Discussion 7-Clarke and Media
The media and learning debate in distance education has carried on for several decades. It
seems to be a very important discussion, mainly because a lot of educational institutions
and private companies spend millions of dollars on technology each year and they need to
know if they can gain learning benefits from employing a specific medium to deliver
instruction.
Richard Clarke uses the analogy of a delivery truck to explain his position concerning
instructional media. According to Clark, instructional media are ‘mere vehicles that
deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that
delivers our groceries causes changes in our nutrition’ (Clark, 1983, 2001). After
reviewing research studies from 1912 to the early 1980s, Clarke concludes that
instructional designers gain no learning benefits from employing a specific medium to
deliver instruction. Clarke states that, any performance or time saving gains researchers
observe are the result of uncontrolled instructional methods or novelty.
Richard Clark dismisses studies which show that instructional media can have an
influence on student learning. He maintains that when examining the effects of media,
only the media can differ. All other aspects, including subject matter content and method
of instruction must be identical (Clarke, 2001).
Clarke’s position is important because it helps us as educators to actually see what really
causes learning to occur. For example, delivery technologies influence the cost and
access to instruction, while design technologies influence student achievement. In other
words, it is the instructional method that accounts for the learning gain. Therefore, to reap
success, the instructional designer must find a way to translate cognitive process features
into a symbol system that the learner can understand. If the designer does a good job of
this cognitive translation, the student will learn, regardless of the symbol system or
medium used. One very important principle about instructional media that I have learnt
from these readings is “Thou shall not be blinded by the novelty effects of media on
students’ learning, because achievement gains tend to get smaller as students become
more familiar with the new medium”.
Lumsdaine (1963) and others, as stated in (Clarke 2001) implied that when media is
viewed as collections of mechanical instruments such as television and computers were
simple delivery devices. Petkovitch and Tennyson (1984) believe that certain media
attributes make contributions to learning and site computer simulation used for flying
training as an example. Most vocal against Clark's argument has been Robert Kozma
(1994). Kozma's belief is that media has a separate independent variable that will be
found to influence learning. Jonassen, Campbell and Davidson (1994) are consistent with
the constructivist philosophy and see media as providing the means of empowerment that
will free the learner of the traditional teacher. They are strong supporters of the
importance of the learner and the effect media has on the learning environment and in
that light see media as definitely influencing learning. Morrison (1994) will need more
empirical research before he is convinced that media is a variable that will improve
learning. He seems to favor an integrated approach that links media, method, context and
the learner as components in the learning process.
Many had believed that instructional media was definitely the solution to all academic
problems and as a result, learning would be increased tremendously. Many also believed
that technology would one day replace teachers in the classroom, but Clarke’s argument
pointed out that it is not the machine that influences learning, but the interdependence of
the method and media that effect learning. Without the combination of a strategy and
delivery medium nothing would be learnt.
References:
Clark, R. E. (Ed.). (2001). Learning from media: Arguments, analysis, and evidence.
Greenwich, CT: Information Age.
Jonassen D., Campbell, J. and Davidson, M., (1994). Learning with media: Restructuring
the debate. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42 (2), pp.31-39.
Kozma, R. B. (1994). Will media influence learning? Educational Technology Research
and Development, 42 (2), pp.7-19.
Morrison, G. (1994). The media effects question: "Unresolvable" or asking the right
question. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42 (2), pp.41-44
Petkovich, M.D., and Tennyson, R. D. (1984). Clark's "Learning from media" : A
critique. Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 32, pp. 233-241