What Is Multimedia?
CECS 5110
What Is Multimedia?
 Multimedia is a computer-based interactive
communications process that incorporates
text, graphics, sound, animation, and video
 Interactive
 Key
feature of multimedia
 User determines what content is delivered,
when it is delivered and how
 Non-linear
Computer-based Multimedia
 2 or more media
 Computer multimedia
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Multi-sensory experience – real world
Multi-sensory memory imprints
Different learning styles benefit
 Hypertext - links
 Hypermedia - hypermedia ware
Hypermedia
 Based on cognitive theories of how people
structure knowledge and how they learn
 Links to navigate
 Non-sequential navigation
Hypermedia Applications
 Instructional courseware
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Appropriately introduced
Follow-up activities
 Teacher and students’ own creations
Multimedia Advantages
 Engrossing – deep involvement
 Multi-sensory
 Creates knowledge connections
 Individualized
 Teacher and student creation
Multimedia Disadvantages
 “Lost in cyberspace”
 Lack of structure
 Non-interactive – if one-way, no feedback
 Text intensive content
 Complex to create
 Time consuming
 Cognitive overload
 Linear content
Multimedia Growth
 Marketing Standpoint
 User Standpoint
Multimedia Growth
Marketing Standpoint
 Computer price
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1992 – 1 mil - $2,500 or $1,000 upgrade
1996 – 24 mil - $1,500 or $300 upgrade
 Multimedia titles
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1992 – 5,000 - $100
1996 – 15,000 - $30
 Hype - “killer applications”
 Value added – enhances computer use
Multimedia Growth
User Standpoint
 User control
 No
longer only lectures and/or printed materials
 Any sequence of the material, any time,
anywhere, any modality
 Individualization
 Address
different learning styles and needs
 User decides how material is presented:
visual, audio, textual
 Adjusting level of difficulty
Multimedia Growth
User Standpoint (cont.)
 Action
Active processes: simulations, acting out a play,
testing knowledge and feedback
 Examples
500 Nations, Grandma and Me , Magic School Bus
Major Categories of
Multimedia Titles
 Entertainment
 Education
 Corporate communications
 Reference
Major Categories of
Multimedia Titles
 Entertainment
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Games: action and graphics
Action + storytelling
Physical coordination + mental outwitting
 Education
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Accommodates different learning styles:
association vs. experimentation; auditory vs.
visual
Provides feedback, levels of difficulty, evaluates
skills, nonlinear presentations
Major Categories of
Multimedia Titles
 Corporate communications
(marketing and training)
 Attract
attention to a message
 Product catalogs, published magazines, touchscreen kiosks, online shopping, …
 Stockholder's meeting, sales rep pitch,
conference speaker, employee orientation and
training, …
Major Categories of
Multimedia Titles
 Reference
CD: encyclopedias, census data, directories,
dictionaries
Delivering Multimedia
 Compact disc
Inexpensive, easy mass produce and distribute
 Kiosk
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Computer system to access info, perform
transactions or play games
Convenience, reduces personnel costs, but
expensive maintenance
 Online
Web pages, product advertisement, demos, …
The End
University of North Texas
Dr. Vicky Cereijo