September

MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC

15, 2016

What is Multimedia?

The term multimedia is coined from two terms: Multiple and Media. Hence the term
multimedia means using multiple media to communicate. On the other hand Multimedia
is defined as the combination of different media elements like text, audio, graphics, video and
animations to communicate

Types of Media

1. Text, data, image and graphics media are known as discrete media

2. Audio and video media are known as continuous media

3. Interactive Multimedia is the means to interface/communicate with computer

keyboard, mouse, touch screen, on screen buttons, and text entry.

Elements of Multimedia

a) Text

Text are Words treated as data by a computer. Hypertext is a text which contains
links to other texts.Text or data is a block of characters with each character
represented by a fixed number of binary digits knows as a code word

b) Video

The term video ("video" meaning "I see", from the Latin verb "videre") commonly
refers to several storage formats for moving pictures: digital video formats, including
Blu-ray Disc, DVD, QuickTime, and MPEG-4; and analog videotapes, including VHS
and Betamax.

c) Animation

Animation is a simulation of movement created by displaying a series of pictures or

frames. Animation is a visual change over time.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES

 September
MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC
15, 2016

d) Images

An image (from Latin imago) is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional

picture that has a similar appearance to some subject— usually a physical object
or a person. A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image using
ones and zeros (binary). Computers store images in form of pixels map known as
bitmap. A bitmap is simple matrix of tiny dots which forms an image on the
computer screen. A Pixel (short for picture element) is the small dot on the
screen. Here are some examples of images or pictures.

Clipart

This is art or an image that is made by various artists to fit numerous different
categories such as people, animals, school, etc. that can be inserted into your own
document. Take a look at some examples of Clipart shown below.

An animated GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) file: This is a graphic image on a Web

page that moves - for example, a twirling icon or a banner with a hand that waves or
letters that magically get larger.

e) Audio: An audio file is a record of captured sound that can be played back.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES

 September
MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC
15, 2016

TYPES OF MULTIMEDIA DEVICES

Types of multimedia devices include:

 Microphones  DVD Players

 Speakers  LCD Projector

 Digital Cameras  Video Games

 Headphones.   Home theaters

 Computers  TV

Advantages of Multimedia

 Increases learning effectiveness.

 Is more appealing over traditional. lecture-based learning methods.

 Offers significant potential in improving personal communications, education and

training efforts.

 Reduces training costs.

 Is easy to use once the presentations is designed.

 It gains and holds attention of learners

 It is integrated and interactive.

 Multimedia is Entertaining as Well as Educational

 Multimedia Tailors information to the individual needs of learners.

 Provides high-quality video, images & audio.

 Offers system portability as it can be stored in removable and portable devices.

 Frees the teacher from routine tasks such as writing and rubbing the board

Disadvantages of Multimedia

 It takes time to compile a multimedia presentation.

 Technological resources are required both hardware and software

 It requires Technological skills for both the students and teacher

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES

 September
MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC
15, 2016

 It is expensive to set up and manage

 Multimedia devices are Not always easy to configure

 Requires special hardware and software

 Multimedia files are Not always compatible

 Time required to plan, design, develop, and evaluate multimedia activities

Types of audio, video extensions

FILE EXTENSION TYPE OF FILE DESCRIPTION

.bmp Bitmap Image Uncompressed image File used to

store bitmap digital images.

.gif Graphical Interchange Common for web graphics with

Format File small images with text. Uses limited
number of colours

.png Portable Network Graphics Used to store graphics for web

images

.jpeg / jpg Joint Photographic Common image format used by

Expert / Group Image File digital cameras

.avi Audio Video Interleave File Developed by Microsoft to play

videos in windows environment

.wmv Windows Media Format This is a compressed video format

File for internet streaming applications

(Windows Media Video)

.mpg / .mpeg Moving Pictures Expert Popular video format used for
Group File creating movies distributed over
internet

.mov Quick Time Format File Developed by Apple. Files are

compressed and are easier to
download from the internet

.rm / ram Real Video File Format Combination of audio and video

(Real Audio Metadata)

.swf / .flv Adobe Flash Shockwave Animated file containing text and
File images. Created by using Adobe
Flash Software

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES

 September
MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC
15, 2016

(flv-Flash Video File)

(swf - Small Web Format)

File Extension Type of File Description

.mid / . midi MIDI File File containing Music Data

(Musical Instrument Digital

Interface)

.wav Wave File Waveform audio file

.mp3 / .mpga MPEG3 Audio File Compressed audio and music file,
mp3 songs or ringtones
(Motion Pictures Expert
Group Layer 3)

.mp4 MPEG4 Video File Commonly used for sharing video

files on the internet.

.m4v iTunes Video File iTunes Video File

.asf Advanced Systems Format Advanced Systems Format File

File

Multimedia is the field concerned with the computer-controlled integration of text,

graphics, drawings, still and moving images (Video), animation, audio, and any other
media where every type of information can be represented, stored, transmitted and
processed digitally.

Exercise

1. What is multimedia?
2. List the elements of multimedia

3. What is typeface and font?

4. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using multimedia in the

classroom?

5. List various file formats used for the following files:

(a) Audio (b) Image (c) Video

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES

 September
MULTIMEDIA IN TEACHING AND LEARNING © ICT2021 KITC
15, 2016

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: LECTURE NOTES