Today’s students increasingly digest technology and videos from the time they’re in diapers, and educators must incorporate a variety of tools to keep students engaged in the learning experience. Depending on the subject matter and grade level, teachers are exploring how animated presentations, interactive whiteboards, online quizzes and mobile app games can help students master course material.
Lamar University’s online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Technology Leadership program provides evidence-based strategies for bringing video and other technology into the classroom. Through coursework in digital learning and curriculum design, graduates gain the skills they need to tailor their teaching techniques to students of different learning styles.
What Is Multimedia Learning?
While the term “multimedia learning” is commonly associated with educational television shows or game-based learning, multimedia learning refers to any lesson that involves a combination of words and pictures. Educational psychologist Richard Mayer discovered that a majority of students learn more effectively using a combination of written or spoken words with photographs or illustrations.
Long before YouTube content creators began sharing lessons online, teachers used colorful graphics, animated slideshows and music to help students absorb concepts that can be challenging without visual aids. Video content is also helpful for students with disabilities, for whom reading more difficult. Educators also often use closed captions on videos to help students practice reading as they simultaneously process the content being shared in the video.
When deployed effectively, multimedia learning allows students to develop a deeper understanding of the material and discover multiple ways to solve problems, according to the Digital Learning Institute. Perhaps most importantly, students who enjoy learning via visual and interactive media begin to associate their learning experience with feelings of curiosity, fun and gratitude. Those emotions propel them to engage further with course material that suits their interest and achieve better outcomes in and outside the classroom.
Teachers must also consider how each multimedia tool will effectively communicate information and teach students new skills. By asking how a video would support the individual needs of students or exploring the end goals of each multimedia element, educators are more thoughtful in their approach to lesson planning as they incorporate new media components.
How Is Multimedia Changing the Modern Classroom?
Education in the modern world often requires teachers to find new ways to keep students’ attention on the core concepts they need for future educational outcomes. Incorporating digital education techniques can be as simple as using audio files and music videos as supplementary. Therefore, students hear the pronunciation of new words or tie vocabulary words to visual cues.
Often, teachers tie video content to worksheets or online quizzes that test how students absorb the material or practice the lesson demonstrated in the video. This method helps students tie memorization of a key concept to an entertaining video or an animation that makes sense of a challenging word problem.
According to Edutopia Learning, videos should be a short, student-friendly length of seven minutes and under. Teachers should be selective about which clips they show and give students a clear mission for what they’re looking for in the video and how they will be expected to incorporate the video’s content into their assignments.
For longer videos or clips packed with content, teachers should be willing to pause and give the students time to write down reflections. Too much multimedia content can quickly feel overwhelming, especially to English-language learners or students with disabilities that make it more challenging to process the material.
Discover Multimedia Teaching Strategies With Lamar University
As part of Lamar University’s online M. Ed. In Educational Technology Leadership program, students complete courses like Assessing Digital Learning. Taught by experienced faculty, the course provides educators with practical measurement solutions for assessing learning in digital learning environments. The Designing Online Learning course also provides rising educational professionals with intentional design strategies to effectively blend technological tools with their student achievement goals.
Graduates of Lamar University’s online program have the skills they need to confidently navigate an increasingly digitized educational landscape and use multimedia for student learning.
Learn more about Lamar University’s online Master of Education in Educational Technology Leadership program.
