Multimedia and Student Engagement in the Online Classroom Kristin Basinger Lauren Critchley Jennifer Romano William Stewart

OVERVIEW Integrating multimedia into the classroom can improve student outcomes through: Increasing engagement Accommodating multiple learning styles Helping to bridge the psychological gap that can exist within the online classroom Discussion

INCREASING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Seeing and hearing the instructor, even in an online classroom, can increase engagement and motivate students (Mandernach, 2009) Providing instructor-created multimedia can create connections, as online classrooms can have a feeling of isolation (Mandernach, 2009) Using instructor-created multimedia increases engagement in our classrooms by: Allowing students to “see” the instructor, as in a traditional classroom Helps students to feel a sense of community

INCREASING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” –Benjamin Franklin Welcome infographic Fun conversation starters Weekly voiceover PowerPoints on Youtube

ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES/PREFERENCES Multimedia assists students in learning and retaining information (Mandernach, 2009) Including an array of differentiated activities can help reach students of varying learning styles (Mandernach, 2009; Heredia, 2015) Accommodating learning preferences engages students by: Providing learning and feedback in multiple ways Helping students feel more confident in their learning Creating more individualized teaching and learning

ACCOMMODATING MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” – Brad Henry Instead of lectures, use videos or voiceover PowerPoints to teach new material Use graphs and visuals to introduce and discuss material Pictographics Microsoft Word and Paint Use multimedia for feedback Screencast feedback Audio feedback if online classroom supports it

Accommodating Multiple Learning Styles Feedback Using Text Feedback Using Screencasting

Accommodating Multiple Learning Styles Instructions Using Text Only Instructions Using Visuals/Graphics

BRIDGING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL GAP The physical distance inherent to the online classroom can cause a psychological and communicational gap (Bouhnik, 2006) “Not only are online students navigating the typical learning challenges of the academic content, but they are learning in a physically isolated environment that is often void of the entertainment and social aspects of the traditional classroom” (Mandernach, 2009, p. 4) Using technology to connect with students: Increases the social presence of students and the instructor Significantly affects student satisfaction and quality of learning (Young & Bruce, 2011)

BRIDGING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL GAP Nothing excites people like sight, sound and motion Class Overview and Welcome Videos Videos Explaining Concepts Weekly Overview/Summary Videos

BRIDGING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL GAP Student Feedback: “These videos have always helped me to better understand the assignment of the week.” “Thank you for this video, it really prepared me for what was to come. I initially was over whelmed by all the things to do, but I decided not to give up before I started. The video helped me stay on track, help me to know what to pay special attention to, and generalized it very well to where I could understand the task at hand and approach it with confidence.” “I found that this video was the extra help that I needed.” “I liked watching this video because it helped me complete my assignment the correct way. I like how we can always refer back to this video when we have questions for our assignment and give us an idea on how to start our paper.” “The videos each week for the assignments are so helpful! I always feel like it helps me get in the right mind set I need to be in before beginning to write something.”

DISCUSSION Think back to a time when a teacher utilized multimedia. If this has not happened to you, imagine what it would be like. How would this affect your learning? What types of multimedia have you used? In what ways has it helped your audience to receive your message? What multimedia do you feel is most effective? Why? If you could choose a lecture-based class or a class based on multimedia, which would you choose? Why?

REFERENCES Bledsoe, T. S., & Simmerok, B. D. (2014). A multimedia-rich platform to enhance student engagement and learning in an online environment. Journal Of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 17(4), 57-65. Bouhnik, D., & Marcus, T. (2006). Interaction in distance-learning courses. Journal of The American Society For Information Science & Technology, 57(3), 299-305. doi:10.1002/asi.20277. Coombs-Richardson, R. (2007). Personalizing distance learning. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 43(2), 71-75. Heredia, K. (2015). The effects of the flipped classroom model on student academic growth in flipped and traditional community college classrooms (Order No. 10154492). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1819980145). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1819980145?accountid=458 Mandernach, B.J. (2009). Effect of instructor-personalized multimedia in the online classroom. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3), 1-19. Young, S. & Bruce, M.A. (2011). Classroom community and student engagement in online courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 7(2), 219.

CONTACT Jennifer Romano 602.713.7803 jennifer.romano@phoenix.edu Lauren Critchley 602.713.7793 lauren.critchley@phoenix.edu Kristin Basinger 602.713.7852 kristin.basinger@phoenix.edu William Stewart 602.713.7816 william.stewart@phoenix.edu