Category: Multimedia Learning (Page 2 of 2)

From my past learning experiences, I can identify the constructivist approach adopted by my teachers when they asked me to draw my own mind maps summarizing what I have learned. It also involves characteristics of active learning since it requires my individual reflective work putting down what I have understood from class. Moreover, I have been assigned with groups and created our group mind map for a certain topic and brought it to the whole class with other groups’ maps focusing on different topics. I can now identify that it is a socio-constructivist teaching methodology which engages others’ participation in one’s learning process, aiming to achieve individual deep learning outcomes with interactive activities within a collective context. As teachers are encouraged to know their students and the larger learning environment, I can understand why this approach is currently dominant for it brings in the contextual interactive characteristics for both students and teachers, actively creating and maintaining a learning environment. 

Apart from mind maps, characteristics of gamification can also be found based on my experiences. Again, my teachers will separate the class into different groups and let students score points by answering quick questions, and the winner will get bonuses (usually candies). It is not game-based learning since it only adopted a point system to visualize and promote students’ performances, while no game context or role-playing is required. This type of in class activities contains elements of gamification, but it is not GBL in essence.

One thing that I used to misunderstand was “the idea that people have different primary learning styles” (Kamenetz, 2017). Like what I have mentioned about socio-constructivism above, this idea is also context-based. For example, I cannot solely base on visual ways to learn a Mozart’s piece. In addition, I think it has a similar implication compares to neuromyth #3, which classified learning into specific sensory types – individual thinking and understanding process while learning in different ways. Thus, simply attributing the learning outcomes to ways of learning can be rather arbitrary. 

References

Falciani, L. (July 2, 2020). Game-Based Learning: What Is It? GBL vs Gamification: Types and Benefits. Retrieved from: https://www.teacheracademy.eu/blog/game-based-learning/

Kamenetz, A. (March 22, 2017). You Probably Believe Some Learning Myths: Take Our Quiz To Find Out. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/03/22/520843457/you-probably-believe-some-learning-myths-take-our-quiz-to-find-out

Mayer’s Multimedia Principle (2009) stands out for me as it highlights the importance of organizing information as a collective unity that at it most avoids what he points out as “extraneous materials” (p. 89). Since interactive learning requires a lot of personal engagement with the received information, I think this principle helps me to grasp its purpose used for pedagogy.

When I first see the phrase “augmented reality” I think of the Live function used in Google Maps. After learning the course materials I realized that it also involves its fields of application further in engineering, designing, the medical field, and so as the field of teaching and learning. My primary gain of understanding this concept in relation to teaching and learning is that it highlights the idea of mutual accessibility. With the premise of a supportive technical device for information input and output, it opens an open learning space for everyone to experience knowledge. It is also relates to a major point of interactive learning – the hands on learning process. 

Despite the examples shown in the course materials, what I think of is that AR can also be used in natural sciences classrooms. It can visualize chemical compounds and detailing outs their movements for students to learn chemistry theories. It would be particularly helpful if used for explaining 3D models for maths class. It would be extremely helpful in art classes as it is capable at it most illustrating art works in museums without physical constrictions.

References

Davis, G. & Norman, M. (July 19, 2016). Principles of Multimedia Learning. ctl.wiley.com. Retrieved from: https://ctl.wiley.com/principles-of-multimedia-learning/