This article addresses the position taken by Clark (1983) that media do not influence learning under any conditions. The article reframes the questions raised by Clark to explore the conditions under which media will influence learning. Specifically, it posits the need to consider the capabilities of media, and the methods that employ them, as they interact with the cognitive and social processes by which knowledge is constructed. This approach is examined within the context of two major media-based projects, one which uses computers and the other video. The article discusses the implications of this approach for media theory, research, and practice. Do media influence learning? Ten years ago, Richard Clark (1983) reviewed the results of comparative research on educational media and claimed that they provide consistent evidence "... for the generalization that there are no learning benefits to be gained from employing any specific medium to deliver instruction " (p. 445). According to Clark, the results of those studies that appear to favor one medium over another are due not to the medium but to the method or content that are introduced along with the

To create an innovative interactive multimedia application, a multimedia designer needs to rapidly explore numerous behavioral design ideas early in the design process, as creating innovative behavior is the cornerstone of creating innovative multimedia. Current tools and techniques do not support a designer’s need for early behavior exploration, limiting her ability to rapidly explore and effectively communicate behavioral design ideas. To address this need, we have developed a sketch-based, interactive multimedia storyboard tool that uses a designer’s ink strokes and textual annotations as an input design vocabulary. By operationalizing this vocabulary, the tool transforms an otherwise static sketch into a working example. The behavioral sketch can be quickly edited using gestures and an expressive visual language. By enabling a designer to explore and communicate behavioral design ideas using working examples early in the design process, our tool facilitates the creation of a more effective, compelling, and entertaining multimedia application.

The Perseus Digital Library, (PDL) is one of the primary digital resources for the humanities. Under continuous development since 1987, the project has included an ongoing evaluation component that aims to understand the effects of access to digitized source materials in the humanities. A summary of the PDL genesis and current status is given and the multifaceted and longitudinal evaluation effort is described. A brief synthesis of results is provided and reflections on the evaluation along with recommendations for DL evaluation are given. Introduction Digital libraries marry the missions, techniques, and cultures of physical libraries with the capabilities and cultures of computing and telecommunications. Evaluating digital libraries is a bit like judging how successful is a marriage. A lot depends on how successful the partners are as individuals as well as the emergent conditions made possible by the union. All three entities---the two individuals and the gestalt union--are of cou...

Abstract not found

Multimedia repositories, libraries, and databases offer the potential for providing students with access to a wide variety of interconnected information resources. However, in order to realize this potential, multimedia systems should provide access to information and activities that support effective knowledge construction and learning by students. This article proposes a theoretical framework for organizing information and activities in educational hypermedia systems. We show that such systems should not be characterized primarily in terms of the kinds of physical media types that can be accessed; instead, the important aspect is the content that can be represented within a physical media, rather than the physical media itself. We propose a theory of "cognitive media types" based on the inferential and learning processes of human users. The theory highlights specific media characteristics that facilitate specific problem solving actions, which in turn are enabled by specific kinds of...

The term “blended learning ” is being used with increased frequency in both academic and corporate circles. In 2003, the American Society for Training and Development identified blended learning as one of the top ten trends to emerge in the knowledge delivery industry (cited by Rooney, 2003). In 2002, The Chronicle of Higher Education quoted the president of Pennsylvania State University as saying that the convergence between online and residential instruction was “the single-greatest unrecognized trend in higher education today ” (Young, 2002, p. A33). Also quoted in that article was the editor of The Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks who predicted a dramatic increase in the number of hybrid (i.e., blended) courses in higher education, possibly to include as many as 80-90 % of all courses (Young, 2002). So what is this “blended learning ” that everyone is talking about? This chapter will provide a basic introduction to blended learning systems and share some trends and issues that are highly relevant to those who are implementing such systems. To accomplish these goals, the chapter will address five important questions related to blended learning systems such as: What is blended learning?, Why blend?, What current

Knowledge and learning exist as byproducts of social processes such as those that take place in communities of practice. We describe two frameworks for understanding and building online knowledge-building communities, or online communities of practice that enhance collective knowledge. First, the C4P framework is described as a way of understanding how knowledge is created and disseminated by participants in a community of practice. Second, we discuss ways in which technology provides added value for learning in these environments using the DDC (Design for Distributed Cognition) framework, and link this to the particular goals of a knowledgebuilding community. Examples from two large online communities are discussed.

Although learning style theory is widely accepted amongst educational theorists in the context of traditional classroom environments, there is still little research on the adaptation to individual styles in an e-learning environment. In particular the possibility of fluctuations in a learning style with changing tasks or content has not yet been addressed. The described PhD project named iWeaver was designed to provide a flexible, yet manageable environment for the learner by implementing adaptive hypermedia techniques. iWeaver draws upon the widely recognised Dunn & Dunn learning styles model and derived learning strategies. It uses database-driven JavaServer Pages, which generate `media experiences' (e.g. interactive Flash animations or streaming audio) and other specifically developed `learning tools' to teach the Java programming language. This paper describes the system architecture of iWeaver and gives technical details on the implementation of specific media experiences and learning tools. An approach to predict and accommodate fluctuations in a learning style profile that will be integrated in a future version of the environment is discussed.

Goal: The use of an online game for learning in higher education aims to make complex theoretical knowledge more approachable. Permanent repetition will lead to a more in-depth learning. Objective: To gain insight into whether and to what extent, online games have the potential to contribute to student learning in higher education. Experimental Setting: The online game was used for the first time during a lecture on Structural Concrete at Master’s level, involving 121 seventh semester students. Methods: Pretest/posttest experimental control group design with questionnaires and an independent online evaluation. Results: The minimum learning result of playing the game was equal to that achieved with traditional methods. A factor called “joy ” was introduced, according to Nielsen (2002), which was amazingly high. Conclusion: The experimental findings support the efficacy of game playing. Students enjoyed this kind of e-Learning. Keywords: Game-based learning, e-Learning, Human-Computer Interaction,

The World Wide Web provides hypertext and multimedia based information across the Internet. Many applications have been developed on http servers. One important and novel use of the servers has been the provision of courseware facilities. This includes on-line lecture notes, exercises and their solutions as well as interactive packages suited primarily for teaching and demonstration packages. A variety of disciplines have benefitted notably C programming, X Windows, Computer Vision, Image Processing, Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence and Parallel Computing. This paper will address the issues of (i) implementing a variety of computer science courses and (ii) using the packages in a class environment. It also considers how best to provide information in such a hypertext based system and how interactive image processing packages can be developed. A suite of multimedia based tools have been developed to facilitate such systems and these will be described in the paper. In particul...