!

"#$"$%&

W h a t i s I n s t r u c t i o n a l Media and Materials

Prepared by Syamsul Nor Azlan bin Mohamad Faculty of Education, UiTM

!!

Instructional media encompasses all the materials and physical means an instructor might use to implement instruction and facilitate students' achievement of instructional objectives. This may include traditional materials such as\ !! chalkboards, !! handouts, !! charts, slides, !! overheads, !! real objects, and videotape or film, As well newer materials and methods such as computers, DVDs, CD-ROMs, the Internet, and interactive video conferencing.

!!

!!

$&

!"#$"$%&

A good aid is like a window, it should not call attention to itself, it should just let in the light.

!!

In general, you should use media whenever, in your best judgment, it can facilitate learning or increase understanding of your material. Of course, communicating to facilitate learning can be a challenging process, often requiring creative efforts to achieve a variety of implicit instructional goals (University of Saskatchewan, n.d.). Among the implicit goals that media can help achieve are the following: !! !! !! !! attracting attention developing interest adjusting the learning climate promoting acceptance (of an idea)

!!

#&

!"#$"$%&

!!

These basic steps are outlined below: !! !! !! !! !! Review instructional goals, objectives, audience and instructional strategy Determine the best medium for your lesson components Search for and review existing media/materials Adapt existing media/materials if necessary If new media/materials need to be developed: !! Determine format, script, visuals, etc. !! Draft materials and media !! Check for clarity and flow of ideas

!! !! !!

Conduct formative evaluation Implement/apply Evaluate/revise

!!

Strauss and Frost (1999) identify nine key factors that should influence media selection

%&

!"#$"$%&

!!

Reiser and Dick (1996) distill these nine factors down to three major criteria for selecting instructional media: practicality, student appropriateness, and instructional appropriateness: !! Practicality: Is the intended media practical in that the media is available, cost efficient, time efficient, and understood by the instructor? !! Student Appropriateness: Is the intended media appropriate for the developmental and experiential levels of the students? !! Instructional Appropriateness: Is the intended media appropriate for the planned instructional strategy? Will the media allow for the presentation of the proposed lesson in an efficient and effective manner? Will the media facilitate the students acquisition of the specific learning objectives?

!!

The following suggestions are offered to assist you as you formulate your learning technology plan.

"

!!

Organize your ideas. Create a loose outline identifying those ideas central to your course that you would like to highlight with media."
"

!!

Do not be afraid to reorganize your "organized ideas. Be flexible. Update. As you become more technologically sophisticated, reorganize your loose outline to reflect your increased knowledge base. Do not stick to tried-andtrue media when your imagination demands more.

"

'&

!"#$"$%&

!!

Keep your subject front and center. Do not let the technology interfere with your message. A successful instructional media presentation is one where the hardware and software support the idea that you are trying to get across to your students." Experiment. Have fun - right from the beginning. This is your class. You make the media rules. You decide which media information is included and which is not. Design clear and engaging learning materials. Keep in mind formal design concepts as you develop your own learning materials. For example, ask yourself if your slides are too light or too dark. Is the handwriting on your overheads legible? Is the text in your PowerPoint presentation clear? Is it too small? Is the color disturbing or even boring? Is your multimedia program sufficiently branched? Are the lines in your graphical illustrations bold enough? Is your web page sufficiently interactive

!!

!!

!!

Reach beyond the classroom. Networks have lifted the classroom walls. The Internet and other telecommunication technologies support the notion of information and communication on demand, thereby bringing the rest of the world into your class." Do not be afraid to dream. For many years, instructional media were too inflexible to be truly useful to educators and students and were often considered little more than entertainment devices. As a result, technology sat on the periphery of the teaching and learning experience. That has changed. Now integrated technology educates both the linear and non-linear learner. Self-paced learning modules enhance the curriculum."

!!

"

!&