Impact of Technology and Multimedia

•    What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?

   

    Technology has a huge impact on education and learning environments. One of the largest impacts that are more recent is the advent of eBooks. Using electronic devices for dissemination of the information has moved from static text on pages, to interactive links to multimedia and in some cases actual multimedia in reading itself. One prominent example is that of anatomy or biology books. Through he use of digital media, the authors are able to make 3d models and interactive examples of the human body at work, geological phenomena at work and also break down body parts and other elements to give the reader a more concrete example of actions or environments that were never before possible Having this form of interaction, assists the users in understanding and drawing connections to the information that is being presented aiding in better knowledge transfer and better retention of the information presented.

•    What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?

    What needs to be considered before the introduction of new technologies, or certain technologies is the applicability of the technology to the curriculum, the comfort level of the instructor with the technology and the comfort level of the learners with technologies. Not all students are digitally adept, and in some cases, some teachers are still learning about common technologies that are present in the world. The idea behind the use of and integration of new or current technological aspects for education is to know the community that you are teaching too (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). Using tools like twitter, texting, or instant messenger could put some people off, as they are not exposed to them. So gauging your students and their comfort level is crucial when you are dealing with distance learning.

•    What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?

    Usability and accessibility can affect how the students interact, how often and how they communicate using the tools available.  Using twitter, as an example, may be a good way for shot concise immediate communications, but not everybody uses twitter and those that are new to it, like me, find following people very noisy. Using instant message is good if there is a controlled forum and it is used to interact with students for an immediate need. Using some of these also allows users to be more mobile, and are more likely to incorporate more interaction due to the fact that many of these are web 2.0 technologies and allow uses to be on the go when responding or interacting.

•    What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?

    I think that, in my case, using eBooks and interactive / collaborative methods such as wikis or Google docs will allow for better interaction team building and introductions to new technologies that are on the rise.  Being able to interact with the students, get their thoughts and perspectives, and keeping them engaged is crucial when dealing with distance learners. As has been pointed out many times, distant learners can feel isolated and alone. As though they are soldering on through the experience by themselves. Allowing for more interaction, easier interaction and faster responses alleviates a lot of stress that students often feel and allows for a more complete educational experience.

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. M. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Conrad, R. M., & Donnaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.