This unit examines the diversity of theoretical and conceptual frameworks which influence current research and production of educational multimedia applications. Topics will include: educational theory and practice, cognition and cognitive development, the differentiation between child and adult learners, catering to differences in the capacity to learn, for example, gifted and disabled learners, creating immersive and interactive learning environments, current debates surrounding e-Learning, and enabling equitable access to learning technologies. Students will be given an overview of issues and techniques for applying information technology to support instruction in educational and training contexts and gain practical experiences in managing a design process involving competing aspects of learning theories, content characteristics, audience needs and software development practices.
At the completion of this unit students will have a theoretical and conceptual understanding of:
Students will have developed attitudes that enable them to:
Students will have the skills to:
Students will have developed the teamwork skills needed to:
For on campus students, workload commitments are:
Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education’ (Monash Directions 2025 - http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html) and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning.
To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. The University’s Unit Evaluation policy (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/unit-evaluation-policy.html) requires that every unit offered is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to “have their say”. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
Faculties have the option of administering the Unit Evaluation survey online through the my.monash portal or in class. Lecturers will inform students of the method being used for this unit towards the end of the semester.
Student Seminars have been used to ensure student engagement with the content and to point out the relevance of the content to student learning.
Micro lectures will supplement content delivered by students in seminar weeks.
Reviewed Seminar Topics.
A competitive learning product analysis exercise has been used to reduce the reliance on essay writing.
The due date of the project documentation has been moved forward to allow greater time for project development.
The practical assignments, documentation and multimedia project, are intended to allow students to work on a real educational multimedia package and to practice their multimedia authoring and media creation skills.
In past years learning applications have focused on children as an audience. A wider range of target audiences and contexts will be allowed this year, including adult instruction, workplace instruction and online packages.
Weeks 1 to 5 and 13 will involve lecturer delivered content.
Weeks 6 to 12 will involve student delivered seminars, supplemented with micro lectures.
The unit will use the Moodle open source online learning system.
Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.
It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.
| Week | Topic | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Multimedia, Introduction, Assessment and Seminar Topics | Seminar Topic Selection |
| 2 | Knowledge, Learning and Pedagogy | |
| 3 | Cognitive Architecture, Schema Theory and Cognitive Development | |
| 4 | Learning Theories - Behaviourism and Instructivism | |
| 5 | Micro Lecture - Example Seminars 5a Other Theories of Learning - Constructivism 5b Types of Learning Environments | Assignment 1: Group Seminar and Sides (25%) Due Friday 3 pm week 5 |
| 6 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 6a Workplace Learning Developments 6b Learning Using Simulations | Assignment 2: Group Design Document 20%) Due Friday 3 pm week 6 |
| Mid semester break | ||
| 7 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 7a Multiple Intelligences 7b Learning Styles/ The Right and Left Brain | |
| 8 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 8a Differences Between Adult and Child Learners 8b Gifted and/or Special Needs Learners | |
| 9 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 9a Games for Learning 9b Online Learning Environments, Features and Limitations | Assignment 2: Individual Competitive Product Analysis (15%) Due Friday 3 pm week 9 |
| 10 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 10a Interesting Ways of Motivating Students to Learn 10b Discuss the Open Learning University Model | |
| 11 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 11a New Developments in Assessment and Grading Systems 11b Novel Ways of Providing Feedback to Learners | |
| 12 | Micro Lecture - Seminar 12a Instructional Technology and Media Development 12b New Approaches to Instruction | Assignment 4: Group Interactive Educational Multimedia Application (40%) Due Friday 3 pm week 12. |
| 13 | Review | |
No Set Text
Recommended Reading (*indicates Highly Recommended for this unit)
* Alessi, S. and Trollip, S. (2001). Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development. 3nd ed. Allyn and Bacon. Sydney.
The software required for this unit is available in the multimedia labs at the Berwick campus and includes:
Macromedia Director
Macromedia Flash
Macromedia Dreamweaver
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
CMap Concept Mapping software (http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/).
Software may be:
Study resources we will provide for your study are:
These resources will be made available through the MUSO website.
The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.
The Educational Library and Media Resources (LMR) is also a very resourceful place to visit at http://www.education.monash.edu.au/library/
All unit and lecture materials are available through MUSO (Monash University Studies Online). Blackboard is the primary application used to deliver your unit resources. Some units will be piloted in Moodle. If your unit is piloted in Moodle, you will see a link from your Blackboard unit to Moodle (http://moodle.monash.edu.au) and can bookmark this link to access directly. In Moodle, from the Faculty of Information Technology category, click on the link for your unit.
You can access MUSO and Blackboard via the portal: http://my.monash.edu.au
Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then Blackboard under the MUSO learning systems.
In order for your Blackboard unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.
For example:
For more information, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html
You can contact the MUSO Support by phone : (+61 3) 9903 1268
For further contact information including operational hours, please visit: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html
Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site: http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html
Practical assessment: 100%
To pass this unit you must:
Title : Assignment 1: Group Seminar and Seminar Slides
Description :
A Group Seminar presentation of 20 minutes and 10 minutes questions. Groups to be of three students and presentations to be delivered to class in lectures in weeks 6 to 12. With presentation slides to be submitted for uploaded to the FIT3033 MUSO site by Friday 3 pm week 5.
Seminar topics selected from the list provided.
Weighting : 25%
Criteria for assessment :
Presentation Delivery and Slides Formatting (10)
Content and Research (10)
Relating the topic to educational multimedia and discussion of examples of educational multimedia packages (5)
Due date : Friday 3 pm week 5
Title : Assignment 2: Group Design Document
Description :
Presentation by the group of a detailed project plan for an interactive multimedia learning environment and to be targeted at a given instructional methodology.
Weighting : 20%
Criteria for assessment :
Professional Presentation of Documentation (5)
Completion of Documentation Components (10)
An Interesting and Original Concept (5)
Due date : Friday 3 pm week 6
Title : Assignment 3: Individual Competitive Product Analysis
Description :
Weighting : 15%
Criteria for assessment :
Presentation of a clearly expressed and logical analysis (5)
Reference to instructional theory to back up your analysis (5)
Correct referencing, written expression and use of supporting graphics (5)
Due date : Friday 3 pm week 9
Title : Assignment 4: Group Interactive Educational Multimedia Application
Description :
Production of a multimedia learning environment for a specific audience and context, that demonstrates; 1) clear instructional objects, 2) the appropriate formatting and use of media for the presentation of content, 3) an effective instructional strategy that includes interactive elements, and 4) an appropriate assessment strategy.
Your learning environment may target:
1) Child learners
2) Adult learners
3) Workplace learning
4) Online learning
Weighting : 40%
Criteria for assessment :
Clear Instructional Objectives 5
Effective Instructional Strategy 5
Major Interactivity 5
Appropriate Assessment Strategy and Feedback 5
Appropriate Formatting, Use of Media and Media Quality 10
Technical Excellence and Reliability 5
Creativity in Design 5
Due date : Friday 3 pm week 12
The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.
Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.
Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/
We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with the University Plagiarism policy and procedure (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) which applies to students detected plagiarising.
In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work.
When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer.
Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.
Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.
Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.
The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.
The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.
Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:
Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.