Appropriate use of multimedia can enrich teaching but
keep in mind the following four caveats.
First, it is easy to “overdo it.” There is a fine line
between making a page interesting and making it too “busy.”
Keep each element of the website focused on the educational
objective. If it does not have a teaching purpose—remove
it! Do not include multimedia just because it is available.
Rather, choose the format (which may be just text) that will
most effectively teach the principle. Changes in text format
can enhance a page but they can also detract. Again, use
restraint, focus on your objectives, and remember that
multimedia
per se
does not improve learning.
22
Second, multimedia is no substitute for good instructional
design. As Rosenberg says, “Multimedia can add
value, but simply adding multimedia to a bad learning
program won’t improve it.”
23
Third, keep in mind the issue of download speed.
Learner satisfaction declines when downloads are slow,
24,25
suggesting that the advantages of multimedia are offset
by slow speeds. This is less of a problem for users with
high-speed access, but for users with a dial-up modem it
becomes a significant issue. Large files—video, detailed
graphics, animation, and even audio (if the connection is
slow)—take longer to download. If a large multimedia object
illustrates an important point it may be worth the inconvenience.
Otherwise, reduce the file size (e.g., image resolution)
or eliminate it altogether.
Fourth, pay attention to copyright law. “Fair use” laws
that permit duplication for personal use do not, in general,
allow reproduction on the Internet. This applies to both text
and multimedia. Still, it may be cheaper to purchase a
license to use high-quality material than to develop material
in-house (but make sure the license extends to Web
publication). See Hoffman’s text
26
for a detailed discussion
of U.S. copyright law as it pertains to the Internet, and
consider consulting local experts.
Hyperlinks
take the user from the current page to
another site on the Internet. Target links might include
a table on the same webpage, an illustration in the same
website, an online clinical tool, or a journal article that
discusses the topic in greater detail (see Fig. 1). Hyperlinks
can also open documents (word processor document,
spreadsheet, etc.) to view, print, or save for reference or
modification. Appropriate links enrich a website and enhance
function, but too many links may detract.
Online communication
is dominated by e-mail, but also
includes online discussion boards, chat rooms, and whiteboards
(supported by many courseware systems), and
Internet-mediated audio and video conferencing. Most
online communication is
asynchronous
—with a delay from
the time a message is sent to the time a response is returned.
While at times such delays can be frustrating, asynchronous
communication allows learners to communicate on their own
schedule, and may actually increase learning by stimulating
reflection and independent learning while composing
a reply.
27–29
However, failure to address barriers (including
uninteresting topics) may limit participation.
30
Synchronous