Home File Management Pathfinder Multimedia Online Communication Teacher
Tools Internet Tools
Teaching and Technology
E-Portfolio:
Multimedia
Multimedia has become
a powerful tool in teaching that can enhance traditional presentations. Projects can be designed by both teachers and
students. Like traditional projects,
multimedia projects require strong, accurate content. Consistent screen design contributes to ease
of learning.
Text, graphics,
video, audio, and animation are multimedia elements that can be used to
structure the learning environment.
This multimedia
presentation was created using Articulate, an e-learning authoring tool. The content of this interactive quiz deals
with animal kingdoms.
Reflection:
Awareness: I have
created many PowerPoint presentations, but none that incorporated
interactivity. After reading the readings, I decided to incorporate not
only interactivity, but to take it up a notch and incorporate audio-visual
components to the presentation. I have scripted (via PowerPoint) pieces
that were narrated using Flash.
Exploration/Filtration: Students can progress at their own rate using
multi-sensory learning – this addresses diverse learning styles. Students
learn concepts better by engaging in more stimulating presentations, and by
moving at their own pace. I created the quiz to allow student to return
and review the material at their own pace.
Learning: The process was time-consuming and at times frustrating because
software capabilities did not allow for what I had planned to do. I had
never used Articulate so I downloaded a free trial version. I was
unfamiliar with the software, so after taking the tutorial, there was still a
bit of a learning curve. The narration portion of the presentation was
straightforward enough, but I was not able to incorporate the Flash clips with
Articulate. My first attempt at narrating and producing stripped the
embedded file, only showing a photo – no movement. My second attempt at
importing the Flash movie failed because I didn't have the Professional Edition
(I found this out later via emails to the support team of Articulate). My
third attempt was to use an alternative method of stripping the audio track out
of the video and then importing via Articulate Presenter as a .wav file.
That didn't work either due to synchronization/animation timing. Have you
ever watched a Japanese movie dubbed in English? It was even worse!
Back to the drawing board I went. My fourth attempt was to scrap
Articulate and try Camtasia since I knew this software was relatively simple to
use with embedded Flash clips. I had played around with 3.0 last year so
I downloaded a free copy of version 4.0. My original reticence to use
Camtasia over Articulate was that I wanted to try something new – but at this
point I was desperate! Unfortunately, I ran into issues with my
PowerPoint format of several quizzes which worked really well in Articulate,
but not in Camtasia. The good news is that the Flash clips worked after
my second retry (4.0 is much more different than what I remember 3.0
being). The bad news is that the links for answers didn't work.
Thus, I would have had to recreate the whole PowerPoint at that point.
Application: I created a self-paced quiz with links to questions/answers and
embedded video clips.
Share/Reflect: I would like to learn the software program better to redo the
project using tracking tools to measure learner progress – maybe incorporate a
timed quiz component as well. Upon reflecting the many versions I created
in both software programs, I came to the conclusion that the choice of software
depends on what your audience needs are and your teaching goals are. For
straight quizzes – Articulate is the best choice. If you want to embed
video, go with Camtasia.
It has definitely been an exercise in frustration and perseverance.
Although I never could get the movie clips to work in Articulate, the quiz
functionality was what I was looking for.
Alternately, I redid the project (several times) in Camtasia 4.0 - being able
to finally figure out how to get the movie clips to work, but the quiz didn't
work as I wanted it to.