Why Use Visualization at All? Isn't Text Enough?
Long time users of the Internet sometimes speak disparagingly of the Web. They seemed perfectly satisfied with text-based Internet features such as gopher and lynx web browser. Similarly, in the real world, some have lamented the switch to USA Today-type color graphics made by all newspapers and the increasing use of pictures and graphics in textbooks. They see such changes as part of the "dumbing down" of our society.
On the other hand, today's students have been raised on TV, VCRs, and video games. A new recognition of the importance of understanding visual literacy and semiotics has only recently emerged. Only through study of how we are influenced by such things as visuals images and music, can we begin to overcome the impact they have on our thinking, and plan educational curricula to help students see issues more broadly. This was one of the goals of my Crime andMedia course, while much of my Web design reflects semiotic principles or attempts to deconstruct signs and symbols (such as those associated with the OJ Simpson trial).
Finally, given the highly visual nature of today's students, educators and course material designers have begun to consider ways of incorporating multimedia into the classroom experience and supplementary learning exercises. But, is there any evidence that multimedia technology is more effective for delivering instruction than traditional methods? Is there more than anecdotal evidence to show that the educational results justify the cost and effort of incorporating multimedia technology into the classroom? To help answer these questions, we have a growing body of research devoted to assessing the effectiveness of multimedia in all levels of education, including corporate and military training. Debate continues to rage between those who have found "no significant differences" between multimedia and traditional techniques and those who claim that multimedia education improves learning retention.
Can Multimedia Be
Effectively Incorporated?
There should be a good reason for the inclusion of any multimedia component. Less is more. In a recent article, Pete Thibodoux states:
Present your message, and only your message. Don't confound it with superfluous graphics, animations, sounds, colors or activities. Be a minimalist in your approach. Think lean. Make it a challenge to present your message with as few textual and audiovisual stimuli as possible. If you make it too lean and your learners have trouble understanding the communication, you will find that out during your formative evaluation. If you put too many "bells & whistles" in your lesson, you will probably never find out about the troubles. All you end up doing is using up time unnecessarily - yours and the learners' - as well as disk space.
Thibedoux presents a well thought out analysis of the use of graphics and animation, video, and interactive components in any multimedia design project. Are there other considerations he has not mentioned?
At a more basic level, multimedia design issues are fundamental in creating a Web-based course, given that the course navigation system is likely to include GUI elements such as buttons, icons, and image maps. The principles involved in designing visual interfaces combines graphic design, architecture, and psychology. Few web sites are based on such principles, and I'm still learning, too.
What Are the Major
Graphics, Video and Audio Formats Used on the Web?
There are several answers to this question. There are a number
of formats commonly used for Web-based new media and almost all browsers will support
these. On the other hand, if you are willing to download and install browser plug-ins (and provide these
easily for site visitors through anonymous FTP), the number of formats supported for graphics, animations, video, music, sound, VRML
and other 3D
worlds, 360 degree photographs, and interactive presentations is
legion. Multimedia can be inserted into Web documents
in one of three ways, as inline
graphics, as embedded objects,
or as hyperlinked files. The latter will start the download of a video or audio file which
will play once it is completely copied to your cache. Unless the server has been set up
for the file's MIME type, it won't download properly (there are some exceptions). Embedded objects can be
streamed with all player controls downloaded first, e.g. Real Player.
As time progresses some types of graphics, audio, and video formats become predominant on the Web. While gif and jpeg graphics appear to be maintaining their strong position, animated gifs are being challenged by formats which offer greater compression and thus faster downloading. Macromedia's Flash is one such example. Flash graphics are vector-based rather than pixels, can be easily resized without losing image clarity, and can be used to produce animations. RealSystem 5.0 combines RealFlash streaming animation with higher quality Real Audio and RealVideo support.
Other ways to add interactivity,
visualization, and simulation
The Internet offers a number of ways to make distance learning courses more interactive. Many of these now are Web-based and browser-accessible. These include the use of email-based components; forum discussions; text, audio, and video chat; collaboration tools; database applications; and on-line 3D games and simulations. I find that the latter may prove particularly useful as educational tools.
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