UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION KUMASI CAMPUS

COURSE CODE: ITM 365

COURSE TITLE: PROJECT IN MULTIMEDIA TUTORIAL

LECTURER: MR. G. AGYEDU

NAME: ALFRED MENSAH ATOMBOH

INDEX NUMBER: 108015052

MULTIMEDIA TUTORIAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROJECT BRIEF

We intend to develop an executable windows application that seeks to replace the status quo of face-to-face teaching with a tutorial on the teaching and learning of computer hardware as expressed in the Ghana Education Senior High Core ICT Syllabus. The program would come with its own media player to avoid the need for plug-ins and the installation of any additional media player. It is also aimed at avoiding the need to connect to the internet before having access to the tutorial as with traditional learning management systems. In addition we wish to develop a pre and post test for the user to evaluate his or her learning before and after the learning experience. The software would allow a user to select video tutorial, Pre-Testing and Post Evaluation and view evaluation score.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

MODULE / TASK DURATION /

COMPLETION DATE

RESOURCE REFERENCE

1 Concept

Development

1 Day 5th April 2011

Ms. Word SHS ICT Syllabus

Principles of Multimedia Learning

(Jane Bozarth) 2 Project Brief 1 Day 5th April 2011 Ms. Word Concept/Topic Proposal

3

Project Plan 5 Days 5th April 2011 Ms. Word Project Management (D. Lock, 4th Edition)

4 Literature

Review 2 Weeks 19th April 2011 Ms. Word Clarks and Mayer

5 Recording

Video 5 Days

24th April 2011 Digital Camera Creative Cow Lab

6 Editing Video 2 Days 26th April 2011 Camtasia Studio Creative Cow Lab

7 Recording

Audio 5 Days

26th April 2011 Microphone

Camtasia Studio Creative Cow Lab

8 Editing Audio 2 Days 26th April 2011 Camtasia Studio Creative Cow Lab

9

Synchronising Video and

Audio 1 Week 4th May 2011 Camtasia Studio Creative Cow Lab

10 Pre- Test

Evaluation Questions

1 Week 11th May 2011

SHS ICT Syllabus Introduction to

Computers

Measurement and Evaluation in Education

(F. K. Archer,2009)

11 Post- Test Evaluation Questions

1 Week 11th May 2011

SHS ICT Syllabus Introduction to

Computers

Measurement and Evaluation in Education

(F. K. Archer,2009)

12

Software Development

3 Week

16th May 2011 Visual Basic 6 Microsoft Developer

Network(MSDN)

13 Testing 2 Days 18th May 2011 Windows XP,

Vista, 7 Microsoft Developer

Network(MSDN)

14 Packaging 1 Day

18th May 2011 Visual Basic 6 Microsoft Developer

Network(MSDN)

15 Final Testing 3 Days

18th May 2011 Windows XP,

Vista, 7 Microsoft Developer

Network(MSDN)

LITERATURE REVIEW

A Tutorial is a self-paced learning exercise; a lesson prepared so that a student can learn at their own speed, at their convenience (Wiktionary). A tutorial could be lecturer based or computer based.

Lecturer based tutorial is characterised by a lecturer, instructor or teaching assistant meeting a small group of students and guiding them to better understand concepts and processes that has previously been taught or is yet to be introduced. This is predominant in Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and USA. In British academic parlance, a tutorial is a small class of one, or only a few, students, in which the tutor (a lecturer or other academic staff member) gives individual attention to the students. The tutorial system at Oxford and Cambridge is fundamental to methods of teaching at those universities, but it is by no means peculiar to them; Heythrop College (University of London), for instance, also offers a tutorial system with one on one teaching. It is rare for newer universities in the UK to have the resources to offer individual tuition; six to eight (or even more) students is a far more common tutorial size. At Cambridge, a tutorial is known as supervision. In some Canadian universities, such as the University of Waterloo or the University of Toronto, a tutorial refers to something more like a recitation in an American university, that is, a class of between 12-18 students that is supplemental to a large lecture course, which gives students the opportunity to discuss the lectures and/or additional readings in smaller groups. These tutorials are often led by graduate students, normally known as "Teaching Assistants" (TAs), though it is not unknown for the primary instructor of a course, even if a full professor, to take a tutorial. At Princeton University, these tutorials are known as preceptorials and are led by preceptors. Woodrow Wilson developed the preceptorial system, intending it to be the main form of teaching. In Australian and New Zealand universities, a tutorial (colloquially called a tute) is a class of 10–30 students. Such tutorials are very similar to the Canadian system, although tutorials can occasionally be led by honours or postgraduate students, known as 'tutors'. At the two campuses of St. John's College, U.S. and a few other American colleges with a similar version of the Great Books program, a "tutorial" is a class of 12 - 16 students who meet regularly with the guidance of a tutor. The tutorial focuses on a certain subject area (e.g. mathematics tutorial, language tutorial) and generally proceeds with careful reading of selected primary texts and working through associated exercises (e.g., demonstrating a Euclid proof or translating ancient Greek poetry). Since formal lectures do not play a large part in

the St. John's College curriculum, the tutorial is the primary method by which certain subjects are studied. However, at St. John's the tutorial is considered ancillary to the seminar, in which a slightly larger group of students meets with two tutors for broader discussion of the particular texts on the seminar list. Some US colleges, such as Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, offer tutorials almost identical in structure to that of an Oxbridge tutorial. At Williams, students in tutorials typically work in pairs alongside a professor and meet weekly, alternately presenting position papers or critiques of their partner's paper.

Computer based tutorials makes use of the computer and offers tutorials in some many forms. Internet computer tutorials a form of computer based tutorial take the form of a screen recording, a written document (either online or downloadable), or an audio file, where a person will give step by step instructions on how to do something.

Tutorials usually have the following characteristics:

A presentation of content, usually with an example or examples, often broken up into discrete modules or sections.

Some method of review that reinforces or tests understanding of the content in the related module or section.

A transition to additional modules or sections that builds on the instructions already provided. Tutorials can be linear or branching.

While many writers refer to a mere list of instructions or tips as a tutorial, this usage can be misleading. In computer-based education, a tutorial is a computer program whose purpose it is to assist users in learning how to use (parts of) a software product such as an office suite or any other application, operating system interface, programming tool, or game. There are two kinds of software tutorials: movie tutorials that the user views; and interactive tutorials where the user follows on-screen instructions (and—in some cases—watches short instruction movies), whereupon he/she does the tutorial exercises and receives feedback depending on his/her actions. Some computer based tutorials can also be put up on the Web. There are a host of others that fall under learning management system. While there are several definitions of a learning management system (LMS), the basic description is a software application that automates the administration, tracking, and reporting of training events. However, it’s not that simple. A robust LMS should be able to do the following:

• centralize and automate administration • use self-service and self-guided services • assemble and deliver learning content rapidly • consolidate training initiatives on a scalable web-based platform • support portability and standards • personalize content and enable knowledge reuse.

Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms (Wikipedia). Multimedia includes a combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video, and interactivity content forms. Multimedia is usually recorded and played, displayed or accessed by information content processing devices, such as computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live performance. Multimedia also describes electronic media devices used to store and experience multimedia content.

In common usage, the term multimedia refers to an electronically delivered combination of media including video, still images, audio, text in such a way that can be accessed interactively. Much of the content on the web today falls within this definition as understood by millions. Some computers which were marketed in the 1990s were called "multimedia" computers because they incorporated a CD-ROM drive, which allowed for the delivery of several hundred megabytes of video, picture, and audio data.

CATEGORIZATION OF MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia may be broadly divided into linear and non-linear categories. Linear active content progresses without any navigational control for the viewer such as a cinema presentation. Non-linear content offers user interactivity to control progress as used with a computer game or used in self-paced computer based training. Hypermedia is an example of non-linear content.

Multimedia presentations can be live or recorded. A recorded presentation may allow interactivity via a navigation system. A live multimedia presentation may allow interactivity via an interaction with the presenter or performer.

MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia presentations may be viewed by person on stage, projected, transmitted, or played locally with a media player. A broadcast may be a live or recorded multimedia presentation. Broadcasts and recordings can be either analog or digital electronic media technology. Digital online multimedia may be downloaded or streamed. Streaming multimedia may be live or on-demand.

Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment with special effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with an offline computer, game system, or simulator.

The various formats of technological or digital multimedia may be intended to enhance the users' experience, for example to make it easier and faster to convey information or in entertainment or art, to transcend everyday experience.

A lasershow is a live multimedia performance.

Enhanced levels of interactivity are made possible by combining multiple forms of media content. Online multimedia is increasingly becoming object-oriented and data-driven, enabling applications with collaborative end-user innovation and personalization on multiple forms of content over time. Examples of these range from multiple forms of content on Web sites like photo galleries with both images (pictures) and title (text) user-updated, to simulations whose co-efficients, events, illustrations, animations or videos are modifiable, allowing the multimedia "experience" to be altered without reprogramming. In addition to seeing and hearing, Haptic technology enables virtual objects to be felt. Emerging technology involving illusions of taste and smell may also enhance the multimedia

HISTORY OF THE TERM

The term "multimedia" was coined by Bob Goldstein (later 'Bobb Goldsteinn') to promote the July 1966 opening of his "LightWorks at L'Oursin" show at Southampton, Long Island. On August 10, 1966, Richard Albarino of Variety borrowed the terminology, reporting: “Brainchild of songscribe-comic Bob (‘Washington Square’) Goldstein, the ‘Lightworks’ is the latest multi-media music-cum-visuals to debut as discothèque fare.” Two years later, in 1968, the term

“multimedia” was re-appropriated to describe the work of a political consultant, David Sawyer, the husband of Iris Sawyer—one of Goldstein’s producers at L’Oursin. Multimedia (multi-image) setup for the 1988 Ford New Car Announcement Show, August, 1987, Detroit, MI

In the intervening forty years, the word has taken on different meanings. In the late 1970s the term was used to describe presentations consisting of multi-projector slide shows timed to an audio track. However, by the 1990s 'multimedia' took on its current meaning.

In the 1993 first edition of McGraw-Hill’s Multimedia: Making It Work, Tay Vaughan declared “Multimedia is any combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation, and video that is delivered by computer. When you allow the user – the viewer of the project – to control what and when these elements are delivered, it is interactive multimedia. When you provide a structure of linked elements through which the user can navigate, interactive multimedia becomes hypermedia.”

The German language society, Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache, decided to recognize the word's significance and ubiquitousness in the 1990s by awarding it the title of 'Word of the Year' in 1995. The institute summed up its rationale by stating "[Multimedia] has become a central word in the wonderful new media world"

Usage

Multimedia finds its application in various areas including, but not limited to,

advertisements, art, education, entertainment, engineering, medicine,

mathematics, business, scientific research and spatial temporal applications.

In Education, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training courses (popularly called CBTs) and reference books like encyclopaedias and almanacs. A CBT lets the user go through a series of presentations, text about a particular topic, and associated illustrations in various information formats. Edutainment is an informal term used to describe combining education with entertainment, especially multimedia entertainment.

Learning theory in the past decade has expanded dramatically because of the introduction of multimedia. Several lines of research have evolved (e.g. Cognitive

load, Multimedia learning, and the list goes on). The possibilities for learning and instruction are nearly endless.

The idea of media convergence is also becoming a major factor in education, particularly higher education. Defined as separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with each other, synergistically creating new efficiencies, media convergence is rapidly changing the curriculum in universities all over the world. Likewise, it is changing the availability, or lack thereof, of jobs requiring this savvy technological skill.

Multimedia Tutorial Tutorial is therefore a teaching technique used to improve learning. It is clear that tutorial involves the organisation of knowledge, skills, attitude and the learning environment in such a manner that encourages the learner to acquire new knowledge, skill and attitude. The learner acquires knowledge, skills and attitudes proffered by an experienced individual, which results in the change of learners’ behaviour, perception and attitude. For teaching and for that matter tutorial to be effective there is the need to make use of most senses of the learner as offered by the use of multimedia. A multimedia presentation is a message that uses multimedia. In education “A multimedia instructional message is a presentation consisting of words and pictures that is designed to foster meaningful learning. Thus, there are two parts to the definition: (a) the presentation contains words and pictures, and (b) the presentation is designed to foster meaningful learning” (Mayer 2003: 128). The promise of multimedia learning is that, by combining pictures with words, we will be able to foster deeper learning in students. First, multimedia instruction messages can be designed in ways that are consistent with how people learn, and thus can serve as aids to human learning (Mayer, 1997, 1999a, 1999b, 2001). Second, there is a growing research base showing that students learn more deeply from well designed multimedia presentations than from traditional verbal-only messages, including improved performance on tests of problem-solving transfer (Mandl & Levin, 1989; Mayer, 2001; Najjar, 1998; Schnotz & Kulhavy, 1994; Sweller, 1999; Van Merrienboer, 1997). In short, the promise of multimedia learning is that teachers can tap the power of visual and verbal forms of expression in the service of promoting student understanding. (Mayer 2003:127).

PRINCIPLES OF MULTIMEDIA DESIGN

Mayer Design Principles

Cognitive psychologist Richard Mayer has made it his life’s work to understand

how technology – such as multimedia—can support and enhance learning. His

ongoing experimentation has uncovered a number of principles useful to those

developing asynchronous and synchronous online instruction. The findings are

useful as well to those creating participant guides and job aids, and to those

involved in technical writing tasks.

1. A message created with words and corresponding images is better retained than a message created with words alone. It therefore demands that pictures be added to words, this Mayer refers to as the Multimedia effect when he stated that “ The multimedia effect refers to the finding that students learn more deeply from a multimedia explanation presented in words and pictures than in words alone” (Mayer, 2003).

2. Place words near corresponding pictures referred to as contiguity effect is summarised in the spatial contiguity principle which states that learning is improved when images and corresponding words are spatially integrated. (Moreno & Mayer, 1999). For example, legends should be close to the corresponding picture elements (Rebetez: 8). “The spatial contiguity effect is that students learn more deeply from multimedia explanations when corresponding words and pictures are presented near to rather than far from each other on the page or screen.” (Mayer, 2003) .Again this emphasized by temporal contiguity principle which states that learning is improved when visual and verbal elements are presented together. (Rebetez: 8)

3. Use conversational style for words referred to as Personalization. “The personalization effect is that students learn more deeply from a multimedia explanation when the words are presented in conversational style rather than formal style.” (Mayer, 2003)

4. Eliminate extraneous words and pictures (Coherence Design Principle). “The coherence effect refers to the finding that students learn more deeply from a multimedia explanation when extraneous material is excluded

rather than included.” (Mayer, 2003). Learning is better when words, images and sounds not directly useful for comprehension are removed. Anecdotes, illustrations and ambient music are example of often unnecessary elements. (Rebetez: 8)

5. Present Words as speech rather than onscreen text (Modality). Students learn better when their visual/pictorial channel is not overloaded (i.e. when they must process words and graphics simultaneously at rapid pace) (Clark and Mayer, 2003:86). Animated pictures presented with an audio commentary are better understood than accompanied with on screen text. (Rebetez: 8)

6. Presenting words in both text and audio narration can hurt learning (Redundancy). Learning is better when presenting an audio commentary than an animation, its commentary and the corresponding text. (Rebetez: 8)

7. Presenting words and pictures is more effective than presenting words alone (Multiple Representation principle). Words and meaningful pictures together are better than words alone. You’d think this one would be evident by now, but I see instance after instance in which the sheer volume of text manages to completely obscure the meaning

8. When offering auditory information, do not replicate it with onscreen text. In other words (Split Attention Principle). Instructional designers tell me they fight this battle all the time, with clients who insist on word-for-word narration even though it will hurt the learning. Basically, we read and hear at different speeds, so managing both onscreen text and matching narration just overloads the learner by splitting his or her attention.

Sweller's design principles

Sweller in the framework of his cognitive load theory also made series of recommendations for instructional designers, and that you may wish to consult.

Multimedia can be beneficial when it is carefully designed and does not unnecessarily overload human information processing.

Similar learning effects can be obtained with different media (e.g. books for illustrations, text, screens for graphics and spoken words). (Sweller & Chandler, 1994)

IS A COMPUTER BETTER THAN A BOOK?

There are questions of whether design principles that work in one media environment (e.g. learning from books) also work in a different media environment (e.g. learning from computers). The answer was that effects (and therefore design principles) seem to work across media. “Our results provide four case examples of a straightforward finding: instructional design methods that promote deeper learning in one media environment (such as text and illustrations) also promote deep learning in other media environments (such as narration and animation). This means that good instructional methods can work across media. In short, the principles of instructional design do not necessarily change when the learning environment changes. Media environments do not cause learning, cognitive processing by the learner causes learning. If an instructional method promotes the same kinds of cognitive processing across different media, then it will result in the same benefits across media.” (Mayer 2003:127). “Humans possess two channels - visual and verbal - regardless of whether material is presented by book or by computer. Each channel is limited in capacity regardless of whether material is presented by book or computer. Active cognitive processing - including selecting, organizing, and integrating mental representations - promotes meaningful learning regardless of whether material is presented by book or computer.” (Clark, Nguyen, & Sweller, 2006)

MULTIMEDIA AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL The advent of multimedia and multimedia technologies has changed the way educators teach and students learn. With multimedia, the communication of the information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an effective instructional medium for delivering information. Multimedia application design offers new insights into the learning process of the designer and forces him or her to represent information and knowledge in a new and innovative way (Neo & Neo, 2000). The use of multimedia as a platform for teaching is made even more possible with the availability of the MPCs (Multimedia PCs) that are powerful, fast, and able to process all media elements effortlessly and quickly, and

multimedia software packages that are user- friendly yet power-packed. Multimedia “provides a means to supplement a presenter’s efforts to garner attention, increase retention, improve comprehension, and to bring an audience into agreement”, which consequently results in people remembering 20% of what they see, 40% of what they see and hear, but about 75% of what they see and hear and do simultaneously (Lindstrom, 1994). In the traditional information communication process (ICP), the teacher is the source of the knowledge and presents the knowledge to the students, who are in turn, passive receivers of the information. With multimedia, the communication of the information can be done in a more effective manner and it can be an effective instructional medium for delivering educational information. This is because it enables the teacher to represent the information in various media, i.e., via sound, text, animation, video and images. With multimedia, the teacher is now the director of the knowledge and can use the various combinations of media elements to create interactive educational content. The result is a stimulating environment for learning and retaining the information delivered. The marriage of content and multimedia technology results in interactive multimedia materials which can be delivered to the students in teacher-centred, student-centred, or mixed teaching and learning modes Using multimedia to represent content and delivering via various methods in the teacher-centred mode, the teacher is the one in control of the information that is received by the students and is responsible for how much information is being disseminated to them. The teacher-centred methods include presentations and demonstrations to process the information. Students are also able to retain and recall the information as well as obtain mastery in the subject matter with drills and practices, and tutorials, which are highly interactive. The multimedia courseware can also be packaged on the CD-ROM and delivered in a networked classroom leading to a teacher-centred mode where the courseware is opened on their PCs and the students follow the teacher’s lecture on their PCs. In the student-centred method, the students construct their own knowledge and bring their authentic experiences into the learning process with the teacher as the facilitator. The multimedia courseware content can also be packaged as a Web file and delivered on the Internet in a Web browser can result in online courses where the students access the courseware from a browser on their PCs. The student is then free to engage in learning on his or her own time and pace, and consequently, the learning mode is

student-centred. This multimedia material can be used to foster team-processing and active learning as with collaborative and cooperative methods. This encourages higher- level learning, increases comprehension and retention rates, and focuses on the total development of the student in self-accessed and self-directed learning. In the mixed mode, the teacher has the flexibility to incorporate the two teaching and learning approaches whenever they deem them useful, to increase and enhance their students’ learning processes. Here, the same multimedia courseware content can also be packaged and delivered over satellite and broadband technologies for distance learning. Here, the student learns the materials on his or her own time and pace, and interacts with the teacher via video-conferencing in real-time. Future of Multimedia Tutorial Interactive large screen displays support the collaboration of two or more people, and are ideal for visualization, multimedia, and presentation applications. These displays, in the form of walls, windows, touch screen displays, interactive whiteboards, and touch-tables, can be found in workplaces, educational institutions, museums, and other public spaces. New display systems allow for co-located communication between groups of people, and also allow for collaboration with individuals and groups in remote locations. In the classroom setting, these new systems technologies support new ways of communication and knowledge-sharing, increasing collaboration, motivation, and engaged learning among young people. Touch is one of the simplest, most instinctive, and universal human actions while a touch screen may be the simplest, most direct way for a person to interact with a computer. With the recent drop in price of large flat panel displays, many school districts are opting for an alternative to their projection displays and are retrofitting their classrooms and training facilities with LCDs and Plasmas. Pairing a large display with a touch screen combines the benefits of multimedia with an intuitive interface, creating an opportunity to completely re-design the ways in which we teach, collaborate and communicate. "Communicating visually is becoming the norm rather than the exception in technological societies… This renaissance in graphics is coupled with the emerging re-thinking of the role of visualization in basic human intelligence." - Gary Bertoline, University of Indiana. Evidence supports the use of instructional practices that address the unique and varied ways that people learn. Young people thrive in environments that provide multiple means of accessing

information and knowledge, supported by content that is presented in multiple formats. Advances in multimedia technology provide students with opportunities to use digital media to gain and share knowledge and work collaboratively on projects with their peers. These experiences are rich, social, and often more meaningful than word-dominant lessons.

The Case for Visual and Multimedia Learning

According to Richard Mayer, an educational psychologist, "Multimedia learning is defined as learning from words (e.g., spoken or printed text) and picture (e.g., illustrations, photos, maps, graphs, animation, or video) (Mayer, 2001). Multimedia environments include on-line instructional presentations, interactive lessons, e-courses, simulation games, virtual reality, and computer-supported in-class presentations."

A variety of fields, including science and math, increasingly rely on multimedia technology for scientific visualization, data visualization, and three-dimensional modelling. These technologies can be incorporated into interactive multimedia activities for students, often improving the academic engagement of students. Learning activities that integrate multimedia also support and enhance learning in non-scientific fields, such as literature, writing, music, history, and art. "Extensive research shows that visual imagery can play a powerful role in accelerating learning. Complicated concepts and processes can often be conveyed much more simply in a visual format, and evidence suggests that use of visual media can enhance problem-solving, motivation, understanding and the expression of ideas.” -Roger Murphy, Visual Learning Lab, University of Nottingham. In a nutshell, when people interact with visually-oriented multimedia, the process is more closely matched to the workings of the brain than when they interact through words and text. Multimedia learning involves active learning, both behavioural as well as cognitive. Learning is constructive, and information learned is remembered at a deeper level. The use of multimedia promotes meaningful learning that can be transferred or generalized to other situations. The following are some of the unique applications in which interactive displays are now being used:

Interactive Displays and Multimedia

The mistaken view about interactive displays is that they function as electronic chalkboards, or giant PowerPoint screens, providing a few multimedia bells and whistles to attract attention to (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners:Immersive Education through Interactive Multimedia) key points for a moment or two, while the teacher continues to lecture. Interactive large screen displays support multiple learning and interactive styles and preferences, and are flexible in the ways they can be used. Larger displays decrease cognitive load, as there is enough space to visually organize, represent, and display content.

Researchers at Microsoft have discovered that the use of large-screen displays minimizes the differences between men and women when working on 3-D spatial tasks, which suggests that the use of these displays should be explored for teaching geometry and related math classes. Touch-enabled screens allow for active, "hands-on" manipulation of content, and also provide a means for students to share what they've learned through project-based learning experiences. Interactive displays also enable students to take a more active role in the lesson, and teachers to take account of different learning styles. With the ability to easily tailor lessons according to the needs of different pupils, interactive displays create opportunities for collaborative learning all the while creating a more personalized learning approach for each student.

Virtual Field Trips

Research in the use of virtual reality in education and training suggests that the use of simulations and virtual worlds promotes deeper understanding among learners, as the learning experiences aim to simulate or augment reality and provide a sense of presence, or "being there." Over the years, school districts have cut back on field trips, limiting exposure to learning environments outside of the school door. To counter this trend, Psychologist Alicia Sanchez and Janis Cannon-Bowers were members of a team at the University of Central Florida that developed virtual reality field trips, using interactive large-screen displays, to provide students with opportunities to explore environments, with the goal of supporting reading and vocabulary development. According to an article written by Tracy Voger, posted on the Edutopia website, high school students in the Environmental and Spatial Technologies (EAST) program, in Mansfield, Arkansas, provided elementary school students with a virtual tour of the Blanchard Springs caverns after they learned that the students’ field trip to the caverns had been

cancelled, due to high gas prices. During the summer, the EAST program students used global-positioning devices to map the caves, video-taped the kids, and interviewed a seasoned cave-explorer. They included an animated cartoon guide in the virtual tour. Expensive head-tracking gear and data gloves are not necessary for educators to create immersive learning environments for their students. In many schools, interactive displays, or whiteboards, provide students with a window to websites that contain rich visual and multimedia content. Microsoft's PhotoSynth is an on-line project that gathers photographs from around the world to construct 3D environments that can be explored through a web browser, providing students with views of places they might never have a chance to explore in the real world. PhotoSynth can be integrated into Microsoft's Virtual Earth. Several websites offer access to high-quality interactive panoramas of important geological formations and points of cultural interests around the world. For example, the Chicago Traveler website offers motion panoramas of city attractions. Google Earth is another application that can be used for building virtual field trips. Points of interest on the globe can be linked to related video clips, photos, panoramas, and websites. Students can contribute to designing virtual field trips by uploading photographs and video from family vacations and outings. Virtual field trips aren't limited to the outdoors and cultural points of interest. The Visible Human Project, developed at the University of Michigan, offers a browser that allows students to view and manipulate a human body in 3D space. Students can observe an entire body, or closely inspect smaller regions, from the inside out. There is also a guided tour of the human body, which includes interactive annotated images that correspond to various body parts and structures. (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction through Interactive Multimedia) Games and Learning As a whole generation has been brought up on instant messaging, video on demand, and iPods, the attention span of most students continues to shrink. Clearly we will need a new way of reaching these children to keep them engaged and motivated. Researchers in education, training, and distance learning have broadened their interests and have studied the effects of 3D immersive games for training, education, health, and even social change. Games and game engines are affordable, and more schools have invested in large-screen displays and projection systems, making it easier for modifying games for classroom use. In the

past, most educational software programs were designed for the small screen, to be used individually by one student, on a personal computer. Newer educational games, some modified from off-the-shelf games, allow for "multi-player" interaction and some require players to work in teams, and allow players to communicate with one-another on line. Although most games are not designed for touch-screen interaction, some multi-player games can be controlled from PCs and displayed on the large screen in front of the class. One example is Dimenxian, a 3D game designed to teach Algebra that is impressive to watch on a large screen display. There are a variety of free websites that provide educational games and other activities that require "drag and drop" or painting interaction that are fun for students to play on large-screen displays. Examples of sites that provide a variety of interactive games and activities include PBS Kids, BBC Kids, Discovery Kids, National Geographic Kids, NASA for Kids, and the National Gallery of Art. For middle and high school students, the NoblePrize.org website offers a variety of multimedia games that correspond to each Nobel Prize category. For those interested in crime scene forensic science, the CSI: The Experience WebAdventure, an on-line companion to a travelling museum exhibit, offers fun and engaging activities and games.

Interactive Multimedia for Social Skills and Coping Strategies

"It's My Life" is an interactive website on PBSKids.org, designed for middle-school students. It offers video clips, games and related activities on topics such as bullying, dealing with emotions, dealing with crushes, gossip and rumours, divorce, death, time management, test stress, fighting, and more. Streaming video clips on a range of topics are available on this site. Resources are provided on-line for teachers and parents. The activities on this website are appropriate for classroom guidance, small group counselling/intervention, and for "homework." The website also includes several interactive games. The activities are engaging when presented via an interactive whiteboard. Non-violent games, such as the Cloud Game and Tranquility, provide a relaxing experience when played on a PC or on the large screen, and can help anxious or stressed-out students relax. RippleEffects provides a variety of interactive multimedia applications designed for helping children and teens develop a variety of positive coping skills. Although the applications were designed for use on a PC, they work well on large interactive displays and can be useful for small group activities or presenting character education topics during whole-classroom activities.

Interactive Multimedia for Literacy Development Collaboration and Communication

"Two widely accepted principles about knowledge and learning—learners construct their own knowledge and learning is an inherently social phenomenon—support the use of group learning. Working in a small group provides learners with opportunities to articulate ideas and understandings, uncover assumptions and misconceptions, and negotiate with others in the process of creating a product or reaching consensus. Group activities enable students to discover deeper meaning in the course material and improve creative thinking skills.” (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction through Interactive Multimedia). “The most effective use of group work is that which engages students with higher-level content that is thought-provoking, difficult to understand, or has multiple interpretations." - Cheelan Bo-Linn, Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign On-line virtual world applications such as Second Life are now used for education and training purposes, and are impressive when viewed on a large screen. The advantage of 3-D worlds is that they facilitate interaction, communication, and collaboration between users, and for students, this can provide an effective means of maintaining their interest. One example of a 3D world is EduSim, a free open source educational software. EduSim was designed for use on large interactive touch-screen displays to build collaborative, networked environments, allowing students in different classrooms to work together. EduSim has been used to create machinima, models and simulations, and multimedia art. A student can quickly draw an animal or object with a finger, and it automatically turns into a three-dimensional figure, easily placed into a 3-D world. EduSim's website provides software downloads and teacher resource packets. EduSim was built on Croquet an open-source software development environment. It supports a large number of users and a variety of platforms and devices. The knowledge about our world continues to grow exponentially and educators are tasked with imparting this information to a diverse group of learners. It was not long ago that a high school education was sufficient, and then it was a Bachelor’s degree. Now a Masters is considered adequate preparation, while a Doctorate is considered a requirement in some fields. Specialization is the only practical way in which to impart a portion of the vast amounts information that we continue to compile. So it is also an educator’s responsibility to provide the tools in which to continue to learn throughout life. Instead of widening the digital divide, technology can be

used to bridge the gap bringing together students from various backgrounds and skills to share, collaborate and to learn from one another. Through the use of technology in conjunction with creative software, we can provide educators with a more efficient means to convey information. An interactive display is the convergence of technology, price, and application; instead of just being a single purpose display or dedicated whiteboard, an interactive display becomes multi-purpose and therefore a more valuable interactive communication tool.

Reaching All Learners Multimedia applications that are used on large interactive displays and surfaces meet the needs of a wider range of learners. According to research, the use of digital media, within a Universal Design for Learning framework, can support instruction in inclusive classrooms, and meet the needs of a wider range of learners, not limited to those who have disabilities. Universal design for learning was developed by researchers at CAST, the Center for Applied Special Technology, and focuses on the following guidelines:

• Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge,

• Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know,

• Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation. (Marentette & Uhrick, Reaching Learners: Immerse Eduaction through Interactive Multimedia)

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