| DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE | DUE DATE |
| Creating the Learning Community Welcome to EDCI 337 – Interactive and Multimedia Learning! I’m happy to be working with you this term as we explore the theory and practice of interactive and multimedia learning together. To get started we’ll set up our learning community using WordPress and Mattermost to create blogs and a social media space where we can interact with each other. We start by creating the online learning community by setting up our blogs and chat room on WordPress and Mattermost, introducing ourselves and connecting with a group to create a Learning Pod. You will meet with this Learning Pod throughout the course and work on the final project together. Your pod will also sign up for an initial Zoom meeting with the instructor. | Sept 4-14 |
| Module 1: How Do We Learn? Theories of Multimedia Learning In this first module we take a closer look at the theories underlying Mayer’s Theory of Multimedia Learning and some of the principles aimed at reducing extraneous cognitive load in multimedia learning. We’ll also take a closer look at three more of Mayer’s principles from the point of view of managing intrinsic cognitive load and three that are focused on social cues. How do we build our multimedia so that it helps learners tackle difficult tasks with high intrinsic load? We’ll also try our hand at screencasting, one of the easier multimedia learning objects to create and something you will definitely use in the future, especially if you’re teaching anything online. We’ll take a look at examples of screencasting and some of the promising practices around creating video for learning purposes. By the end of this module you will be able to: – Identify interactivity and non-interactivity in media. – Describe the basic components of Cognitive Load Theory. – Describe Paivo’s Dual Coding Theory and its importance in learning design – Identify three cognitive learning theories that underlie Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of – Multimedia Learning (CTML) – Describe the five core principles of the CTML designed to reduce extraneous cognitive load – Apply three of the core principles of Mayer’s CTML to a screencast design – Define intrinsic cognitive load and germane cognitive load – Describe three principles of Mayer’s CTML designed to manage intrinsic cognitive load – Identify learning situations where the use of video would be most effective. – Create a screencast using Mayer’s principles as a guide | Sept 15-28 |
| Module 2: Generative AI and Evaluating Multimedia Generative Artificial Intelligence harnesses the power of machine learning to generate text, sound and video in response to text prompts. In the past few years, the quality of what these technologies can produce, and the availability of these tools to the average user, has grown exponentially. There has been a growing discussion about the use of AI to generate content, particularly since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. So what can these tools do? And how can we make use of them ethically and effectively as learners and learning content creators? As instructors, we’re often called upon to evaluate and select the media and multimedia resources and technology tools and platforms we use for teaching and learning purposes. This can be a complex task, involving many interacting variables, from student demographics to institutional support and requires a clear understanding of how the pedagogy and technology interact. As an instructor, you need to imagine what the media or technology could add to your course – what are its capabilities, what would potentially add value to the course? This is a skill you will only develop with exploration and experimentation. We take a look at two models for evaluating media, multimedia and technology aimed at providing some structured analysis of these decisions – SECTIONS and TPACK. By the end of this module you will be able to: – Define Generative Artificial Intelligence Describe five limitations of Large Language Models (LLMs) – List three ethical considerations involved in using art work generated by AI tools Use a Generative AI tool to create a text, media or multimedia output – Consider how to assess the quality and accuracy of content created by Generative AI tools – Cite a project created in part or whole by using Generative AI – Describe 8 factors for consideration when evaluating the use of media, multimedia or technology in teaching. – Describe the interaction between pedagogy, technology and content in a teaching context. – Apply the SECTIONS model to an evaluation of media, multimedia or technology for learning purposes. – Apply the TPACK model to an examination of the relationships between pedagogy, technology and content in a learning environment. | Sept 29-Oct 12 |
| Module 3: Principles of Learning Design and Active Learning Interactive and multimedia learning design should always serve the learning objectives, not drive the instructional design process. So it’s important to know how an instructional designer would approach creating interactive and multimedia learning in support of a lesson or course. Good learning experiences don’t just happen – they are the product of careful planning and meticulous design. This week we take a look at some of the common instructional design and lesson planning principles and models that help us systematically plan learner-centred and effective learning experiences. Lecturing has been the predominant mode of instruction since universities were founded in Western Europe over 900 years ago. But educational theorists have been challenging this ‘teaching by telling’ approach for many years and research continues to show that active learning can dramatically improve student learning outcomes. In this module we also look at the benefits of active learning and explore some of the ways that media and multimedia can support these activities. We’ll also play with H5P, a powerful tool for creating interactive learning objects and Twine, a tool for creating branched narratives. By the end of this module you will be able to: – Recognize a lack of constructive alignment in learning outcomes, assessment and activities. – Describe the process of backward design. – Use a planning template to apply backward design to a lesson that contains a media or multimedia activity. – Describe Merrill’s Five Principles of Instruction. – Identify examples of media and multimedia activities that can be used to support Merrill’s principles in a learning environment. – Differentiate between active and passive learning – Describe the connection between active learning and higher order thinking in Bloom’s Taxonomy – Apply scaffolding to learning design that incorporates active learning Identify four evidence-based learner outcomes from using active learning in the classroom – Describe six strategies for bringing active learning into a learning environment with media or multimedia – Create an interactive learning object with H5P | Oct 13-26 |
| Module 4: Design Principles for Effective and Accessible Multimedia Look at the examples and your own work in multimedia learning design with an accessibility lens – are there design choices we can make that will provide accessibility to a wider range of users? We’ll look at Inclusive Design Principles as well as the Universal Design for Learning guidelines and talk about strategies for adding accessibility to your work flow so that inclusion is built into your media and multimedia learning design. We’ll also be creating infographics, a powerful medium for representing ideas and concepts, and exploring text to speech screenreaders, one of the most commonly used adaptive tools for learning. So, you’ve followed Mayer’s principles and created some visual aids for your learning materials – but are they effective? Are they engaging? Are they contributing to learning? In this module we take a closer look at graphic design principles and apply them to the planning, design and creation of effective learning materials for print, online or blended learning environments. As we work through these design principles and try out some tools, see if you can spot Mayer’s principles at work. By the end of this module you will be able to: – Describe the difference between equality and equity – Describe three design principles aimed at creating inclusive experiences List five factors in the design of text, images and video that impact accessibility – Describe a workflow change to media or multimedia design that would improve accessibility – Identify the three grounding principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) – Apply a principle of Universal Design for Learning to a media or multimedia learning object design – Identify five visual design principles involved in the design of a learning object – Apply Cognitive Load Theory and Mayer’s principles to presentation design – Use a graphic design tool to create an infographic to illustrate a concept or idea – Use a screenreader to access digital content | Oct 27 – Nov 9 |
| Module 5: Storytelling Techniques and Video Production Human beings have a rich tradition of storytelling as a method of transmitting learning and culture to the next generation, a practice as old as language itself. When we’re listening to a story – one that’s rich in detail and metaphor and includes compelling characters – research has shown that we tend to imagine ourselves in the situation. This has powerful implications for learning. In this module we take a look at some of the neuroscience behind storytelling for learning and explore some techniques that you can apply to your media and multimedia learning projects to maximize their impact. By the end of this module you will be able to: – Describe six promising practices for creating a meaningful story. – Apply storytelling techniques to creating a short story with a learning purpose. – Design a branched narrative using Twine – Create a short self-produced video telling a story with a learning purpose | Nov 10-23 |
| Project Completion In this final week we will be focusing on completing the final group project for the term, a lesson designed by your group for a learning purpose that puts into practice the tools and techniques covered this term. | Nov 24 – Dec 4 |
| ASSIGNMENTS | |||
| DUE DATE | DETAILS | GRADE ALLOTMENT | EVALUATION CRITERIA (rubrics provided in Brightspace) |
| Sept 14 | Creating the Learning Community You will need to set up a blog on WordPress, a social media account on Mattermost and introduce yourself to your classmates on both platforms. | N/A | Complete/Incomplete |
| Oct 12 | Assignment 1: Midterm Review – Blog Posts and Comments (Modules 1-2) Regular blog posts at the end of each module provide you with an opportunity to critically reflect on the topic of the week, apply multimedia learning principles to different technologies, and engage in asynchronous discussion with your classmates on course topics. Giving feedback on the blog posts of other students in the class, and receiving feedback on your own blog posts, will allow you to consider different perspectives, further explore topics, refine your thinking, and clear up misunderstandings. | 25% | Evidence of Critical Thinking Connection to Personal Learning Experimentation and Application Connection and Expanding on Module Topics |
| Nov 23 | Assignment 2: Final Review – Blog Posts and Comments (Modules 3-5) This final review of your course blog and comments will cover Modules 3-5. | 35% | Evidence of Critical Thinking Connection to Personal Learning Experimentation and Application Connection and Expanding on Module Topics |
| Dec 4 | Assignment 3: Rich Multimedia Lesson (group project) Together with your Learning Pod, you will create a coherent lesson on a subject of your choosing that illustrates your ability to incorporate the principles and techniques for learning design and multimedia creation we’ve covered this term while making use of the tools we’ve explored. The project includes a reflective post where you will articulate the principles and theories applied in your project. | 40% | Evidence of Planning Evidence of Constructive Alignment Media Variety, Experimentation and Exploration Connection to Theory and Practice |
