Christie Edwards Durden

Article Summaries
FRIT 8532 Fall 2009

Article 1:

Acha, J. (2009, January). The effectiveness of multimedia programs in children's

vocabulary learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(1), 23-31.
Retrieved September 12, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Summary: This article sought to address the effectiveness of self-paced multimedia

programs in children’s acquisition of vocabulary. The authors suggest that
because most research on the effectiveness of computer programs
have been conducted with adults, generalizations can not be made to
other population segments such as school age children. The test conducted
by the authors focused on the vocabulary acquisition of children in primary grades who
read a story using a computer program. The story introduced 12 new vocabulary words to
students. The students were divided into 3 groups: receiving written translation, receiving
a picture representing the word, or both. What was surprising to me was that students
who received only the written translation performed better than students receiving both or
just the picture. The authors suggested that multimedia programs can “overload” the
working memory of school age children with too many stimuli. They suggest that the best
approach to teaching children vocabulary is by providing only the written translation.

Critique: I was worried when I read this article. I have long held the belief that a picture
is worth a thousand words. During presentations, I often pair pictures with new
vocabulary or new concepts. I have always thought that this helped students better
understand the new concepts. In the past, this has always seemed to help students in my
7th grade class. With this in mind, I have to wonder if maybe the author could have done
similar studies with older students for comparison. The students in the test groups had a
mean age of 8.5. I would not want to make generalizations to all school age children.
Cognitive abilities vary greatly with the age of the student, even with primary grade level
students. A five year old definitely functions at a different level than an eleven year old.

Article 2:

Ash, K. (2009, April 8). High-Tech Simulations Linked to Learning. Education Week,
28(28), 20-23. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete
database.

Summary: The focus of this article is the integration of digital gaming within school
curriculum to improve student achievement. The author cites success at a specific school
which employs Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Lab, or SMALLab, in science, math,
social studies and language arts classes. The SMALLab is a gaming system that allows
students to interact with concepts within a large physical learning environment. It
employs cameras to track the movements of objects carried or moved by students across
the game board which is in fact a room size game board in which students can actually

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Article Summaries
FRIT 8532 Fall 2009
walk on. Students are rewarded with visual and audio feedback as they play the game.
The SMALLab is essentially a floor size electronic game board that allows students to
interact with other students and with specific concepts. Only this game board has an
educational focus.

Critique: I have long held the opinion that electronic video games could be quite
educational. My own child has grown up with various video gaming systems that have
helped teach her the alphabet and basic math facts. I even agree with the author that
educational gaming can have a positive impact on student achievement. The author cites
teachers and students at the school and how they feel that student achievement and
success has improved. Several teachers are quoted throughout the article touting the
benefits of this gaming lab. Students are even quoted stating things like how much they
enjoy learning with the gaming lab. The problem though is that the author does not back
up the opinion of neither the teachers nor the students with actual data. I would have
liked to have seen some evidence in the form of a comparison of actual test scores
between students who have used the SMALLab and students who have not used the
SMALLab.

Article 3:

Boucheix, J., & Guignard, H. (2005, December). What animated illustrations conditions
can improve technical document comprehension in young students? Format, signaling
and control of the presentation. European Journal of Psychology of Education - EJPE,
20(4), 369-388. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete
database.

Summary: In this article, the authors seek to determine the effects of illustration format,
signaling cues, and learner control of information delivery has on the construction of a
mental model. With illustration format, the authors consider the benefits of a static
illustration versus an animation. The articles gives extensive background studies of the
benefits and disadvantages of both types of illustration, types of signaling cues, and type
of speed – slow versus self-controlled . Basically past research shows that animations are
not as effective as static illustrations for some concepts especially with younger learners
as animations sometimes place a high cognitive load on the learner in terms of being able
to process all of the information that is conveyed. However, past research also suggests
that signaling cues during the animation and the pace of the animation can have a
significant impact on the acquisition of knowledge. This led the researchers to develop
the following hypotheses: “controlling the rhythm of the presentation and giving
signaling cues guiding the learner attention on the relevant elements of the movement
could improve the comprehension on an animated document. In such conditions, a
dynamic presentation could then be more beneficial than a static presentation of the same
illustration.” The subjects in this study, 123 seventh and eighth graders, participated in
various multimedia presentations about how a gear system works. Some of the
presentation consisted of static vs. animated illustrations, signaling cues vs. no signaling
cues, fast vs. slow or self paced. The authors conclude that animations can have a positive
impact on student learning when used in the appropriate manner especially when students

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have some background knowledge of the animation concept. In addition, it would seem
that self-paced animations (ones that students have some control over) along with
signaling cues offer the most benefit to students especially those without prior knowledge
from which to build upon.

Critique: This article was helpful to me because it demonstrated to me that knowledge

acquisition is really a very complex process. It has helped me understand that my
students do not glean the same information from a video or animation that I do. When
using videos or other animations within the classroom it is best to provide students,
especially those without prior knowledge, with the opportunity to work at their own pace
or at least at a slower pace and provide adequate signaling cues within the animation. I
have often wondered which was best practice: showing a video or animation of a concept
at the beginning of a unit or at the end of the unit. This article has shown me that in order
for students to really benefit from an animation or video; they need background
information or need to be able to go through the animation at their own pace. This has
some implications for my own classroom. The internet labs that students do in my
classroom in which they view various animations like cell division or photosynthesis
really need to be completed after students have background knowledge.

Article 4:

Cadoni, E., Botturi, L., & Forni, D. (2008, September). Learning by Seeing: The TEMAS
Multimedia Learning Objects for Civil Engineers. TechTrends: Linking Research &
Practice to Improve Learning, 52(5), 17-21. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from
Academic Search Complete database.

Summary: The focus of this article is as the name implies. Integrating visual experiences
with text can enhance learning. What was unique about this article is that the focus was
on teaching engineers about building materials. As you can imagine, teaching a class of
30 students how to effectively use concrete and steel to build structures like a bridge can
have significant challenges, mainly cost and inadequate facilities. Project partners in this
endeavor worked together to create re-usable media to alleviate such problems. Basically
what they did was video tape, edit, enrich, and then digitize the unique tests and
experiments done at each of their specialized facilities or labs. Then, they shared those
recorded resources so that the benefit of the experiment could be shared with many
classes not just one. What this essentially does then is make real world costly experiences
more readily available to many students. In addition students receive the added
benefit of being able to access these experiences at any time. What
makes this project a great example of the benefits of multimedia in
education is that it takes the typical text and diagrams used to explain
events and turns them into a direct experience from which to create a
mental image or understanding. In other words, it can be used to help
“students see and understand specific static tests of which they would
otherwise only read in books” (Cadoni, 2008).

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Critique: Even though I felt like I was reading an advertisement at times, I found this
article to be extremely relevant to what I teach. No, I am not an engineer. I am a science
teacher. Often, I would like to do experiments with my students that I just don’t have the
equipment or resources to be able to complete. I try to replace these much needed hands
on experiences with multimedia experiences. I often worry that maybe students aren’t
benefiting from these experiences as they would a hands on experience. Reading this
article helped me understand that if done appropriately, a multimedia experience cane be
rewarding and can enhance learning. This article also gave me a great idea. Often I see
things in nature that I would like to share with my classes but do not get the opportunity
to do. For example, with all of the recent rain there have been different types of fungi
growing all over the place. Unfortunatley, I don’t teach the fungi unit until January. I
recently purchased a digital video camera. I think I am going to try and create a
multimedia experience for my students – maybe a virtual field trip into the forest.

Article 5:

Hoppe, S. (2004, November). Improving Transition Behavior in Students with

Disabilities Using a Multimedia Personal Development Program: Check and Connect.
TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 48(6), 43-46.
Retrieved September 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Summary: The author of this article focused her attention on the use of multimedia
computers and software in special education settings. She begins the article with a
summary of past research that seems to suggest that self-paced computer assisted
instruction is far better than traditional instruction in terms of academic achievement and
student attitude toward school. The particular program that was tested in this study was
called Check and Connect. This program’s main focus is on improving students’ attitudes
and behaviors as they relate to the school experience. Students with learning
problems due to specific learning disabilities, mild mental retardation,
or other health impairments and emotional disturbances were selected to
be participants in this study. They were selected because their specific disabilities put
them at risk for school drop out. Students in the study worked on various multimedia
software programs an hour a day for 1 to 3 days per week. The specific software
programs that they worked on focused on academic areas such as math and language arts
as well as development of personal skills that would help them in areas such as
improving self esteem , coping with academic and social stress, developing healthy
lifestyles, and navigating chosen career paths. In addition to working on the various
software programs, students were paid to work in the school’s existing greenhouse. The
results of the research show that student who participated in the study increased in terms
of the following transition behavior areas: work-related, interpersonal, and
social/community. It would seem that the Check and Connect program was beneficial for
the students who participated.

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Article Summaries
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Critique: I agree with the author that self-paced multimedia software can be beneficial to
students. I would argue though that the results of this study are inconclusive about the
incredible gains that students can make due to use of this type of educational software. I
would not agree that the use of software alone could have such tremendous impact on
student achievement and attitude. The author leads readers to believe that multimedia
software can be a replacement for traditional teaching. I have to wonder if the positive
results of this study were more related to the fact that students were actually paid during
this study. Money can be a great incentive for anyone especially unemployed teens. I
think that if the author had included some discussion of how remuneration impacts
student achievement or attitude toward school, it might show that it has the greatest
impact not use of multimedia software.

Article 6:

Jadin, T., Gruber, A., & Batinic, B. (2009, July). Learning with E-lectures: The Meaning
of Learning Strategies. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(3), 282-288.
Retrieved September 12, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Summary: The main focus of this article was how learning strategy impacted knowledge
acquisition from e-lectures. E-lectures can range from a simple recording of a classroom
lecture to a combination of slides with audio from the lecturer. E-lectures are thought to
be an effective instructional tool as they engage the visual and auditory processing
systems involved in memory. In addition, they offer the student self-paced instruction as
they can be paused, stopped, or replayed. The question is: do e-lectures benefit all types
of learners? In the experiment there were two types of learners: “repeaters” and “surfers.”
Repeaters, focused primarily on the lecture material itself. Surfers spent more time using
the optional links within the e-lecture. This study revealed that learning outcomes were
significantly influenced by learner strategy. Repeaters far outperformed surfers with
regard to the knowledge test given at the end of the e-lecture experience. It would seem
then that for learners who are focused on the primary content, e-lectures are most
beneficial. It is also important to note that there can be some disadvantages associated
with e-lectures primarily the lack of interaction with teacher and other students.

Critique: This article has inspired me to create my own e-lectures. What a powerful
instructional tool! I can’t imagine why more teachers aren’t on board with this. Think
about the implications that this could have for classrooms. Students that are absent would
not have to miss out on classroom lectures. Students could access the lecture from home
if they are not sure how to complete their homework on their own. Parents could watch
the lecture if they are trying to help their child with their homework. Every teacher in the
county that I teach has their own school sponsored website. If teachers would post e-
lectures to their websites, it would make for a valuable community tool.

Article 7:

Kurtz, A. (2009, July). Discovery Education streaming Plus. MultiMedia &

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Article Summaries
FRIT 8532 Fall 2009
Internet@Schools, 16(4), 38-40. Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Academic
Search Complete database.

Rationale: This article was a short article, but I chose it because I recently began using
Discovery Education streaming Plus in my own class, and I wanted to learn more about
the resources available through this service. In addition, many teachers at the school
where I teach have access to this resource but have not utilized it. I wanted to be able to
inform other teachers of the benefits of this service. Our county has paid thousands of
dollars for us to be able to use it. Teachers should at least give it a try.

Summary: Discovery Education streaming Plus is a web-based service that many

educators use in their classrooms. It is available for purchase by any school or district.
All of the resources, which include things like videos, articles, images, poetry, music, and
even audio books, are linked to current Georgia Performance Standards as well as other
state and national standards. The article states that all of the available resources are
updated frequently and 55% of all videos have a copyright date of 2000 or newer. The
advantages of subscribing to this type of service are numerous. First, “teachers can
quickly and efficiently search a video library by curriculum standard, keyword, subject
area, grade, producer, new releases, or all available titles” (Kurtz, 2009). Users can even
refine searchers to find segments that can be edited. This service even provides teachers
with lesson plans that are tied to their state standards. The website even has a feature that
allows teachers to save content to their own folder at the site. The author of this article
states that this service can enhance curriculum by providing teachers with the resources
to differentiate instruction in their classrooms and meet their state standards.

Critique: I found this article to be quite helpful. In fact, I was able to direct a Social
Studies teacher at my school to some resources about Saudi Arabia on Discovery
Education steaming Plus just a few days ago. She had never used the service before, and
did not know much about it. I was able to share what I had learned about other resources
available. In my opinion, I think purchasing a subscription to Discovery Education
streaming Plus is a much better option for schools than purchasing hard copies of videos.
The material at Discover Education is updated frequently and is already linked to state
and national standards. In addition there are resources available that are not an option
with regular hard copies of videos.

Article 8

Oakley, G., & Jay, J. (2008, November). Making Time for Reading: Factors That
Influence the Success of Multimedia Reading in the Home. Reading Teacher, 62(3),
246-255. Retrieved September 25, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Summary: The authors of this study sought to incorporate children’s interest in

computers with reading. 41 students from three different schools in Australia participated
in the study. These students ranged in age from 8 to 11, and were identified by their
teachers as reluctant readers. The criteria that the teachers used were as follows:

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demonstration of little enthusiasm for reading, failure to check out classroom or library
books, and spending little free time on reading. Reluctant readers did not include students
with learning disabilities. Students’ status as reluctant readers was verified by the use of
the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey. For a ten week period, students checked out
and used ETBs (Electronic Talking Books) at home. ETBs are books on CD-ROM or the
Internet that feature text along with multimedia elements like animations, narrations,
music, and video. Users often have a degree of control over what features they will
access during the reading. ETBs are thought to help encourage reluctant readers to read at
home because of the support that they can offer readers. These types of supports include:
text animations and animated illustrations, access to more difficult texts that are more age
appropriate and interesting, and allowing readers to concentrate on meanings rather than
be hindered by decoding and fluency. ETBs are also thought to be beneficial for reading
and vocabulary development. At the end of the ten week period students and their parents
were interviewed. Students were generally positive in their feedback. Most stated that
they had spent more time reading during the ten week period. Parental feedback was not
as positive. In fact many were negative. The authors suggest that this negativity was most
likely associated with parents’ perception of what literacy is. Parents who included
reading multimedia texts in their conception of literacy were generally more positive in
their feedback. Overall it was not possible for the authors to conclude that ETBs were
effective in increasing students’ motivation to read at home. This was, in part, due to the
short time that the test ran and the lack of parental knowledge of literacy.

Critique: I wanted to read this article because I have a nine year old daughter who is also
a reluctant reader. I wanted to learn more about multimedia programs that I could use to
help her become a more willing reader. I definitely intend to look into some of the
resources for ETBs that were listed in the article. She loves to use the computer, and she
loves to be read to. An ETB sounds like it may be something that will motivate her to
spend some time reading on her own. It is a shame that the authors of this study did not
spend more time educating the parents about literacy skills. If the parents had been better
educated, perhaps the program would have had more success. The literacy skills that
students need in today’s technological age are quite different from the skills their parents
needed to navigate through their school careers.