms (Wikipedia). Multimedia includes a combination of text, audio, still images,
animation, video, and interactivity content forms. Multimedia is usually recorded
and played, displayed or accessed by information content processing devices,
such as computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live
performance. Multimedia also describes electronic media devices used to store
and experience multimedia content.
In common usage, the term multimedia refers to an electronically delivered
combination of media including video, still images, audio, text in such a way that
can be accessed interactively. Much of the content on the web today falls within
this definition as understood by millions. Some computers which were marketed
in the 1990s were called "multimedia" computers because they incorporated a
CD-ROM drive, which allowed for the delivery of several hundred megabytes of
video, picture, and audio data.

CATEGORIZATION OF MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia may be broadly divided into linear and non-linear categories. Linear
active content progresses without any navigational control for the viewer such as
a cinema presentation. Non-linear content offers user interactivity to control
progress as used with a computer game or used in self-paced computer based
training. Hypermedia is an example of non-linear content.
Multimedia presentations can be live or recorded. A recorded presentation may
allow interactivity via a navigation system. A live multimedia presentation may
allow interactivity via an interaction with the presenter or performer.

MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia presentations may be viewed by person on stage, projected,

transmitted, or played locally with a media player. A broadcast may be a live or
recorded multimedia presentation. Broadcasts and recordings can be either
analog or digital electronic media technology. Digital online multimedia may be
downloaded or streamed. Streaming multimedia may be live or on-demand.
Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment with
special effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with an offline
computer, game system, or simulator.
The various formats of technological or digital multimedia may be intended to
enhance the users' experience, for example to make it easier and faster to convey
information or in entertainment or art, to transcend everyday experience.
A lasershow is a live multimedia performance.
Enhanced levels of interactivity are made possible by combining multiple forms of
media content. Online multimedia is increasingly becoming object-oriented and
data-driven, enabling applications with collaborative end-user innovation and
personalization on multiple forms of content over time. Examples of these range
from multiple forms of content on Web sites like photo galleries with both images
(pictures) and title (text) user-updated, to simulations whose co-efficients, events,
illustrations, animations or videos are modifiable, allowing the multimedia
"experience" to be altered without reprogramming. In addition to seeing and
hearing, Haptic technology enables virtual objects to be felt. Emerging technology
involving illusions of taste and smell may also enhance the multimedia
HISTORY OF THE TERM
The term "multimedia" was coined by Bob Goldstein (later 'Bobb Goldsteinn') to
promote the July 1966 opening of his "LightWorks at L'Oursin" show at
Southampton, Long Island. On August 10, 1966, Richard Albarino of Variety
borrowed the terminology, reporting: Brainchild of songscribe-comic Bob
(Washington Square) Goldstein, the Lightworks is the latest multi-media musiccum-visuals to debut as discothque fare. Two years later, in 1968, the term

multimedia was re-appropriated to describe the work of a political consultant,

David Sawyer, the husband of Iris Sawyerone of Goldsteins producers at
LOursin. Multimedia (multi-image) setup for the 1988 Ford New Car
Announcement Show, August, 1987, Detroit, MI
In the intervening forty years, the word has taken on different meanings. In the
late 1970s the term was used to describe presentations consisting of multiprojector slide shows timed to an audio track. However, by the 1990s
'multimedia' took on its current meaning.
In the 1993 first edition of McGraw-Hills Multimedia: Making It Work, Tay
Vaughan declared Multimedia is any combination of text, graphic art, sound,
animation, and video that is delivered by computer. When you allow the user
the viewer of the project to control what and when these elements are
delivered, it is interactive multimedia. When you provide a structure of linked
elements through which the user can navigate, interactive multimedia becomes
hypermedia.
The German language society, Gesellschaft fr deutsche Sprache, decided to
recognize the word's significance and ubiquitousness in the 1990s by awarding it
the title of 'Word of the Year' in 1995. The institute summed up its rationale by
stating "[Multimedia] has become a central word in the wonderful new media
world"
Usage
Multimedia finds its application in various areas including, but not limited to,
advertisements, art, education, entertainment, engineering, medicine,
mathematics, business, scientific research and spatial temporal applications.
In Education, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training courses
(popularly called CBTs) and reference books like encyclopaedias and almanacs. A
CBT lets the user go through a series of presentations, text about a particular
topic, and associated illustrations in various information formats. Edutainment is
an informal term used to describe combining education with entertainment,
especially multimedia entertainment.
Learning theory in the past decade has expanded dramatically because of the
introduction of multimedia. Several lines of research have evolved (e.g. Cognitive

load, Multimedia learning, and the list goes on). The possibilities for learning and
instruction are nearly endless.
The idea of media convergence is also becoming a major factor in education,
particularly higher education. Defined as separate technologies such as voice (and
telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video that now
share resources and interact with each other, synergistically creating new
efficiencies, media convergence is rapidly changing the curriculum in universities
all over the world. Likewise, it is changing the availability, or lack thereof, of jobs
requiring this savvy technological skill.

Multimedia Tutorial
Tutorial is therefore a teaching technique used to improve learning. It is clear that
tutorial involves the organisation of knowledge, skills, attitude and the learning
environment in such a manner that encourages the learner to acquire new
knowledge, skill and attitude. The learner acquires knowledge, skills and attitudes
proffered by an experienced individual, which results in the change of learners
behaviour, perception and attitude. For teaching and for that matter tutorial to
be effective there is the need to make use of most senses of the learner as
offered by the use of multimedia. A multimedia presentation is a message that
uses multimedia. In education A multimedia instructional message is a
presentation consisting of words and pictures that is designed to foster
meaningful learning. Thus, there are two parts to the definition: (a) the
presentation contains words and pictures, and (b) the presentation is designed to
foster meaningful learning (Mayer 2003: 128). The promise of multimedia
learning is that, by combining pictures with words, we will be able to foster
deeper learning in students. First, multimedia instruction messages can be
designed in ways that are consistent with how people learn, and thus can serve as
aids to human learning (Mayer, 1997, 1999a, 1999b, 2001). Second, there is a
growing research base showing that students learn more deeply from well
designed multimedia presentations than from traditional verbal-only messages,
including improved performance on tests of problem-solving transfer (Mandl &
Levin, 1989; Mayer, 2001; Najjar, 1998; Schnotz & Kulhavy, 1994; Sweller, 1999;
Van Merrienboer, 1997). In short, the promise of multimedia learning is that
teachers can tap the power of visual and verbal forms of expression in the service
of promoting student understanding. (Mayer 2003:127).

PRINCIPLES OF MULTIMEDIA DESIGN

Mayer Design Principles
Cognitive psychologist Richard Mayer has made it his lifes work to understand
how technology such as multimediacan support and enhance learning. His
ongoing experimentation has uncovered a number of principles useful to those
developing asynchronous and synchronous online instruction. The findings are
useful as well to those creating participant guides and job aids, and to those
involved in technical writing tasks.
1. A message created with words and corresponding images is better retained
than a message created with words alone. It therefore demands that
pictures be added to words, this Mayer refers to as the Multimedia effect
when he stated that The multimedia effect refers to the finding that
students learn more deeply from a multimedia explanation presented in
words and pictures than in words alone (Mayer, 2003).
2. Place words near corresponding pictures referred to as contiguity effect is
summarised in the spatial contiguity principle which states that learning is
improved when images and corresponding words are spatially integrated.
(Moreno & Mayer, 1999). For example, legends should be close to the
corresponding picture elements (Rebetez: 8). The spatial contiguity effect
is that students learn more deeply from multimedia explanations when
corresponding words and pictures are presented near to rather than far
from each other on the page or screen. (Mayer, 2003) .Again this
emphasized by temporal contiguity principle which states that learning is
improved when visual and verbal elements are presented together.
(Rebetez: 8)
3. Use conversational style for words referred to as Personalization. The
personalization effect is that students learn more deeply from a multimedia
explanation when the words are presented in conversational style rather
than formal style. (Mayer, 2003)
4. Eliminate extraneous words and pictures (Coherence Design Principle).
The coherence effect refers to the finding that students learn more deeply
from a multimedia explanation when extraneous material is excluded

5.

6.

7.

8.

rather than included. (Mayer, 2003). Learning is better when words,

images and sounds not directly useful for comprehension are removed.
Anecdotes, illustrations and ambient music are example of often
unnecessary elements. (Rebetez: 8)
Present Words as speech rather than onscreen text (Modality). Students
learn better when their visual/pictorial channel is not overloaded (i.e. when
they must process words and graphics simultaneously at rapid pace) (Clark
and Mayer, 2003:86). Animated pictures presented with an audio
commentary are better understood than accompanied with on screen text.
(Rebetez: 8)
Presenting words in both text and audio narration can hurt learning
(Redundancy). Learning is better when presenting an audio commentary
than an animation, its commentary and the corresponding text. (Rebetez:
8)
Presenting words and pictures is more effective than presenting words
alone (Multiple Representation principle). Words and meaningful pictures
together are better than words alone. Youd think this one would be
evident by now, but I see instance after instance in which the sheer volume
of text manages to completely obscure the meaning
When offering auditory information, do not replicate it with onscreen text.
In other words (Split Attention Principle). Instructional designers tell me
they fight this battle all the time, with clients who insist on word-for-word
narration even though it will hurt the learning. Basically, we read and hear
at different speeds, so managing both onscreen text and matching
narration just overloads the learner by splitting his or her attention.

Sweller's design principles

Sweller in the framework of his cognitive load theory also made series of
recommendations for instructional designers, and that you may wish to consult.

Multimedia can be beneficial when it is carefully designed and does not

unnecessarily overload human information processing.
Similar learning effects can be obtained with different media (e.g. books for
illustrations, text, screens for graphics and spoken words). (Sweller &
Chandler, 1994)

IS A COMPUTER BETTER THAN A BOOK?

There are questions of whether design principles that work in one media
environment (e.g. learning from books) also work in a different media
environment (e.g. learning from computers). The answer was that effects (and
therefore design principles) seem to work across media. Our results provide four
case examples of a straightforward finding: instructional design methods that
promote deeper learning in one media environment (such as text and
illustrations) also promote deep learning in other media environments (such as
narration and animation). This means that good instructional methods can work
across media. In short, the principles of instructional design do not necessarily
change when the learning environment changes. Media environments do not
cause learning, cognitive processing by the learner causes learning. If an
instructional method promotes the same kinds of cognitive processing across
different media, then it will result in the same benefits across media. (Mayer
2003:127). Humans possess two channels - visual and verbal - regardless of
whether material is presented by book or by computer. Each channel is limited in
capacity regardless of whether material is presented by book or computer. Active
cognitive processing - including selecting, organizing, and integrating mental
representations - promotes meaningful learning regardless of whether material is
presented by book or computer. (Clark, Nguyen, & Sweller, 2006)

MULTIMEDIA AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL

The advent of multimedia and multimedia technologies has changed the way
educators teach and students learn. With multimedia, the communication of the
information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an effective
instructional medium for delivering information. Multimedia application design
offers new insights into the learning process of the designer and forces him or her
to represent information and knowledge in a new and innovative way (Neo &
Neo, 2000). The use of multimedia as a platform for teaching is made even more
possible with the availability of the MPCs (Multimedia PCs) that are powerful,
fast, and able to process all media elements effortlessly and quickly, and

multimedia software packages that are user- friendly yet power-packed.

Multimedia provides a means to supplement a presenters efforts to garner
attention, increase retention, improve comprehension, and to bring an audience
into agreement, which consequently results in people remembering 20% of what
they see, 40% of what they see and hear, but about 75% of what they see and
hear and do simultaneously (Lindstrom, 1994).

In the traditional information communication process (ICP), the teacher is the

source of the knowledge and presents the knowledge to the students, who are in
turn, passive receivers of the information. With multimedia, the communication
of the information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an
effective instructional medium for delivering educational information. This is
because it enables the teacher to represent the information in various media, i.e.,
via sound, text, animation, video and images. With multimedia, the teacher is
now the director of the knowledge and can use the various combinations of
media elements to create interactive educational content. The result is a
stimulating environment for learning and retaining the information delivered. The
marriage of content and multimedia technology results in interactive multimedia
materials which can be delivered to the students in teacher-centred, studentcentred, or mixed teaching and learning modes Using multimedia to represent
content and delivering via various methods in the teacher-centred mode, the
teacher is the one in control of the information that is received by the students
and is responsible for how much information is being disseminated to them. The
teacher-centred methods include presentations and demonstrations to process
the information. Students are also able to retain and recall the information as well
as obtain mastery in the subject matter with drills and practices, and tutorials,
which are highly interactive. The multimedia courseware can also be packaged on
the CD-ROM and delivered in a networked classroom leading to a teacher-centred
mode where the courseware is opened on their PCs and the students follow the
teachers lecture on their PCs. In the student-centred method, the students
construct their own knowledge and bring their authentic experiences into the
learning process with the teacher as the facilitator. The multimedia courseware
content can also be packaged as a Web file and delivered on the Internet in a
Web browser can result in online courses where the students access the
courseware from a browser on their PCs. The student is then free to engage in
learning on his or her own time and pace, and consequently, the learning mode is

student-centred. This multimedia material can be used to foster team-processing

and active learning as with collaborative and cooperative methods. This
encourages higher- level learning, increases comprehension and retention rates,
and focuses on the total development of the student in self-accessed and selfdirected learning. In the mixed mode, the teacher has the flexibility to incorporate
the two teaching and learning approaches whenever they deem them useful, to
increase and enhance their students learning processes. Here, the same
multimedia courseware content can also be packaged and delivered over satellite
and broadband technologies for distance learning. Here, the student learns the
materials on his or her own time and pace, and interacts with the teacher via
video-conferencing in real-time.
Future of Multimedia Tutorial
Interactive large screen displays support the collaboration of two or more people,
and are ideal for visualization, multimedia, and presentation applications. These
displays, in the form of walls, windows, touch screen displays, interactive
whiteboards, and touch-tables, can be found in workplaces, educational
institutions, museums, and other public spaces. New display systems allow for colocated communication between groups of people, and also allow for
collaboration with individuals and groups in remote locations. In the classroom
setting, these new systems technologies support new ways of communication and
knowledge-sharing, increasing collaboration, motivation, and engaged learning
among young people. Touch is one of the simplest, most instinctive, and universal
human actions while a touch screen may be the simplest, most direct way for a
person to interact with a computer. With the recent drop in price of large flat
panel displays, many school districts are opting for an alternative to their
projection displays and are retrofitting their classrooms and training facilities with
LCDs and Plasmas. Pairing a large display with a touch screen combines the
benefits of multimedia with an intuitive interface, creating an opportunity to
completely re-design the ways in which we teach, collaborate and communicate.
"Communicating visually is becoming the norm rather than the exception in
technological societies This renaissance in graphics is coupled with the emerging
re-thinking of the role of visualization in basic human intelligence." - Gary
Bertoline, University of Indiana. Evidence supports the use of instructional
practices that address the unique and varied ways that people learn. Young
people thrive in environments that provide multiple means of accessing

information and knowledge, supported by content that is presented in multiple

formats. Advances in multimedia technology provide students with opportunities
to use digital media to gain and share knowledge and work collaboratively on
projects with their peers. These experiences are rich, social, and often more
meaningful than word-dominant lessons.
The Case for Visual and Multimedia Learning
According to Richard Mayer, an educational psychologist, "Multimedia learning is
defined as learning from words (e.g., spoken or printed text) and picture (e.g.,
illustrations, photos, maps, graphs, animation, or video) (Mayer, 2001).
Multimedia environments include on-line instructional presentations, interactive
lessons, e-courses, simulation games, virtual reality, and computer-supported inclass presentations."
A variety of fields, including science and math, increasingly rely on multimedia
technology for scientific visualization, data visualization, and three-dimensional
modelling. These technologies can be incorporated into interactive multimedia
activities for students, often improving the academic engagement of students.
Learning activities that integrate multimedia also support and enhance learning in
non-scientific fields, such as literature, writing, music, history, and art. "Extensive
research shows that visual imagery can play a powerful role in accelerating
learning. Complicated concepts and processes can often be conveyed much more
simply in a visual format, and evidence suggests that use of visual media can
enhance problem-solving, motivation, understanding and the expression of ideas.
-Roger Murphy, Visual Learning Lab, University of Nottingham. In a nutshell, when
people interact with visually-oriented multimedia, the process is more closely
matched to the workings of the brain than when they interact through words and
text. Multimedia learning involves active learning, both behavioural as well as
cognitive. Learning is constructive, and information learned is remembered at a
deeper level. The use of multimedia promotes meaningful learning that can be
transferred or generalized to other situations. The following are some of the
unique applications in which interactive displays are now being used:

Interactive Displays and Multimedia

The mistaken view about interactive displays is that they function as electronic
chalkboards, or giant PowerPoint screens, providing a few multimedia bells and
whistles to attract attention to (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching
Learners:Immersive Education through Interactive Multimedia) key points for a
moment or two, while the teacher continues to lecture. Interactive large screen
displays support multiple learning and interactive styles and preferences, and are
flexible in the ways they can be used. Larger displays decrease cognitive load, as
there is enough space to visually organize, represent, and display content.
Researchers at Microsoft have discovered that the use of large-screen displays
minimizes the differences between men and women when working on 3-D spatial
tasks, which suggests that the use of these displays should be explored for
teaching geometry and related math classes. Touch-enabled screens allow for
active, "hands-on" manipulation of content, and also provide a means for
students to share what they've learned through project-based learning
experiences. Interactive displays also enable students to take a more active role in
the lesson, and teachers to take account of different learning styles. With the
ability to easily tailor lessons according to the needs of different pupils,
interactive displays create opportunities for collaborative learning all the while
creating a more personalized learning approach for each student.
Virtual Field Trips
Research in the use of virtual reality in education and training suggests that the
use of simulations and virtual worlds promotes deeper understanding among
learners, as the learning experiences aim to simulate or augment reality and
provide a sense of presence, or "being there." Over the years, school districts
have cut back on field trips, limiting exposure to learning environments outside of
the school door. To counter this trend, Psychologist Alicia Sanchez and Janis
Cannon-Bowers were members of a team at the University of Central Florida that
developed virtual reality field trips, using interactive large-screen displays, to
provide students with opportunities to explore environments, with the goal of
supporting reading and vocabulary development. According to an article written
by Tracy Voger, posted on the Edutopia website, high school students in the
Environmental and Spatial Technologies (EAST) program, in Mansfield, Arkansas,
provided elementary school students with a virtual tour of the Blanchard Springs
caverns after they learned that the students field trip to the caverns had been

cancelled, due to high gas prices. During the summer, the EAST program students
used global-positioning devices to map the caves, video-taped the kids, and
interviewed a seasoned cave-explorer. They included an animated cartoon guide
in the virtual tour. Expensive head-tracking gear and data gloves are not
necessary for educators to create immersive learning environments for their
students. In many schools, interactive displays, or whiteboards, provide students
with a window to websites that contain rich visual and multimedia content.
Microsoft's PhotoSynth is an on-line project that gathers photographs from
around the world to construct 3D environments that can be explored through a
web browser, providing students with views of places they might never have a
chance to explore in the real world. PhotoSynth can be integrated into Microsoft's
Virtual Earth. Several websites offer access to high-quality interactive panoramas
of important geological formations and points of cultural interests around the
world. For example, the Chicago Traveler website offers motion panoramas of city
attractions. Google Earth is another application that can be used for building
virtual field trips. Points of interest on the globe can be linked to related video
clips, photos, panoramas, and websites. Students can contribute to designing
virtual field trips by uploading photographs and video from family vacations and
outings. Virtual field trips aren't limited to the outdoors and cultural points of
interest. The Visible Human Project, developed at the University of Michigan,
offers a browser that allows students to view and manipulate a human body in 3D
space. Students can observe an entire body, or closely inspect smaller regions,
from the inside out. There is also a guided tour of the human body, which includes
interactive annotated images that correspond to various body parts and
structures. (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction through
Interactive Multimedia)
Games and Learning
As a whole generation has been brought up on instant messaging, video on
demand, and iPods, the attention span of most students continues to shrink.
Clearly we will need a new way of reaching these children to keep them engaged
and motivated. Researchers in education, training, and distance learning have
broadened their interests and have studied the effects of 3D immersive games for
training, education, health, and even social change. Games and game engines are
affordable, and more schools have invested in large-screen displays and
projection systems, making it easier for modifying games for classroom use. In the

past, most educational software programs were designed for the small screen, to
be used individually by one student, on a personal computer. Newer educational
games, some modified from off-the-shelf games, allow for "multi-player"
interaction and some require players to work in teams, and allow players to
communicate with one-another on line. Although most games are not designed
for touch-screen interaction, some multi-player games can be controlled from PCs
and displayed on the large screen in front of the class. One example is Dimenxian,
a 3D game designed to teach Algebra that is impressive to watch on a large screen
display. There are a variety of free websites that provide educational games and
other activities that require "drag and drop" or painting interaction that are fun
for students to play on large-screen displays. Examples of sites that provide a
variety of interactive games and activities include PBS Kids, BBC Kids, Discovery
Kids, National Geographic Kids, NASA for Kids, and the National Gallery of Art. For
middle and high school students, the NoblePrize.org website offers a variety of
multimedia games that correspond to each Nobel Prize category. For those
interested in crime scene forensic science, the CSI: The Experience WebAdventure,
an on-line companion to a travelling museum exhibit, offers fun and engaging
activities and games.
Interactive Multimedia for Social Skills and Coping Strategies
"It's My Life" is an interactive website on PBSKids.org, designed for middle-school
students. It offers video clips, games and related activities on topics such as
bullying, dealing with emotions, dealing with crushes, gossip and rumours,
divorce, death, time management, test stress, fighting, and more. Streaming
video clips on a range of topics are available on this site. Resources are provided
on-line for teachers and parents. The activities on this website are appropriate for
classroom guidance, small group counselling/intervention, and for "homework."
The website also includes several interactive games. The activities are engaging
when presented via an interactive whiteboard. Non-violent games, such as the
Cloud Game and Tranquility, provide a relaxing experience when played on a PC
or on the large screen, and can help anxious or stressed-out students relax.
RippleEffects provides a variety of interactive multimedia applications designed
for helping children and teens develop a variety of positive coping skills. Although
the applications were designed for use on a PC, they work well on large
interactive displays and can be useful for small group activities or presenting
character education topics during whole-classroom activities.

Interactive Multimedia for Literacy Development

Collaboration and Communication
"Two widely accepted principles about knowledge and learninglearners
construct their own knowledge and learning is an inherently social
phenomenonsupport the use of group learning. Working in a small group
provides learners with opportunities to articulate ideas and understandings,
uncover assumptions and misconceptions, and negotiate with others in the
process of creating a product or reaching consensus. Group activities enable
students to discover deeper meaning in the course material and improve creative
thinking skills. (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction
through Interactive Multimedia). The most effective use of group work is that
which engages students with higher-level content that is thought-provoking,
difficult to understand, or has multiple interpretations." - Cheelan Bo-Linn, Center
for Teaching Excellence, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign On-line virtual
world applications such as Second Life are now used for education and training
purposes, and are impressive when viewed on a large screen. The advantage of 3D worlds is that they facilitate interaction, communication, and collaboration
between users, and for students, this can provide an effective means of
maintaining their interest. One example of a 3D world is EduSim, a free open
source educational software. EduSim was designed for use on large interactive
touch-screen displays to build collaborative, networked environments, allowing
students in different classrooms to work together. EduSim has been used to
create machinima, models and simulations, and multimedia art. A student can
quickly draw an animal or object with a finger, and it automatically turns into a
three-dimensional figure, easily placed into a 3-D world. EduSim's website
provides software downloads and teacher resource packets. EduSim was built on
Croquet an open-source software development environment. It supports a large
number of users and a variety of platforms and devices. The knowledge about our
world continues to grow exponentially and educators are tasked with imparting
this information to a diverse group of learners. It was not long ago that a high
school education was sufficient, and then it was a Bachelors degree. Now a
Masters is considered adequate preparation, while a Doctorate is considered a
requirement in some fields. Specialization is the only practical way in which to
impart a portion of the vast amounts information that we continue to compile. So
it is also an educators responsibility to provide the tools in which to continue to
learn throughout life. Instead of widening the digital divide, technology can be

used to bridge the gap bringing together students from various backgrounds and
skills to share, collaborate and to learn from one another. Through the use of
technology in conjunction with creative software, we can provide educators with
a more efficient means to convey information. An interactive display is the
convergence of technology, price, and application; instead of just being a single
purpose display or dedicated whiteboard, an interactive display becomes multipurpose and therefore a more valuable interactive communication tool.

Reaching All Learners

Multimedia applications that are used on large interactive displays and surfaces
meet the needs of a wider range of learners. According to research, the use of
digital media, within a Universal Design for Learning framework, can support
instruction in inclusive classrooms, and meet the needs of a wider range of
learners, not limited to those who have disabilities. Universal design for learning
was developed by researchers at CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology,
and focuses on the following guidelines:
Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring
information and knowledge,
Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for
demonstrating what they know,
Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer
appropriate challenges, and increase motivation. (Marentette & Uhrick,
Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction through Interactive Multimedia)

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