Learning, or Not Learning, Through Multimedia

Abstract

With the increasing availability of multimedia software and advanced computers at moderate prices, multimedia lessons are now entering the classroom. Many of the research ideas from human factors and cognitive psychology from the past two decades can now be implemented for teaching mainstream classes. This paper discusses experiences in developing a multimedia statistics course for engineering students that was taught totally on-line through the Internet with no live lectures. Lessons were devised so that students were shown computer-generated animation and could use interactive computer graphics to develop accurate mental models of the material, spatial representations of abstract concepts, and the ability to run mental simulations of the statistical processes. Student performance was assessed with homework assignments and paper-and-pencil tests similar to that done in past semesters. Students had a difficult time adjusting from a passive education role to a more active role. When assessing student performance in these traditional ways, improvements in performance were not found. When the Internet class was changed, however, to integrate the animated lessons with the assessment, performance improvements were found. Ideas are discussed for ways to transition students to take a more active role in learning and to re-examine classroom assessment techniques to more accurately determine the long-term effects of multimedia learning.