The Concept of Computer-based Multimedia
What do you understand by the term multimedia? There are as many answers to this question as there are the components that make up multi media. One of the better descriptions that I like is the following as it is simple and elegant in its description:
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The use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way. Long touted as the future revolution in computing, multimedia applications were, until the mid-90s, uncommon due to the expensive hardware required. With increases in performance and decreases in price, however, multimedia is now commonplace. Nearly all PCs are capable of displaying video, though the resolution available depends on the power of the computer's video adapter and CPU. Source: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/multimedia.html |
The thing to remember is that multimedia incorporates a number of media types in an integrated fashion. Integration as used by the multimedia industry has its own meaning which refers to "two or more components merged together into a single system. For example, any software product that performs more than one task can be described as integrated. Increasingly, the term integrated software is reserved for applications that combine word processing, database management, spreadsheet functions, and communications into a single package".
Reflection 3.1
A basic training in educational technology in our country will include a whole range of Audio-Video (AVAs) such as overheads, slides, slide projectors, video and audio. In fact many of us get exposed the hardware such as audio and video recording and playback equipment.
In many countries the broadcasting industry has often spearheaded the production and distribution of educational content along with entertainment and information content. While teachers and the educational system may fully understand the value of AVAs, very few classroom teachers are unable to find the time or the resources to make as good a content as the professional broadcasters.
All that is changing in some of our better equipped schools (e.g. the SMART Schools), which with the added investment by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia are moving on to a highly technology-rich learning environment. Our institutions of higher learning, on the other hand are well provided with technology infrastructure for teaching and learning but their everyday use is somewhat modest unless they are dedicated distance education providers, such as the Wawasan Open University.
It is likely that in the near future many universities in our country will be using more multimedia than they currently do, especially since most if not all of the young people who will be enrolling in our universities are expected to be tech savvy and the richness of the ICT environment in our campuses will permit greater use of multimedia both for teaching and learning. Such a shift will change the dynamics of the educational environment as depicted in Table 3.1 below.
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Traditional instruction |
Multimedia enhanced instruction |
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Table 3.1 Comparison between traditional and multimedia instruction
Reading 3.1
- The role of our sensory systems (e.g. sight, hearing, tactile) in learning - we will read more about sight and learning in Unit 4.
- The manner in which teachers use and have benefitted from audio visual systems to enhance learning.
- The arrival of multimedia technologies and the gradual shift from teacher centred to learner centred education.
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