Week 7: Part 1 Activity 3 - My Journey through CECS-5110 Multimedia

Over the past seven weeks, I have found this course to be extremely challenging at times, mainly due to the time constraints. Having to learn a new application within a week and then try to create a product worth sharing with colleagues has been very hard to do. I also found it difficult to make instructions that I could actually use with my teachers and students with the limitations on software that could be used. For example, not being allowed to use screen casting or screenshots really narrowed my choices for instructions to design. These limitations forced me to choose a topic that did not require the use of a computer to complete. It was frustrating to have to change topics during the second week so that I would be able to complete all of the required projects for the class.

Although the journey has been difficult, there are some things that I have learned. Immediately in the course, I learned how difficult it is to create an instruction set for students without the use of any text. I found that text helps add some detail to a visual instruction set that pictures alone may not be able to produce. In addition, I learned how important it is to provide instructions using different media forms to support the different learning styles of students. But the one item I enjoyed learning about the most was how to use Adobe InDesign. I can see what a powerful tool this can be in designing future training tools for the teachers and students in our school district.

The course did leave some empty gaps in my learning that I would like to further explore. During the fourth week when we created audio files, I could not get them to embed correctly in a PDF file. I could not find any videos to teach me how to do this. I would love to learn how this can be done. I would also like to learn more about how to use the Adobe products. With the time limits on this course, I was not able to delve into how to use each application. The main thing I want to learn more about is how to create effective online courses for students. I have designed and managed online course for professional development in our school district, but feel that more guidance on enhancing these courses would be beneficial.

So as I reflect back over this course, along with the learning, there are still areas that are a bit hazy to me. First, I still cannot grasp the importance of drawing images as opposed to using screen shots or still photo images for producing a good instruction set. So many of the instructions I design pertain to computer software or Internet sites that an actual picture seems to be a better solution for creating clear instructions. In addition, I found that when I go back to use one of the Adobe products, I cannot remember how I created the files needed for class. I spent hours working on the projects, but the actual skills to using the applications were not acquired. There was just not enough time to really grasp the full essence of the Adobe products. I look forward to going back and learning more about these applications so that I can use them as I design trainings for teachers in the future.

Week 6: Part 2 Activity 2 - Using Video to Design Instruction

I really enjoyed creating the instruction set this week using video. The design seemed to go so much easier since the video showed the detail that is so hard to include in just text or image instructions. I did learn that it is best to have a script ready that includes how the shot will be taken. Knowing if the shot will be a close up or wide angle ahead of time minimizes the number of shots taken while actually recording. Also, I learned that it is best to do short clips and add them together, than it is to try to record long clips. Plus, it gives the designer the opportunity to add different angles. It is also best to mix up the close up views with the wide angle views. This was a fun project to create.

Providing video instructions can be beneficial to the student. First, the instructor can upload the video to the Internet so that students can watch the instruction on demand. Additionally, the video allows the student to see exactly what the instructions are so that the interpretation is minimized on the student’s part. For the instructor, being able to use the videos from year to year is a great benefit since time will not have to be taken in the future to create the instructions. Plus, with all of the devices available to instructors today, a quick video can be recorded from a phone and published to the Internet very quickly.

There were several issues that I had to overcome in the production of my video that caused some difficulties. First, I had to find a microphone that would connect to my camera so that I could be heard in the video. I was able to use a microphone that our district owns. But I would probably have to purchase a microphone if I created a video away from work. Also, I found it difficult to record the video and have the correct lighting to produce a good quality video. When providing video instruction, a difficulty for students might be that they are not able to watch the video if they do not have a device or Internet connectivity to access the video. But overall, I felt like the difficulties I experienced were fairly easy to overcome.

As I worked on the video this week, I began to think of ways that I could use videos in my instruction. I feel that the use of videos definitely enhances the learning environment. I realize that using videos for flipped instruction in the classroom can also be extended to offering flipped instructional training for teachers. As a student in this course, I personally saw that as I watched the videos to learn the Premiere application, I could see how powerful it is to see the steps of the instruction as I tried to find my way through the program. Having the visual and audio instruction combined made learning the new program much easier.

So when I compare using video as opposed to a single medium for delivering instruction, I can see that using video is very helpful to the student. To me, video instruction is the clearest way to communicate with students about expectations for a project or steps to complete and activity. The video provides detail that text or images alone cannot capture. In addition, many times with the use of a video, students do not have to try to interpret what the expectations are, but they can see exactly what must be done. Designing instruction with video can certainly enhance learning.

Week 5: Part 2 Activity 2 – Designing Audio-Visual Instruction

When the designer of instruction is given the opportunity to use both audio and visual components, the design process has some differences than when using these components in isolation. From my own experience, this project took much more time to create than what I expected. Using multiple media make the designer have to really plan on how to use each media. By using the audio and the images together, the amount of text needed to instruct the student is decreased. But probably most importantly is that putting the audio and images together allows the designer to add a more personal touch to the presentation.

So is this type of instruction more efficient? For the designer, I feel that it is not more efficient because of the amount of time needed to create the presentation. On the other hand, I do feel that for the student, using audio-visual instruction because the students can quickly go through the images, using the audio files only when they are needed. Although it may take more time to create, I think that it is a very good way to instruct students.

The designer has to have the student in mind when creating audio-visual instructions. One must know the intent of the lesson that will be taught. This can drive the type of media that will best enhance the lesson. The designer must also think about the type of devices that the students will use to access the instructions. This will determine how the instruction set will have to be published. And finally, the designer must take into consideration the learning styles of the students and make sure that the instructions will benefit each of them.

There are always pros and cons to developing good instructional sets. For the project this week, I was very limited in my knowledge of the application to create the instructions and this really set my frustration level at a very high rate. I realized how difficult it can be for students to have to learn something completely new to them. But apart from me, there are limits to building audio-visual instructions. The designer has to be careful to not let one media distract from the other. Balancing them together can be difficult if not well planned out in the beginning. Also, the designer must realize that files play differently depending on the type of file being used verses the device that the students will use to access the instructions. On the contrary, there are certainly benefits as well. For student to be able to see an image of what should take place can definitely enhance the learning for the student. Also, the student’s learning becomes more mobile when they can access the information whenever they need it. But I feel the greatest benefit is that the instructions comes alive for the student as they are able to interact with the presentation sparking more interest for the student.