Best Practice Approach to multimedia technology

1. Best Practice Approach to multimedia technology Presented to College VP of Instruction by D. QuinnMarch 7, 2010

2. Best Practice Approach to multimedia technology Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνευ σμικρῶν τοὺς μεγάλους φασὶν λιθολόγοι λίθους εὖ κεἶσθαι. “As the builders say, the larger stones do not lie well without the lesser.” ~ Socrates, 469 BC–399 BC

3. Road Map • Context • Survey Data • Challenges • Literature • Discussion • Proposal • References

4. Context • As an institution, TSTC encourages faculty to move their online instruction to the next level in innovation using multimedia technology. • Current literature on incorporating multimedia technology in online learning presents compelling arguments for the educational value of multimedia. • The review of current literature will enable TSTC to determine a successful, sustainable approach to the integration of multimedia in online courses. • TSTC should align multimedia use with online instruction vision.

5. Survey Question In preparing online content that improves learning and includes instructional multimedia technology, what is the biggest challenge you face as an online instructor?

6. Sample Data • “. . . the biggest challenge of the process is the time management.” (IT faculty) • “. . . Preparing online content that challenges and engages the digital native . . . while attempting to not alienate the digital immigrant.” (Web dev. faculty) • “. .. Competing with the distractions that surround students as they learn on line (TV, music, games).” (Web dev. Faculty) • “No time to create.” (Academic faculty)

7. Sample cont. • “Lack of support from instruction and/or department.” (Academic faculty) • “Little initial training offered (sink or swim philosophy which prevents some from attempting.” (Academic faculty) • “Students’ lack of self-initiative – some students will not ask for assistance in using technology or they simply refuse to use [it].” (Academic faculty)

8. Sample cont. • “Poor advising for online classes – students are told online classes are ‘easier,’ ‘completely self-paced,’ ‘don’t take as much time as traditional classes’ – which sets up unrealistic expectations; students usually expect instructor to conform to what is advised.” (Academic faculty) • “[Students don’t understand] the process and use of the media.” (Academic faculty) • “[As faculty]. . . Biggest challenge is the media technology.” (Dental Hygiene faculty)

9. Sample cont. • “BIGGEST challenge . . . access to [multimedia tools] . . . such as Camtasia.” (Technology faculty) • “My main issue with new media is time constraints. It takes me time to get creative with it; I have to feel very comfortable with how I’m going to implement it in the course and how to assess the students. If I know what I’m trying to accomplish and have my learning objectives lined up; it is easy for me to get the students rolling with it. Pedagogy is what’s important. Technology is just a tool that helps me stay organized (if I’m using it correctly) and it broadens my choices for content delivery; I feel it helps me make my course more ‘fun and versatile.’” (Dental Hygiene faculty)

10. Sample cont. • “I would have to say that my biggest challenge is the time constraint of finding the appropriate media, learning how to use it, and implementing it. For example, I went to . . . Camtasia training last summer and learned the basics (what you can learn in one hour) but then had to really make time to play with it. [Faculty does not Camtasia on office system.] (Academic faculty) • “. . . I feel that creating videos is a must. The problem that I have is that I do not have [assess to] Camtasia.” (Academic faculty)

11. Sample cont. • [Courses don’t contain] a prerequisite explicitly naming computing skills. . . Student understanding is my main problem.” (Academic faculty) • “. . . biggest problem I face when developing online content deals with choosing the most appropriate and effective delivery method for the lesson objectives. This challenge stems not from a limited understanding of the technology, but rather the biased ‘cool’ factor that tends to skew my judgment as I begin to develop. [W]e tend to forget to reflect . . .” (Faculty / Chair)

12. challenges • Challenges in developing effective online instruction using instructional multimedia technology: • Time to learn / deploy • Prepare challenging and engaging content • Competing distractions • Technical / technology support • Lack of just-in-time training / resources • Learner motivation • Poor advising for online classes • Access to multimedia resources / tools • Learner competencies

13. Challenges cont. • Technology literacy • Developer skill sets • Lack of technology prerequisites • Learner incentives • Narrow perspective to instructional technology use • No best practices approach for instructional multimedia technology

14. literature • New technologies like blogs, wikis, social bookmarking / networking services enable unprecedented sharing and collaboration between users, the formation of new learner identities or subjectivies and communities of learning, driving the social aspects of learning to new levels (O’Sullivan, & Samarawickrema, 2008). • While multimedia is perceived as having the potential to reshape teaching practice, oftentimes the attributes of multimedia technologies are not exploited effectively in order to maximize and create new learning opportunities, resulting in little impact on the learning environment (Torrisi-Steel, 2005).

15. discussion • Providing access to multimedia tools is key to motivating faculty to using them in their online content. However, motivation should be coupled with a disciplined approach to matching the tools with the content for successful learning experiences. • A best practices approach suggests a starting point to addressing the challenges expressed in the sample survey data.

16. Proposal • TSTC should formulate a best practices approach to multimedia instruction that includes these core principles: • Reflective practice: Develop, adopt and deploy strategies (discovery, research, knowledge) focused on the effective delivery of lectures and digital resources resulting in a high level of satisfaction or excellence for the digital learners (Glossary, 2010). • Systems thinking practice: Exploit multimedia technology to match the tools with content for successful learning experiences. • Support practice: Aggressively pursue just-in-time support systems that ensure faculty and students are equipped with the necessary tools and competencies to accomplish their educational and professional goals.

17. Proposal cont. TSTC may adopt the following mission statement: TSTC adopts a best practices approach to instructional multimedia development for digital learning content.

18. references • Glossary. (2010). The Enterprise and economic development library. Retrieved (2010, March 1) from http://www.findmehere.com/search/dictionary/b_index.htm • O’Sullivan, M. L., & Samarawickrema, G. (2008). Changing learning and teaching relationships in the educational technology landscape. In hello! where are you in the landscape of educational technology?. Retrieved (2010, March 1) from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/osullivan-poster.pdf • Torrisi, Geraldine. (2005). Core Principles of Educational Multimedia. Encyclopedia of multimedia technology and networking. Retrieved (2010, March 1) from http://pathfinder.utb.edu:2090/Details.aspx

19. conclusion • Context • Survey Data • Challenges • Literature • Discussion • Proposal • References