Another Couple Pennies - Episode #1

Here's my first go at a podcast, folks!

+ acp1.mp3

Just a warning- it's 10 minutes long.











Credits for the photo:
http://garagesalepro.webgoonies.com/2007/01/

Multimedia Principles and ISD

Our readings by Clark and Mayer discuss and illustrate several design principles regarding the use of multimedia within instruction. Both support and frame their discussions by describing research and cognitive theory. They also argue for learner-centered, rather than technology-centered instruction. The image above is from the Thinkmap's Visual Thesaurus, a very interesting tool.

I actually had a tough time locating examples of the design principles online. Finding free, appropriate instructional content was the most time consuming. In the end, I settled for the following examples of three of the principles: the Multimedia Effect/Principle; the Personalization Principle; and, the Contiguity Principle.


Multimedia Effect/Principle
The multimedia effect affirms that learning is improved when graphic images are added to text, or when audio is added to graphic simulations. The screen capture to the right is from an animation on YouTube that is a bad example of the principle. This animation only has graphics with no audio or text to aid the learner in understanding.

A video that exemplifies the positive aspects of the principle is a Flash instructional movie about mp3 files. The movie is on the BrainPop site which hosts educational animations for kids. This animation skillfully employs the use of animation, audio and text to explain how MPEGs compress audio.

Personalization Principle

The personalization principle describes the capacity for learning improvement when informal, conversational styles of language are used within the instruction. I found an excellent example on the IRS website that also employed pedagogical agents to help improve the quality of the instruction.

Contiguity Principle
Finally, the contiguity principle is concerned with the proximity of graphics and text. If textual explanations are not near the graphics they explain, learning can be compromised. I found an excellent example of this principle on ESRI's Virtual Campus site. ESRI is the leading vendor in the GIS software industry. One of the modules they provide for free discusses cartographic design principles and this particular example provides two graphics side by side with the text explanation in a caption below the images. It also allows the user to enlarge the image to improve visibility.

Courseware, Learning Objects and Goals...

Greetings, fellow learners! Here's my first posting:

+ How do you define courseware? +
I would define it as any software that is designed to be educational. I have an inclination that this might be a bit too restrictive, however, after looking at our schedule and syllabus for this term. Educational board games, powerpoint presentations, podcasts- these educational elements do not fit so easily into my definition. Perhaps the definition should be made broader to encompass any media designed to be educational.

+ Examples: +
Using the broader definition of courseware above, my first experience with it would have been in elementary school with a dice game called Wff 'N Proof. The game made an amazing impression on me because I still remember how much fun I had trying to build patterns from the upper and lower case letters on the dice- I had no idea at the time that it was designed to help me learn about equations and algebra. I loved the game so much I asked for a copy for my birthday and I still have it. Just for grins, I googled the game and found that there is a site for it- check it out, if you like: http://wffnproof.com/

++ How do you anticipate courseware affecting your career? What will you be doing with it? ++
At present, given my profession, you could call me a developer. I hope to leverage my experience with technology so that I can eventually develop courseware. I am very interested in serious games and how generally games can help motivate and instruct.

+++ How about learning objects? How might they relate (or not) to your career? +++
Until our reading this week, I had not read anything of substance about learning objects. I had heard about them in the context of SCORM and was intrigued. Recognizing the importance of reusability from both a software and learning consideration, I am interested in learning more about where the standards efforts are with respect to learning objects. Are there software vendors that have created products that adhere to the standards? Are there open source offerings? I am also very interested in learning more about software that can help author instructional modules using learning objects and instructional design.

++++ What do you hope to learn from this course? ++++
I am very excited about the applied aspect of this course. Each course I have taken here at FSU has added to my growing understanding of ISD. I look forward to learning more about instructional design through the practical, applied methods of generating courseware using different media.

First Posting....

Hello, fellow isd'ers ;-)

Dixie, here. Looking forward to working and learning with you all.

Ciao,
Dixie.