An International Indexed Online Journal
www.darpanonline.org/GIRT
Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
Multimedia an effective tool in education
*
Dr. Poonam
Assistant Professor,
C.R. College of Education,
Rohtak (Haryana).
ABSTRACT
Multimedia has been widely use in educational technologies. It is also expected that future will see more of the utilization of such tools in education. Some argue that multimedia and e‐learning tools can be use as a supplement to traditional classes (and not as a replacement). Using interactive multimedia in the teaching process is a growing phenomenon. It plays a very important role in assessing students in learning processes. More efforts are needed to create new programs using multimedia elements and multimedia authoring tools to fulfill a content‐rich learning software and courseware to different students. By multimedia here I don’t mean only animation or image or video related products. Those may be incorporated with programming and other methods to provide a portal, and applicant, etc. in which data, videos and images are mixed. The present paper discusses the multimedia and its applications. Keywords : Education,multimedia, Effects.
MULTIMEDIA Multimedia is many things rolled into one. What do you think of when you hear the word multimedia? Is it merely a mash up of media elements? Or is it every‐thing we see, hear, read and touch in web sites, video games, phone apps, retail kiosks and bank ATM? These are all forms of multimedia and list of uses grows daily. We are drawn into multimedia at every turn, whether we like it or not. The simplest explanation of multimedia is “The combination of two or more media”. However, multimedia is vastly more complex than the term implies. Marshall Mcluhan was a leading and influential media communication theorist who coined the familiar phrase “The medium is the message” (Understanding Media: The Extensions of Mon, NY, 1964). He believed that it is the “medium that shapes and controls the scale and forms of human association and action.” Media, by definition, is the plural of medium. It has evolved to mean “facilitating or linking communication” – be it via phone, the web, TV, or some other instruments. “Multimedia is the exciting combination of computer hardware and software that allows you to integrate video, audio, animation, graphics and test resources to develop effective presentations on an affordable desktop computer”. The usage of text, audio, graphic, video and animation are all involved in describing media. So multimedia is the presentation of information by using a combination of text, audio, graphics, video and animation. Multimedia refers to computer‐ mediated information that is presented concurrently in more than one medium. It consists of some, but not necessarily all of the Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 1 An International Indexed Online Journal
www.darpanonline.org/GIRT
Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
following elements: text: still graphic images; motion graphics; animation; hypermedia; photographs; video and audio. This has several implications for learning (ke.2008). ELEMENTS OF MULTIMEDIA There are five main elements of Multimedia. These five elements are comprises of two main elements namely: 1.) Static Elements a) Texts b) Graphics 2.) Dynamic Elements a) Video b) Audio c) Animation Fig. – Elements of Multimedia 1. Text: Text is the basic elements of multimedia. It involves the use of text types, sizes, colors and background colors. In a multimedia application, other media or screen can be linked through the use of text. This is what you call hypertext. To produce an effective multimedia program, there are three things that need to be considered. These are : • The position of the text on the screen • Length of the message. • And legibility of text. 2. Graphic: Graphics make the multimedia application attractive. They help to illustrate ideas through still pictures. There are two types of graphics used: • Bitmaps(paint graphics) • And Vector (draw graphics ) Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 2 An International Indexed Online Journal
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Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
3. Audio: A multimedia application may require the use of speech, music and sound effects. These are called audio or the sound elements. There are two basic types of audio or sound: • Analog • Digital Fig. ‐ Types of Audio or Sound 4. Video: Video provides a powerful impact on a multimedia program. In multimedia application the digital video is gaining popularity because of the following reasons: a. Video clips can be edited easily b. The video files can be transferred within a computer network. c. It allows non‐linear editing in any part of the video. 5. Animation: Animation is a process of making static images look like it is moving. In multimedia, digital animation is used. TYPES OF MULTIMEDIA Two important distinctions can be made with respect to how multimedia programs are used. 1. Linear Multimedia: Despite the apparent oxymoron, some multimedia programs are linear and designed for sequential viewing and reading of information. They begin at a predefined starting point and conclude at a logical ending location. Linear presentations may be authorized so that each screen advances at a time interval. An example of linear multimedia is a Power Point Presentation given by a town official during a meeting. It is a prepared, organized and controlled by the Presenter in logical sequence. LEVEL
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Fig.‐ Linear Multimedia 2. Non‐Linear Multimedia: Non‐Linear non sequential multimedia implies that a person will in some way interact with a computer program. By doing so, they control the experience and dictate their unique journey to Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 3 An International Indexed Online Journal
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Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
their final destination. An example of interactive multimedia is an educational museum kiosk with a touch screen that allows visitors to learn more about an exhibit. START
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Fig.‐ Non‐Linear Multimedia APPLICATION OF MULTIMEDIA Multimedia finds its application in various areas including, but not limited to advertisements, art, education, entertainment, engineering, medicine, math, business, scientific research & spatial, temporal applications. 1. Creative Industries 2. Commercial 3. Entertainments & Fine Arts 4. Education 5. Engineering 6. Industry 7. Medicine 8. Scientific Researches USE OF MULTIMEDIA IN EDUCATIONAL SETTING Educational Benefits of Multimedia tools (from an Educator's Perspective) : I.
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Provide students with opportunities to represent and express their prior knowledge. "Allow students to function as designers, using tools for analyzing the world, accessing and interpreting information, organizing their personal knowledge, and representing what they know to others." Multimedia applications engage students and provide valuable learning opportunities. Empower students to create and design rather than "absorbing representations created by others." "Encourages deep reflective thinking. Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 4 An International Indexed Online Journal
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Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
VI.
Create personally meaningful learning opportunities. Educational Benefits of Multimedia tools (from the Student's Perspective) : I.
Students that experience the technical steps needed to produce effective multimedia documents become better consumers of multimedia documents produced by others. II.
Students indicate they learn the material included in their presentation at a much greater depth than in traditional writing projects. III.
Students work with the same information from four perspectives: ¾ as researcher, they must locate and select the information needed to understand the chosen topic; ¾ as authors, they must consider their intended audience and decide what amount of information is needed to give their readers an understanding of the topic; ¾ as designers, they must select the appropriate media to share the concepts selected; ¾ as writers, they must find a way to fit the information to the container including the manner of linking the information for others to retrieve (Smith, 1993). All of these contribute to student learning and help to explain the improved student learning that is often associated with IT‐assisted PBL. ADVANTAGES OF MULTIMEDIA 1. They make (the program) the reading process a dynamic one instead of the written presentation of the text printed in the book. 2. Presenting different drawing & pictures supports the clarification of ideas & communication of information. 3. Moving easily from a presented subject to another provides a good chance for questions & discussions. 4. The rise the attention & interaction between the students and educational subjects . 5. They provide teachers with a new educational style & encourage curiosity. 6. The guide learners to peer learning. 7. They are concerned with providing simultaneous feedback. REFERENCES : 9 Chang C.C. &Yang F.Y.(2010). Exploring the cognitive loads of high school students as the learn concepts in web‐ based environments, Computer & Education, 55 (2), 673‐680. 9 Cronje, J. C., &Fouche, J. (2008). Alternatives in evaluating multimedia in secondary school science teaching. Computers & Education, 51(2), 559‐583. 9 Holzinger, A., Kickmeire‐Rust, M., Wassertheuree, S.& Hessinger, M. (2009). Learning Performance with Interactive, Simulations in Medical Education: lessons learned from Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 5 An International Indexed Online Journal
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Global International Research Thoughts
ISSN 2347–8861
January-March 2014
result of learning complex physiological models with HAEMO dynamics Simulator, Computer & Education, 52(2), 292‐301. 9 Kamat, V.& Shinde, J. (2009). ‘Enrichment of the learning experience of rural children through interactive multimedia,” The Pan‐Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning. 9 Louisa, A.Stark, Spring,(2010). Epigenetics Online : Multimedia Teaching Resource, CBE‐
Life Science Education, 9(6‐9). Genetic Sciences Learning Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake city, UT‐84112‐5330. Global International Research Thoughts (GIRT) Page 6