Media SelectionMedia Selection

Peter FenrichPeter FenrichInstructional Development ConsultantInstructional Development Consultant

Learning and Teaching Centre (bcit.ca/ltc)Learning and Teaching Centre (bcit.ca/ltc)British Columbia Institute of TechnologyBritish Columbia Institute of Technology

Tel: 604-432-8817Tel: 604-432-8817Peter_Fenrich@bcit.caPeter_Fenrich@bcit.ca

Bridge-in

Imagine an educational video that Imagine an educational video that you watched, such as a you watched, such as a documentary.documentary.

Think about how much you Think about how much you remember given the amount of time remember given the amount of time you spent watching it.you spent watching it.

This relates to media selection.This relates to media selection.

Media Selection

Outcome

By the end of this lesson, By the end of this lesson, you should be able to you should be able to determine the most determine the most effective media mix for a effective media mix for a given instructional strategy.given instructional strategy.

Media Selection

Pre-Assessment

What are the different What are the different media?media?

What are some of the What are some of the strengths and strengths and weaknesses of each?weaknesses of each?

Media Selection

??????

Media Basics

Media categories: Text, audio, Media categories: Text, audio, visuals, video, animation, and real visuals, video, animation, and real objects.objects.

The right media mix best supports The right media mix best supports learning!learning!

Media Selection

Prediction

Which Which twotwo facts are generally true? facts are generally true?a)a)Learning is easier if one medium is Learning is easier if one medium is used to teach one skill.used to teach one skill.b)b)Learning is easier if two or more Learning is easier if two or more media are used to teach one skill.media are used to teach one skill.c)c)Presenting concurrent media can Presenting concurrent media can impede learning.impede learning.d)d)Presenting concurrent media always Presenting concurrent media always supports learning.supports learning.

Media Selection

Text

Use text to teach most skills.Use text to teach most skills. Usually combine text with other Usually combine text with other

media.media. Text can be efficient for fast Text can be efficient for fast

readers.readers. Think about a time where text did Think about a time where text did

not work well for you. Why didn’t it not work well for you. Why didn’t it work?work?

Text

Text Versus Video and Audio

Text is better than video and audio Text is better than video and audio when the topic is complex (e.g., when the topic is complex (e.g., analyzing student behaviour), analyzing student behaviour), abstract (e.g., calculating mortgage abstract (e.g., calculating mortgage payments), or has structure (e.g., payments), or has structure (e.g., steps to fill out a report).steps to fill out a report).

Text

Text and Different Skills

Text is very helpful when teaching Text is very helpful when teaching verbal information, such as facts.verbal information, such as facts.

Text is often a part of the solution Text is often a part of the solution for teaching other skills.for teaching other skills.

What topic do you teach where text What topic do you teach where text would not help?would not help?

Text

Audio Basics

Use audio for teaching skills in the Use audio for teaching skills in the affective domain (attitudes, beliefs, affective domain (attitudes, beliefs, and values), especially to and values), especially to personalize the material.personalize the material.

Audio can be used for other skills.Audio can be used for other skills.

(e.g., lung sounds)

What skills do you teach that require What skills do you teach that require audio to learn them?audio to learn them?

Audio

Audio Uses

You can use audio to gain attention, You can use audio to gain attention, give feedback (to save time when give feedback (to save time when marking assignments), give marking assignments), give directions, provide details for a directions, provide details for a PowerPoint, give meaning to a PowerPoint, give meaning to a series of images, provide series of images, provide multilingual support, accommodate multilingual support, accommodate weak readers, and testing.weak readers, and testing.

Narrated audio can frustrate.Narrated audio can frustrate.

Audio

Audio and Learning (1)

Guide the learner’s attention Guide the learner’s attention beforehand. beforehand.

- Tell them the one thing to focus on.- Tell them the one thing to focus on. Keep audio clips short as, on Keep audio clips short as, on

average, aural memory is average, aural memory is notnot particularly retentive.particularly retentive.

Let students control (e.g., repeat) it.Let students control (e.g., repeat) it. Audio can be a critical part of video.Audio can be a critical part of video.

Audio

Audio and Learning (2)

Imagine making a narrated Imagine making a narrated PowerPoint as a student resource.PowerPoint as a student resource.

For it to be effective, you must keep For it to be effective, you must keep students involved by making them students involved by making them think.think.

What can you do in a narrated What can you do in a narrated PowerPoint to ensure the learners PowerPoint to ensure the learners actively think?actively think?

Audio

Audio and Video

Note the importance of audio in this Note the importance of audio in this video.video.

Audio

Uses of Visuals

You can use visuals for identifying You can use visuals for identifying objects, classifying objects, showing objects, classifying objects, showing spatial relationships, performing spatial relationships, performing psychomotor skills that do psychomotor skills that do notnot need need to be recognized or copied (e.g., to be recognized or copied (e.g., showing a series of images works), showing a series of images works), making abstract concepts concrete making abstract concepts concrete (e.g., with graphs), and testing.(e.g., with graphs), and testing.

Real objects are often needed.Real objects are often needed.

Visuals

Making the Abstract Concrete

Revenue function = 250nRevenue function = 250n Cost function = 150n + 10,000Cost function = 150n + 10,000

Visuals

Visuals Help

Compared to only text, visuals with Compared to only text, visuals with text reduce learning time and help in text reduce learning time and help in acquiring and retaining information.acquiring and retaining information.

But, too much detail can distract.But, too much detail can distract. Consider combining visuals with text Consider combining visuals with text

to provide practice and feedback.to provide practice and feedback. Many skills are hard to teach without Many skills are hard to teach without

visuals.visuals.

Visuals

Hard to Describe VisualVisuals

Visual ChallengeVisuals

Volunteer to be the one who Volunteer to be the one who describes an image?describes an image?

Uses of Video

Show realism, psychomotor/physical Show realism, psychomotor/physical skills (especially those that need to skills (especially those that need to be copied), procedures, processes, be copied), procedures, processes, making abstract concepts concrete, making abstract concepts concrete, classifying information, comparing classifying information, comparing information, and teaching attitudes, information, and teaching attitudes, beliefs, and values.beliefs, and values.

Influencing Attitudes Influencing Attitudes

Video

Psychomotor Skill Example

Video

Other Uses of Video Use video to:Use video to: - Gain attention- Gain attention

- Introduce topics- Introduce topics

and proceduresand procedures

- Make presentations - Make presentations

visualvisual

- Test concepts- Test concepts

Video

Gain Attention Video

Video

Video and Audio

Video with audio can effectively Video with audio can effectively teach attitudes, beliefs, and values, teach attitudes, beliefs, and values, procedures, and abstract ideas.procedures, and abstract ideas.

Video with audio can depict events Video with audio can depict events faster than text.faster than text.

Should video and audio be used Should video and audio be used instead of text? Why or why not?instead of text? Why or why not?

Video

Video and Learning

Video can greatly enhance learning.Video can greatly enhance learning. Weak for detailed information.Weak for detailed information. Video may only be passively viewed Video may only be passively viewed

- Why?- Why? Guide the learner’s attention Guide the learner’s attention

beforehand so the learner only has beforehand so the learner only has one thing to focus on. one thing to focus on. Example

In general, keep clips short.In general, keep clips short.

Video

Detailed Information - Weak

Watch the following video and try to Watch the following video and try to remember as much as you can.remember as much as you can.

Video

Guiding the Learner

Note where the hands and arms are Note where the hands and arms are placed.placed.

Video

Animation

Animations can significantly Animations can significantly enhance learning, motivation, and enhance learning, motivation, and attitudes as well as reduce the time attitudes as well as reduce the time needed for learning.needed for learning.

From a practical perspective, From a practical perspective, animation is very similar to video animation is very similar to video with respect to learning.with respect to learning.

Animation tends to be costly to Animation tends to be costly to produce.produce.

Animation

Real Objects

There is only so much you can learn There is only so much you can learn about sky diving with your feet on about sky diving with your feet on the ground.the ground.

Real objects are needed for obvious Real objects are needed for obvious reasons.reasons.

Real Objects

Media Mix

Your media mix must:Your media mix must:

- match the instructional strategy- match the instructional strategy

- support all learning outcomes- support all learning outcomes

- address all events of instruction- address all events of instruction

(e.g., each BOPPPS item)(e.g., each BOPPPS item)

- allow for practice and feedback- allow for practice and feedback

Media Selection

Practice and FeedbackMedia Selection

Is the following procedure done Is the following procedure done correctlycorrectly??

Media for Verbal Information

For verbal information (facts or For verbal information (facts or repetition/no thinking information), repetition/no thinking information), use text and visuals as is use text and visuals as is appropriate.appropriate.

Video will also sometimes help.Video will also sometimes help.

Media Selection

Media for Intellectual Skills

For intellectual (thinking) skills, use a For intellectual (thinking) skills, use a variety of media based on the learning variety of media based on the learning outcomes and instructional strategy.outcomes and instructional strategy.

Media Selection

Media for Physical Skills

Use video with text for movements Use video with text for movements that need to be copied (e.g., that need to be copied (e.g., shooting a basketball).shooting a basketball).

Consider a series of Consider a series of photographs/images and text if photographs/images and text if movements do not need to be exact movements do not need to be exact (e.g., changing tires).(e.g., changing tires).

Remember real objects are needed.Remember real objects are needed.

Media Selection

Media for the Affective Domain

For the affective domain of learning For the affective domain of learning outcomes (attitudes, beliefs, and outcomes (attitudes, beliefs, and values), use video and audio. This values), use video and audio. This may be the best combination for may be the best combination for invoking emotions, which is often invoking emotions, which is often needed for someone to really make needed for someone to really make a behavioural change.a behavioural change.

Text is often needed too.Text is often needed too.

Media Selection

Important Ideas

For what you teach, list three For what you teach, list three important ideas to remember about important ideas to remember about media selection:media selection:1) ____________________________________1) ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2) ____________________________________2) ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3) ____________________________________3) ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Media Selection

Key Points to Remember (1)

In general, more than one medium In general, more than one medium increases learning.increases learning.

Include text for most skills.Include text for most skills. Visuals with text reduce learning Visuals with text reduce learning

time and help students acquire and time and help students acquire and retain information.retain information.

Media Selection

Key Points to Remember (2)

Keep audio and video clips short.Keep audio and video clips short. Video with audio can effectively Video with audio can effectively

teach procedures and abstract teach procedures and abstract ideas.ideas.

Video is weak at teaching detailed Video is weak at teaching detailed information.information.

Animations are similar to video.Animations are similar to video.

Media Selection

Key Points to Remember (3)

Your media mix must:Your media mix must:

- match the instructional strategy- match the instructional strategy

- support all learning outcomes- support all learning outcomes

- address all instructional events- address all instructional events

(each BOPPPS item)(each BOPPPS item)

- allow for practice and feedback- allow for practice and feedback

- include real objects as needed- include real objects as needed

Media Selection

Key Points to Remember (4) Verbal information: Use text and visuals Verbal information: Use text and visuals

and occasionally video.and occasionally video. Intellectual skills: Use a variety of media Intellectual skills: Use a variety of media

based on the learning outcomes and based on the learning outcomes and instructional strategy.instructional strategy.

Psychomotor skills: Use video and/or Psychomotor skills: Use video and/or images as well as text.images as well as text.

Attitudes, beliefs, and values: Use video Attitudes, beliefs, and values: Use video with audio. You may need to make it with audio. You may need to make it emotional. Text may help.emotional. Text may help.

Media Selection

Free and modifiable images/media from:Free and modifiable images/media from:

- http://search.creativecommons.org/#- http://search.creativecommons.org/#

- Check the “Use for commercial purposes” box- Check the “Use for commercial purposes” box

- Check the “Modify, adapt, or build upon” box- Check the “Modify, adapt, or build upon” box

- Put in your search term- Put in your search term

- Click on “Google Image”, “Wikimedia Commons”, - Click on “Google Image”, “Wikimedia Commons”,

“ “Flickr”, or …Flickr”, or … Wikipedia has many free images, but check rights by Wikipedia has many free images, but check rights by

clicking the image and state the linkclicking the image and state the link YouTube (only give students the link, not the file)YouTube (only give students the link, not the file) Fenrich, P. (2014). Fenrich, P. (2014). Practical principles of instructional Practical principles of instructional

design, media selection, and interface design with a design, media selection, and interface design with a focus on computer-based training / educational focus on computer-based training / educational softwaresoftware. Santa Rosa, CA: Informing Science Press.. Santa Rosa, CA: Informing Science Press.

Resources and Reference

What questions about What questions about media selectionmedia selection

do you still have? do you still have?