The following is a summary of the main points covered in this chapter.
- Definitions of multimedia and hypermedia: Although multimedia means "multiple media," while hypermedia means "linked media," the terms have come to be used interchangeably. The hypermedia concept is based on the ideas of Vannevar Bush in his landmark article "As We May Think."
- Current and future impact of multimedia/hypermedia: Multimedia products, already seeing substantial use in education, are predicted to have even greater impact in the future, since they mirror the increased emphasis on visual media in the modern world. Educational contributions are being seen in four areas: increased motivation, more flexible learning modes, development of creative and critical thinking skills, and improved writing and process skills.
- Research on multimedia/hypermedia: Research finds that multimedia's benefits center on its ability to offer students multiple channels through which to process information. Several studies also have offered recommendations on designing and using multimedia products for instructional purposes.
- Four types of multimedia/hypermedia resources in education: Types of multimedia/hypermedia resources include: commercial multimedia/hypermedia software packages and three kinds of multimedia/hypermedia authoring tools: presentation software (e.g., Microsoft's PowerPoint), video production and editing systems (e.g., Apple's iMovie), and virtual reality (VR) systems (e.g., Apple's Quicktime VR Authoring Studio).
- Commercial multimedia/hypermedia resources: These include instructional software (e.g., tutorials, drills, simulations), interactive books and ebooks, reference materials, and collections of development materials. Educators use criteria under the following headings when selecting these materials: instructional planning and support, instructional design, content, interface design and navigation, and feedback and interactivity
- Authoring resources, procedures, and skills: When teachers or students create their own multimedia/hypermedia materials, they need a variety of digital resources (e.g., audio, video, photos, graphics, and text) and hardware (e.g., computers, scanners, digital cameras, camcorders, microphones, audio speakers) at their disposal, as well as a set of authoring skills, which they can develop over time.
- General authoring procedures: These include reviewing others' work, doing background research, storyboarding, creating individual frames or segments, adding links and scripts, and testing and revising.
- Authoring with presentation software: Integration strategies for PowerPoint-type presentations include support for lectures or presentations of content, practice screens (e.g., spelling words, new vocabulary), assessment screens (e.g., identification of objects), brief tutorials, book reports, and student-created presentations. Rubrics are available to help assess presentations.
- Authoring with video production and editing software: Integration strategies include demonstrations of procedures (e.g., science experiments), student-created presentations, video lectures, video portfolios, video decision-making/problem-solving simulations, documenting school activities (e.g., yearbooks), visual literacy demonstrations, and teaching video production. Rubrics are available to assess video products.
- Authoring with hypermedia authoring software: Integration strategies include brief tutorials, student-created presentations, and interactive storybooks. Rubrics and checklists are available to assess hypermedia projects. (See checklist on the DVD accompanying this text.)
- Authoring with virtual reality and other immersion resources: These tools include full immersion environments, web-based VRML, 3-D software, and QuickTime VR. Integration strategies include: imaging for virtual field trips, 3-D models to illustrate how systems work, and immersive learning environments for exploration.
