Multimedia is not a new concept. It’s been around in multifaceted forms long before learning management systems and the development of online courses came to fruition.

If asked “what’s the most popular form of media in today’s society?” one would be able to argue the Internet or television depending on your generation, technological savviness, etc. With the evolution of the Internet and the creation and mass use of online video services such as Hulu and video sharing websites such as YouTube, having access to varied forms of multimedia is becoming increasingly more common. So should professors and instructional designers incorporate multimedia from sites like these into an online course? In my humble opinion, absolutely. These sites offer content from a variety of credible entities. With course design, whether face-to-face or online, vetting what peripheral resources are included is essential.

For the purposes of this blog, let’s look at Merriam-Webster’s definition of multimedia:

• Multimedia (noun): a technique (as the combining of sound, video, and text) for expressing ideas (as in communication, entertainment, or art) in which several media are employed; also : something (as software) using or facilitating such a technique

When developing an online course, the collective use of audio, video, and text can certainly enhance course content, but can it detract from it? I would argue yes. Clark and Mayer (2003) suggest that instead of presenting words alone, we recommend presenting words with pictures. Our recommendation is not to add pictures that decorate the page (called decorative illustrations) but instead to add pictures that help the learner understand the material (called explanative illustrations).

Being strategic is imperative not only in identifying which textbook to use, journal article to reference, or technology to incorporate into your course, but also when deciding which forms of multimedia will enhance the fundamental concept being discussed.

So, what should one consider when selecting media? The first question I would ask myself is “does the medium help illustrate and contextualize the concept(s) for a given topic?” If the answer is yes, then utilizing differentiated media can address varied learning styles. The use of audio, visual, and kinesthetic multimedia and learning activities helps to liven up the course by supporting learner engagement.

In a course that I recently developed, I had the pleasure of working with an innovative professor who identified television sitcoms and motion pictures to help articulate the course concepts. When she was unable to find existing media, this professor strategically utilized resources such as theater majors on campus to portray and video record these concepts.

There are a plethora of resources that exist on the Internet and internal resources available through most higher education institutions. The need to develop new content is unlikely given that individuals and organizations have made acquiring content much more conducive via proper permissions (i.e., creative commons, licensing rights via authentic websites, etc.) to utilize their content.

Once you have the framework of your course solidified, identifying (and in the professor’s case, creating) illustrative multimedia can help to ensure that your course content is relevant and piques students’ interest.

Resources

• Clark, R.C., and Mayer, R.E. (2003). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction (55). San Francisco: Pfeiffer
• http://www.merriam-webster.com/