Enhancing Presentation with Multimedia
Why Should I Use Multimedia?
Multimedia refers to the use of verbal and non-verbal modes to present information and share communications, using a variety of text, images, audio, and video to create learning objects and learning events (Moreno & Mayer, 2007). Effective teaching uses a variety of learning modalities to enhance interest in the subject, content, and delivery of the learning materials.
Some of the reasons why instructors create multimodal learning objects and events for their teaching:
- Same time access
- Telling stories
- Orientation to something
- Useful for thinking; meta-cognitive
- Sense of presence; sharing your persona
- Saving time i.e. doing video feedback vs. typed feedback
- Engaging students' interest
How Can I Use Multimedia?
Try to use media:
- that has high-quality sound and allows for volume adjustment, playback speed variation, and pausing
- that is a shorter duration to maintain student engagement
- for longer podcasts and/or video focusing on the most valuable parts with timestamps indicated for students
- that align to the course/module goals and assessments
- that is entertaining and easy to listen to in supporting interest and engagement
The next few pages explore how specific multimedia tools can be used in your course.
Tips
- As with all external online content, links can change or break if the media is relocated or removed. Before the next iteration of a course, be sure to validate Canvas course links Links to an external site.and fix any broken links.
- For optional or supplementary podcasts, use links that are set to open in a new window so the visual cueing (indicating an external link) on the Canvas content pages is consistent.
- Provide transcripts whenever possible and integrate good Universal Design for Learners
Links to an external site. (UDL) practice.
References
- Bolliger, D. U., Supanakorn, S., & Boggs, C. (2010). Impact of podcasting on student motivation in the online learning environment. Computers & Education, 55(2), 714-722. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2010.03.004
- Canvas Guide: What is the Rich Content Editor Links to an external site.
- Calandra, B., Barron, A. E., & Thompson-Sellers, I. (2008). Audio use in E-learning: What, why, when, and how? International Journal on E-Learning, 7(4), 589.
- Green, T. D., & Brown, A. H. (2018). Digital audio (1st ed., pp. 29-82) Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315674865-3 Links to an external site.
- Inclusion, Equity, and Access While Teaching Remotely Links to an external site.
- Moreno, R., & Mayer, R. (2007). Interactive multimodal learning environments: Special issue on interactive learning environments: Contemporary issues and trends. Educational Psychology Review, 19(3), 309-326. Links to an external site.
- The UDL Project: UDL Tools For All Grades and Subject Areas Links to an external site.
- UBC Design Principles for Multimedia
Additional Resources on Multimodality
- Bates, A.W. (2019) Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Chapter 8.6 Interaction Links to an external site. and Chapter 8.5 Teaching and media selection Links to an external site..
- Greene, S., Burke, K. J., & McKenna, M. K. (2018). A review of research connecting digital storytelling, photovoice, and civic engagement. Review of Educational Research, 88(6), 844-878. doi:10.3102/0034654318794134
- Hernandaz, A., (2017) Reclaiming the narrative: Indigenous media as a tool of empowerment. International Funders for Indigenous Peoples. Links to an external site.
- McMahon, R. (2014). From digital divides to the first mile: Indigenous peoples and the network society in canada. International Journal Of Communication, 8, 25. Links to an external site.
- Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education Links to an external site.