Impact of Technology and Multimedia

 

·       What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?

Thanks to the quick movement of technology and software available, online learning has long taken advantage of new technologies and multimedia to engage students and supplement learning. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed capabilities even further as school systems and workplaces across the globe had to figure out how to march forward remotely. The impact of technology and multimedia on online learning is almost impossible to measure. Multimedia is intuitively beneficial in educating online students as it provides a course designer with the opportunity to optimize the use of the senses of sound, vision and spatial awareness. It enables the benefits of face-to-face learning while also allowing asynchronous delivery (Akhter, 2017).

·       What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?

The most important considerations an online instructor should make are accessibility and learning objectives. Although using multimedia technology to enhance a course is important, the type of multimedia used may require internet access and speeds that not all students will have. An instructor should take into account the geographic locations of the students and whether or not everyone will be able to easily access materials and content. An instructor also needs to ensure that multimedia isn’t being used just because its available but because it can be mapped to learning objectives for the course in defense of use (Enhancing the online experience, 2010).

·       What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?

Online learning offers a unique chance to “level the playing field” for students. Resources and information can be provided equally as long as all students can easily access the information. When designing a course, accessibility is an important factor. 508 compliance and other considerations should be taken into account so that all students can master the material. Universities must provide students with disabilities equal access to all programs, including activities and services that allow an equal opportunity for them to actively participate and to achieve the same results as other students (Betts, Riccobono, & Welsh, 2013). Once the university adopts a policy of inclusion that extends to curation of products from vendors who specialize/incorporate accessibility into their design, the trickledown will be for instructors and ISDs to create accessible content.

·       What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?

I do not plan to have a career in instructional design. However, some of the same tools can be used for collaboration in my workplace as a technical writer. The tools I find most appealing are the collaborative workspace technologies. Apps like Google Docs allow a team to edit and create content together which I imagine would be good for group work in an online course.

 

Overall, I learned that it doesn’t matter if I establish the perfect content using the best multimedia tools if it is not accessible to everyone. As I move forward in my career, accessibility will be at the forefront of the document I design.

References

Akhter, F. (2017). Virtual Learning Environment: How Well Designed Multimedia Lowers the Learners Cognitive Load. Journal of International Business Research, 16(1). Retrieved from https://www.abacademies.org/articles/virtual-learning-environment-how-well-designed-multimedia-lowers-the-learners-cognitive-load-6882.html

Betts, K., Riccobono, M., & Welsh, B. (2013). INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL SECTION ON INTEGRATING ACCESSIBILITY INTO ONLINE LEARNING. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 17(3), 1-5.

Enhancing the online experience (2010). [Motion Picture].