- Topic Learning Objectives. By the end of this week you should be able to:
- Explain why some professors argue that Educational Technology makes “no significant difference” to student learning outcomes, while others argue that it does make a difference
- Evaluate the suitability of multimedia learning objects for specific use cases using multimedia learning principles
- Make use of the theories and principles of interactive and multimedia learning to create effective interactive and multimedia learning objects appropriate to a specific learning audience and situation
- Consider future technologies as a means to further implement the theories covered
Last Learning?…..Life Long Learning
Well done! We are now in the last week of EDCI 337. Over these weeks we have covered many theories and practices. Many have used technology, but others have not. Most theories in particular do not specify that technology be used. Many principles are not specific to a technology or a tool but more about learning broadly. A lot of ground was covered and I hope you now feel like you have the skills and the theoretical bases to be confident in your teaching and learning with multimedia.
As this class ends June 23rd please have all posts and comments completed by then. A URL of your best post you wish to be marked can be sent anytime before June 23rd.
Also please email me lukejr@uvicdotca or MM @luke the URL of your Assignment 4 as each person should have it as a post on their own site.
Lastly, our class will finish with this weeks look into Debate on Multimedia Learning and life long learning!
Truly wishing you all the best in all your future endeavors!
Best wishes! – Luke
The Clark-Kozma Debate on Multimedia Learning
Back in 1994, Richard Clark & Robert Kozma engaged in a public debate on Educational Technology, which focused mainly on whether or not a new medium (like video recording) using the same pedagogy can lead to betting learning outcomes (like higher test grades). Given our very fast move to online course delivery because of COVID-19, this debate has taken on new importance and urgency. In the context of our learning, these perspectives are important as you take all you have learning into your own practice. My colleague Rich McCue wrote this piece diving deeply into these questions New Educational Technology + Old Pedagogy = No Significant Difference? (McCue, 2014).
New multimedia learning tools enable new pedagogies or teaching methods:
If you think that Clarke and Kozma were yelling at each other in a live debate, it did not have that much pomp. This debate did not happen in person but took place via duelling journal articles over a span of over three years. Below is a concise summary of the debate and related journal articles in case you’re interested in exploring their arguments in more detail:
If you’d like to dive deeper into this academic showdown, please check out the actual debate in these four duelling journal articles:
- Kozma’s original article titled, Learning with Media, which kicked off the debate (1991)
- Clarke’s initial response to Kozma titled When Researchers Swim Upstream: Reflections on an Unpopular Argument About Learning From Media (1991)
- Kosma’s response to Clarke about his perspective on, The influence of media on learning: The debate continues (1994)
- Clarke’s journal article where he argues that Media will never influence learning (1994)
- Five Common but Questionable Principles of Multimedia Learning Clarke solidifies
And now watch one of the participants (Dr. Clark) explain his position.
Enter the Experts
Within the ongoing pandemic you now have gathered a large amount of experience with various modalities including online and face to face. Now you are well versed in a multitude of theory, skills and practice. This class exposed you to multiple theories, concepts and hands on learning. It is my hope you can take away many things from this class that will inform your practice and aid in your own teaching and learning. Now it is your turn to create meaningful and affective learning experiences.
Next?
Technology pervades much of EDCI 337 content. From WordPress to Merge Cube we have inquired about the merits of how technology is used to implement the theories we learned. What is to come next?
Artificial Intelligence
‘AI’ is a collection of computer technologies that are able to perform tasks that emulate human intelligence. Technologies of AI include Machine Learning, Deep Neural Networks, Deep Learning and Natural Language. These technologies are used to create various types of Cognitive or ‘Smart’ applications.
Here in BC the BCSTA reported this about the current status of AI, “True, we have far more devices than we have ever had, and school systems rely on technology far more than we ever have. The next frontier, however, is for AI to leverage purposeful learning in classrooms. We have begun to see some interesting examples of this in several jurisdictions. Here are a few interesting examples:
- AI is used in smart tutors, which help schools differentiate instruction for diverse learners. In some cases, they can process natural language to interact with students.
- Consider Classcraft, a game-based classroom management tool intended to find patterns in student engagement and use this information to make suggestions to teachers on the spot.”
The AI Race
What will the near future bring in terms of AI and AGI, and what impact will that have on teaching and learning with multimedia? Nearly all the field considers AI to have huge potential to the field. Most major companies are deeply investing in AI. Here are a few:
Google has a few including Magenta and Deepmind
Meta AI
Microsoft Azure
IBM Watson Education
Weekly Activity: Hands-on Tasks: Experimenting with smartphone photography
The best way to get better at smartphone photography is to practice, practice, practice, and to experiment. So keep in mind everything you learned while completing the lab.
Note: Because every type of phone is a little bit different, giving exact instructions for this lab can be difficult in some places. If you ever can’t figure out how to access a setting, do a quick web search for the setting + your phone type!
Explore your camera’s settings
What features does your camera have? What different modes are available? If you’re uncertain what any specific modes do or mean, do a quick Google search and/or take the same photo using different modes to see what changes (experimentation!).
- Look through your camera settings to see what is available. Did you know your camera had all of these different options?
- Google any settings or modes that you’re unfamiliar with to ensure you know what they will do.
- Put your phone in pro mode, and explore all the options that then become available to you. Point your phone at an object and experiment. What happens if you change the ISO? The aperature?
Once you’ve finished exploring your camera’s settings, be sure to reset everything before moving on!
It’s also recommended that you turn off your phone’s auto mode while completing this lab.
Take some photos
To practice taking photos, I recommend completing some activities from UVic’s Digital Scholarship Commons:
- Move around: This activity encourages you to think about composition, and get outside your normal thought patterns. Explore different angles, backgrounds, and lighting to see what different images you can get.
- White balance: Depending on the lighting where you are taking your photos, white might not appear quite as white as it should. Adjusting the white balance can help fix this. Let’s practice!
- Self-portraits: With the rise of Instagram, there’s been an equivalent rise in selfies. You might as well take good ones!
Post-processing
Before you get started with this activity, download and install the VSCO app on your smartphone. We’ll use this to experiment with the post-processing of images. You can search for the app using your phone’s app store, or use the link below.
It’s not cheating to make a few adjustments to your photos after they’ve been taken! Using a post-processing app, you can make small adjustments to exposure, contrast, sharpen, etc., to bring your photos to another level.
Share your work
By now, you should have dozens of photos on your camera roll from today’s lab. Share a few of your favourites in your a blog post! You may also choose to share different versions of the same photo/object and talk about what you did differently to get different results.
Tasks & Assignments this week:
- Assignment 4 – Multimedia Design, Create & Review Group Project due June 23rd. Assignment 4 is the major assignment in the form of a large blog post. Reminder to email me or MM the URL. Each member will receive the same grade and should have the same post on their own blog.
- Assignment 1 is fully completed this week
- For Assignment 1 please email or MatterMost the URL of your best weekly post. This will be graded as your Assignment 1
- Assignment 2 is also completed this week as all comments should have been posted on your Pods posts
- *In sum, before June 23rd you are to email me 2 URL’s one of which is your best blog post from the weekly posts and the other is your Assignment 4 URL. (If you have not sent me you Assignment 3 URL please do so)
- No blog posts this week other than your Assignment 4 post
- Thank you once again and all the best!
Bibliography
The media debate. (n.d.). In EduTech Wiki. Retrieved June 19, 2020, from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/The_media_debate
Clark, R. E. (1994). Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42(2), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299088
Clark, R. E. (1991). When Researchers Swim Upstream: Reflections on an Unpopular Argument About Learning from Media. Educational Technology, 31(2), 34–40. JSTOR. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/stable/44430584
Clark, R.E. (2012). An interview with Dr. Richard Clark. https://youtu.be/XR6IJrh6pxI
Kozma, R. B. (1991). Learning with Media. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543061002179
McCue, R. (2014). New Educational Technology + Old Pedagogy = No Significant Difference? Rich McCue v5.0. https://richmccue.com/2014/02/28/new-educational-technology-old-pedagogy-no-significant-difference/
McCue, R. (2020). The Clarke & Kozma EdTech, Multimedia Learning Debate—Part 1 [Mp4]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z_6BNQBoIQ
McCue, R. (2020). The Clarke & Kozma EdTech, Multimedia Learning Debate—Part 2 [Mp4]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFItcr9mEg8
Leave a Reply