by
Earl Shortt, B.A., B.Ed., C.E.T.
Computer multimedia has become (over the last 1 1/2 years) my area of specialization in the Elementary route and I enjoy researching and talking about it. I would like to begin this paper by asking both pre-service and in-service teachers a question, with regards to using computer multimedia in the classroom; as Madian (1995) suggests " shouldn't we ask ourselves if this is the best and most readily available medium to develop students' thinking, problem solving and expression ?" (p. 18). My answer is both, yes and no. My "no" answer believes that there are ways to put students in charge of their own learning without using educational multimedia applications. Conversly, my "yes" answer also strongly believes that there are many ways to empower students (especially special needs students) by using educational computer multimedia applications, some that may even take them beyond traditional boundaries of reality (e.g. Virtual Reality).
As part of my discussion about Computer Multimedia in the Classroom, I will; define multimedia technology (including computer multimedia), explain the educational context (use of educational multimedia), identify the process (philosophy, technology ), discuss the educational implications (students, classroom, and teachers), identify the challenges, benefits, limitations of computer multimedia and conclude with a summary and end with my opinions and future trends.
Computer Multimedia technology represents technology that is a current and controversial topic in educational pedagogy today. Multimedia technology as defined by Heinich (1996) as "any combination of two or more [traditional] media formats that are integrated to form an informational or instructional program". Computer multimedia definition includes; electronic text (standard,hypermedia, and hypertext), pictures (still and video), sound (digital and analog), graphics and consists of two components; hardware and software. When discussing computer technology we must also define computer literacy and technology literacy. Computer literacy "to become computer literate, each student must have "hands-on" computer experience...Computer literacy encompasses 3 dimensions; awareness, function and critical understanding...how computers can directly and indirectly affect the individual" (Alberta Education:Program of Studies:Computer). Technological literacy is understanding and applying technological knowledge in environmental, technological and societal areas.
Use of Educational Multimedia
The major use of educational multimedia is to instruct and educate students in an educational setting. Adaptation of this [computer] media ,originally intended for other purposes, is now becoming more effective and appropriate as it is developed and structured to lead students from what they already know to what they should know. Each educational setting imposes different educational requirements on the use of the computer multimedia resources and this ultimately will affect the lives of each student in that institution and society. We must decide what school policies need to be changed in order to support technology objectives and what the benefits this will have on students. Thus, what is needed is an effective Technology Curriculum and support from all educators.
Philosophy
The intent of the new technology curriculum is to promote new skills, attitudes and knowledge in the areas of computer multimedia and technology. The goal is to attempt to promote literacy, inquiry, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities in students. The criteria for success includes; teacher training and support, appropriate technology, and a plan for implementation.
Teacher Training
While some teachers may resist this movement towards technological upgrading, it is vital that all educators embrace this new venture with a positive attitude. For this reason, appropriate time and resources must be allotted to promote understanding of the technology to current educators, through seminars, in-service workshops and tutorials. To address the pre-service sector, universities must begin to change curriculum (as the University of Alberta has done; EDPY485 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY...a new program) as we need good administrative vision as well as broad public support. Ironically, one way to achieve training of educators is to use the technology itself. This high tech learning process will provide the educators with a philosophical foundation that will assist them during the process of selection for appropriate computer multimedia technology in their own schools.
Technology
A recent trend in computer multimedia technology is the merging of computer and telecommunication technologies which also is one of the fastest growing industries as well. The computer industry (through digitization) facilitated the integration of distinct media during the 1980's, which included the introduction of interactive video, CD-ROM's and Virtual Reality. This digitization of storage, retrieval and transmission of information, " has also led to the convergence of media formats" (Heinich,1996). This convergence includes such industry standards as; CD, I.B.M., DAT, DVI, MASH, CD-I, Hypermedia, Hypertext, HTML, VRML and Netscape Navigator. High speed telecommunications (satellite and microwave) and computerization has expanded the telephony technology industry as well and it has opened up new educational environments such as the Internet, remote databases, desktop teleconferencing, audio/video teleconferencing, Virtual Reality domains, Interactive CD's, e-mail, bulletin boards, electronic chat (IRC), digital video/audio, animation and full motion video (realtime). All of these technologies present educators with many decision making dilemmas especially when one of the most prolific and exciting growing trends in the computer industry is in computer based multimedia applications.
Implementation
A systematic approach to planning and implementation of computer multimedia technology into classrooms should incorporate the following areas of concern; physical needs (school facilities and rooms), technical needs (equipment, software), support (maintenance, installation and testing procedures), Instructional resource support (reference books, policies and procedures for teachers and students), pedagogical needs (teachers using the correct software and lesson plan) , and School monitoring systems (security, privacy, performance levels, booking schedules,etc.). Usually these are handled by top administration, but it should also include the teachers themselves and in some cases it could involve part of the community itself (i.e. The parents).
Students
When considering the impact of computer multimedia on education we
must consider how individuals interact to learning environments, as
all students do not learn in the same way nor do they learn at the
same pace. By using computer multimedia in the classroom, educators
allow students to develop different aspects of those unique cerebral
areas that Gardner (1993) calls multiple intelligences and this
facilitates active learning as they will use multiple senses and
imagination during the learning process. This represents a shift from
traditional teacher centered approaches to a more individual student
centered one. Computer multimedia provides a learning environment for
teachers and students to work co-operatively and together so that
both can celebrate the potential success of the student. Computer
multimedia can also present problems as is the case when students:
lose interest in participating in other healthy activities (reading,
singing, speaking), while learning how to create computer generated
products (i.e. Electronic poems) they neglect learning WHY
beforehand, and when they learn how to create computer multimedia
projects (e.g. Hyperstudio projects) that appear to be lacking deep
and meaningful content as opposed to hands-on creations.
The use of computer multimedia is inherently a constructivist
activity where activities are student centered, authentic and
situated in a rich, meaningful context. Teachers then act as
facilitators or mediators as students construct their own
knowledge and meanings as they begin to build new knowledge and
skills based upon existing knowledge, in a collaborative atmosphere.
The students are engaged in activities which develop higher order
thinking skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, divergent
thinking, risk taking, recognizing relationships and synthesizing
information as they deal with complex, realistic information.
As educators learn more about individual learning patterns and
styles as a result of using computer multimedia, we can learn to
adapt our teaching strategies in order to incorporate elements of
computer based multimedia, bearing in mind that it is perceived as a
growing and necessary trend in both the multimedia technology sector
of industry and society today.
Classroom
In terms of educational training and instruction, computer multimedia is a powerful tool which can provide individual and interactive instructions as well as motivation for learning in an entertaining environment. This new technology and the new applications will enrich our ever changing classroom environments. Computer based multimedia applications include; the Internet and the World Wide Web, Distance Learning and Educational Adaptive/Assistive technology.
Internet and the World Wide Web
The Internet and the World Wide Web are two of the most current areas
of the information sector that have potential for educational
application. The Internet is defined as a global network of computer
networks connected electronically in order to share data and
graphical resources. It offers many services that can be utilized for
educational use, such as; e-mail, gopher service, teleconferencing,
CHAT, IRC, Telnet, newsgroups, file transfer protocol (FTP),
listservers and the World Wide Web. The delivery of educational and
training material on the Internet has quickly evolved into a powerful
and global educational delivery system.
As more and more educational institutions, companies, research and
development agencies, government sectors and private companies and
citizens connect to the Internet, more possibilities are opened up
for distance educators to overcome the barriers of time and distance,
as they reach out around the world to students everywhere
The Internet allows for time-shifting of instruction as people can
now converse, wherever and whenever they want but without the long
distance telephone costs. It allows easy access to an enormous amount
of public and private information throughout the world, it creates
educational institutions without boundaries, it expands the
potentials and horizons of both the individual and communities and it
allows for free exchange of ideas between neighbours and nations.
Distance Learning
Distance Learning is the separation of the instructor and students
during the learning process by time and space. Distance learning is a
rapidly developing approach to deliver instructional education at a
distance. It was developed for the application of technology to
education (K-12, secondary and post-secondary, graduate.), corporate
training, continuing education, the military, government and people
with disabilities that did not have access to traditional classroom
instruction. The technology offers many options for delivering and
receiving education over a distance, thus making it a dynamic force
in the market. Distance learning systems perform certain functions;
Information presentation, Student teacher interaction,
Student-student interaction and Access to learning resources.
The distance learning, computer based educational applications fall
into four broad categories; Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI),
Computer Managed instruction (CMI), Computer Mediated Communication
(CMC) and Computer based Multimedia. CAI uses the computer as a self
contained teaching machine to present lessons to achieve specific but
limited educational objectives. Examples of CAI types are, drill and
practice, tutorial, simulations and games and problem solving. CMI
uses the computers storage and retrieval capabilities to organize
instruction and track students records and progress (student and
classroom management). CMC describes computer educational
applications that facilitate communications such as, e-mail, computer
conferencing, electronic bulletin boards, IRC and CHAT. Computer
based Multimedia include hypermedia and hypertext which are both
developing into powerful, sophisticated and flexible computing tools
that have gained the attention of distance educators. This media
attempts to integrate various voice, video and computer technologies
into a single, easily accessible delivery system. Hypermedia is an
application that allows that access of information by clicking on
relevant areas in texts; pictures; vide; animation and sound
fragments. These areas are usually highlighted by color or some other
indicator. Hypertext is contained in Hypermedia, in the form of
either; a word; sentences, groups of words or paragraphs that direct
you to other words, paragraphs or documents found elsewhere in that
same document or somewhere else on the Internet (i.e. inside another
document). This "clicking" of hypertext and/or hypermedia is what
people do when the surf the World Wide Web, as they click from one
Hot Spot link (hypertext) to another link which could be thousands of
miles away.
Distance educators can use the Internet and the World Wide Web to
help students to; gain a basic understanding of how to navigate and
research, to explore independently, to use divergent thinking, to use
critical thinking, to use problem solving abilities and to experience
risk taking without the danger of receiving real life penalties.
Distance education also allows students with disabilities to access
an educational system without fear of peer pressure, and at a
reasonable cost.
Educational Adaptive/ Assistive technology
Educational Adaptive/Assistive technology for children with learning
disabilities may be defined as any device designed or modified to
lead individuals with disabilities, to independence and/or increases
and improves functional capabilities of individuals. A learning
disability (a communication disorder) can be related to academic
achievement as the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (1984)
defines it "is a dysfunction which interferes with the processing of
information" (p. 1). It consists of a syndrome composed of a number
of behaviours defined by the Learning Disabilities Association of
Canada as ; "dysgraphia (inability to write), dyslexia (inability to
read), dyscalculia (inability to do math), and cognitive
disorganization" (p. 1-2). There are common characteristics seen in
learning disabled children such as; unusual behaviour, attitude
behaviour (not flexible, impulsive, forgetful), academic performance,
co ordination, social skills and language. With the aid of various
diagnostic testing we can identify the problem area of a child, such
as the with the software programs.
We can successfully use computer technology as a form of technical
intervention and create educational adaptive/assistive technology for
learners in need. The various resources that support these
applications include; multimedia software (LOGO, Dragon Dictate,
MacIntosh Braille ), special hardware (Access Now-keyboards,
ComputerLenz-screen enlargement ), CD-ROM (ASL-American Sign
Language), input devices (HeadMouse-head mounted mouse control) ,
monitors (Edmark-touch sense screens), optical character readers and
voice recognition software (I.B.M.).
Using these educational adaptive/assistive technologies in schools
will have an impact on the delivery of special education to children
with special needs and it will impact the curriculum in general (as
we modify it for the special needs children and we may seen
opportunities elsewhere, for similar applications).
If educators, consider using computer based educational multimedia in
their classroom then they will have made a major professional
development decision, and one that will redefine their role in
education.
Teachers
Computer technology, specifically computer based multimedia
technology, is experiencing a tremendous growth in both development
and educational applications. This meteoric evolution is making it
difficult for educators to remain computer and technology literate
and up to date, especially when they don't receive appropriate
funding for training and upgrading.
The role of the teacher becomes one of a facilitator as we guide
students through this new educational stage of the information age.
We must use existing traditional strategies and technology and learn
to incorporate multimedia technology into our curriculum. We must now
engage our students, as Heinich (1996) explains, to "develop, or
construct, their own mental structures (schemata)" as we attempt to
develop critical thinking, problem solving and cultural skills in our
students, for future use. We need to; incorporate new mode of
Instructional delivery (telecommunications and computer based
systems) into our strategies, revise our role to include monitoring
and mentorship duties, utilize appropriate CAI methods to deliver
instruction to students (Appendix A), use computers to handle our
daily administrative tasks (record keeping, scheduling, reports,
etc.), increase our ever expanding resource toolkit (tools,
professional development and networking) and concern ourselves with
access to computer and multimedia technology and appropriate
funding.
This increasing demand on teachers has created mixed reactions. Those
that have accepted the challenge have struggled to remain optimistic
due to the problems created by the lack of appropriate training and
support. The type of problems can be reflected in Olson's (1993)
statement "What differentiates computers in classrooms from other
innovations is that the expectations for computers have been so high
while the on-line support has been so checkered or misdirected"(p.
433). There is an ever growing sector of the teacher profession that
is becoming increasingly frustrated because of the lack of
appropriate pre service training regards to computer technology and
multimedia. Despite this attitude of resistance to change it is
incumbent upon all educators to ensure that both social and
technology benefits are learned and taught to our students as we
prepare them with technology literacy skills and attitudes.
Challenges
One of the major challenges of using computer multimedia
technology is the ever growing problem of equal access to this
technology by all students throughout the socio-economic demographics
of the province. Both teachers and students must have access to
current computer hardware and software and technology in the school.
This equipment must also be upgraded and maintained which then
requires additional retraining.
Another challenge is the establishment of appropriate technology
support personnel , especially one that would be responsible for
training and providing technical support to other staff members.
Without appropriate training, teachers will be unable to maximize the
creative options offered by new technology.
The final challenge rests on the hands of teachers themselves, as
they will be responsible for instructing their students in efficient,
effective and creative ways of utilizing this new multi-sensory
technology in an educational format.
Benefits
Using computer multimedia technology in the classroom has many
benefits including;
1. Enabling students to represent information using computer
multimedia
2. Enabling students to participate in global societies and thus
increasing their
concern for other cultures and societies (by using the World Wide
Web)
3. To help students to visualize abstract concepts to solve problems
(math)
4. To teach students to evaluate educational computer software
5. To teach students about telecommunications and computers in order
to enhance the learning environment
6. Providing a wide variety of computer activities and skills to
students by using
co-operating group work
7. Using multi-sensory computer stimulation, that can address a
variety of
learning styles in the classroom (e.g. CAI-computer assisted
instruction is self paced)
8. Multimedia skills will certainly be useful for students in their
adult lives
9. To show student show to use technology to actively participate
(political
debates) in society
Limitations
Although computer multimedia has many benefits, it also has
limitations. First, it is very costly to develop and maintain
effective technology and this may present itself as a financial
burden to some school boards. Others argue that computer multimedia
experiences do not provide the real life experience of pounding
nails, mixing paint and using real life timing. It has alos been
suggested that students are likely to be concerned with the
superficial appearance of the end presentation of computer multimedia
rather than the value of the content of their research, as Madian
(1995) suggests, "The multimedia format may actually discourage some
students from thinking deeply about content" (p. 16). In light of
recent concerns of modern society with regards to how computers are
creating video zombies out of their children, is it appropriate to
overexpose students to various computer multimedia in the classroom?.
Can this overexposure or "Nintendo" mentality, actually create a
decrease in student thinking and creativity skills ? Will computer
multimedia in schools just reinforce this lack of thinking ?
As you read through my essay I hope that you, as a reader, have
thought of ways to utilize computer multimedia technology in
education , and that maybe you would either encourage it's use by
students in your classroom and/or use it yourself [as a teacher] as
part of your own instructional strategy in the future.
When professionals (especially teachers) learn and master a new
skill, it is both empowering and professionally beneficial. As
educators, I believe that we must be responsible for acquiring a
working knowledge of new computer multimedia tools and then we must
share this understanding with our students since they will become
responsible consumers and producers of multimedia products who will
attempt to shape a reasonable future for themselves. When using new
technology in the workplace our peers tend to benefit by considering
exploring the possibility of using this computer multimedia
technology and in the process they become more secure with regards to
their technological "comfort zone" within their own classrooms.
Computer multimedia technology gives teachers a unique tool and
technique that will allow them to access a window to the world of
exploration and learning in a multi sensory environment. They can
learn to integrate this technology into the curriculum by creating
unique unit / lesson plans (e.g., using WebQuests, HyperQuests, etc.)
and by participating in the influential democratic process of
becoming involved in recommending and modifying the technology
curriculum (goals and objectives) in Alberta Education.
Computer multimedia technology can; facilitate self-paced learning,
effectively link various technologies, incorporate interactive video
and CD-ROM into instructional aids and increase access to
information(locally and globally). This new technology has
limitations as well; cost/funding, availability to schools,
production expense (to create and/or organize), limited educational
software, the need to keep up todate (latest versions) and lack of
local support.
Change is all around us and as Alley (1992) suggests; "We are
participants in a revolution, the change from an industrial to an
information or communications society" (p. 286). Futurists have
correctly identified this current trend and because computer
technology impacts all areas of human activity we must therefore be
concerned with both the educational and cultural benefits that
multimedia technology might provide. Deciding to accept and to
utilize this new skill/tool in our classrooms becomes a major
responsibility for educators around the world.
Computer multimedia can be successfully integrated into the
curriculum when they are considered along with each school's main
philosophies and goals. We must also try to draw out the human
implications that computer multimedia technology has on education and
society and adapt our teaching strategies to serve communal and
societal interests.
As a pre-service teacher in training, I have taken the
initiative to incorporate computer multimedia into many of my course
presentations (I was the first student in the faculty to use computer
desktop tele-video conferencing for a presentation---incorporating
two professors from the U.K, live On-Line). I have also asked other
professors if I could present a two hour seminar to their classes, on
the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Both agreed and I
have since given those seminars during the regular school hours for
two reasons: First,I feel that it is important that I share my knowledge
and skills with my classmates in order that they develop confidence
and secondly, because I am aware that Alberta Education will require that all
teachers acquire this new technology skill (e.g. mandated by the year
2000 as per my EDAL401 presentation). These unique opportunities have
given me the chance to test my "technology" teaching skills, in a
formal classroom (albeit, it is higher education).
My own philosophy is; " remember that new technologies are simply new
tools (and techniques), to be added to our resource kit. Computer
multimedia technology should not be elevated to a level of anything
else but that of a "tool", otherwise we are in danger of glorifying
its' usage and forgetting the reason "Why" we are supposed to be
using it ".
As a result of reading recent educational technology literature
(e.g. Technology & Learning, The Technology Teacher, and
Technological Horizons in Education journals, etc.) I have come
across some new applications and trends in how computer multimedia
technology is being used, including;
1. The use of virtual reality for mainstream children and especially
for children with exceptionalities (allowing disabled children to
physically enter the world of 3-D and participate in ways never
imagined).
2. Teachers creating educational software called "courseware" using
programs such as; PowerPoint, Hyperstudio and other Authoring
tools.
3. Home schooling now being legitimized via formal education being
available from Internet services (e.g. FTP, World Wide Web,
newsgroups,etc.).
4. For children with disabilities, teachers are using Voice
recognition software (I.B.M.) and computer driven Braille
devices.
5. The accredited use of the World Wide Web to deliver formal
courseware to registered students (e.g. CyberHigh [high school] and
CyberKids [kindergarten] ).
6. The use of CuSeeMe (televideo conferencing via the Internet and
desktop computer multimedia) applications in various co-operative and
collaborative meetings by professional educators and students,
especially in the U.S.A.
Here are five key questions I believe that every educator
(pre-service and in-service) should ask themselves;
1. Do you think that university students should experience computer
multimedia technology, based on the premise that you will become
users of this new technology in the near future? (per Alberta
Education
legislation)?
2. How frequently do you feel that elementary/secondary school
teachers
should utilize computer multimedia technology as part of their
resources (lesson plans) ?
3. Have you used a CD-ROM or Hypertext system for learning any
courses during your university studies ?
4. Will you get involved in the new Alberta Education Technology
Integration objectives by taking pre-service and/or in-service
courses ?
If not, why ?
5. Do you think that Educational technology (e.g. computer
multimedia) will play a major role in the educational system in
Alberta ?
- Alley, R. and B. June (1995). Preparing teachers for the 21st Century. In O'Hair, J. M. and S. J. Odell (eds), Education teachers for leadership and Change. Teacher education Yearbook III. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc. pp. 285-301.
- Heinich, Robert, et al (1996). Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.
- Kommers, Piet A. M. (1996). Hypermedia Learning Environments: Instructional Design and Integration. New Jersery: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers.
- Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (1984). Types of LearningDisabilities.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.1984.
- Madian, M. (1995). Multimedia why and why not ?. In "The Computing Teacher". April 1995.