essay on advantages and disadvantages of multimedia

• Embedded System
• Interview Q

• Send your Feedback to [email protected]

Help Others, Please Share

Learn Latest Tutorials

Transact-SQL

Reinforcement Learning

R Programming

React Native

Python Design Patterns

Python Pillow

Python Turtle

Preparation

Verbal Ability

Interview Questions

Company Questions

Trending Technologies

Artificial Intelligence

Cloud Computing

Data Science

Machine Learning

B.Tech / MCA

Data Structures

Operating System

Computer Network

Compiler Design

Computer Organization

Discrete Mathematics

Ethical Hacking

Computer Graphics

Software Engineering

Web Technology

Cyber Security

C Programming

Control System

Data Mining

Data Warehouse

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

12 Advantages and Disadvantages of Multimedia

The information stimulates our thoughts, and one of its most apparent forms is multimedia. Multimedia represents a combination of text, audio, images, video, and animation. In terms of text and graphics, we have multimedia such as presentations and infographics. In audio, we have songs, soundtracks, and podcasts, whereas, in the video, we have film and animation. The information is represented digitally for all these examples and is usually interactive and widely used as an effective form of communication. Right from the education sector to business, the term has various applications. With this overview, now let’s delve into the advantages and disadvantages of multimedia.

Table of Contents

Multimedia Advantages and Disadvantages Comparison Table

If you are in a hurry, here is a table showcasing the pros and cons of entertainment-

Advantages of Multimedia

Multimedia uses various components and can increase the effectiveness of learning. Here are the other benefits of multimedia.

1. Practical

The multimedia has a realistic approach when it comes to sharing information, making it a practical option. When images, audio, and animations are used, they stimulate the brain, making the audience more attentive. Furthermore, the use of multimedia allows them to comprehend information effectively and is quite user-friendly as well. Using multimedia, the user interface becomes appealing and simple to use. Because of this, it is used to draft content and promote information.

2. Interactive

Multimedia contains audio and visual content that improves the quality of the presentation. This increases the audience interaction and contains rich, engaging information. For these reasons, it has a preference over traditional media. Also, multimedia is easy to integrate, making it more interactive. It has wide applications ranging from the educational sector to entertainment. Along with interactivity, multimedia heightens the creativity in sharing information. Take a look at the best technology courses to understand the power of the multimedia in interactive learning.

3. Multisensory

Multimedia integrates sensory activities, where more than one sense is involved. The reason is, audiences are more likely to retain information that they perceive through different senses. In multimedia, the audience doesn’t have to just sit back and watch the screen. Instead, they can also read the text and hear the audio. Since it involves multiple areas of the brain, the audience gets to learn thoroughly about the information presented. Therefore, adding auditory and visual components gives a far more accurate message than if one type of media was used.

4. Diversity

Multimedia is not intended just for a single user, but for a wide range of audiences, even crossing language barriers. Therefore, it caters to all of their needs and can make the presentation influential and distinctive in the minds of anyone it reaches. People can leverage multimedia in understanding and expressing diverse opinions. It creates an accepting environment, where people from diverse backgrounds can put forth their ideas, and work together in a team. This, unsurprisingly, enhances interpersonal communication.

5. Cost-efficient

We all can agree that time and cost are related. In this case, using multimedia helps us reduce the time learning requires, which in turn shrinks the resources used. This way, multimedia becomes a time and cost-efficient tool. Additionally, it offers the feature of flexibility, meaning it can be personalized based on the audience’s needs. Eventually, it saves costs that are otherwise spent on acquiring resources for different audiences. In the long run, it reduces the cost of training.

6. Entertainment

Entertainment has been one of the most focused priorities for a long time. Movies, videos, documentaries, songs, images, anything that can help us relax has been given importance. Multimedia is arguably the most effective way of entertainment we have access to. Who doesn’t like to take a sip of the favorite drink and watch the favorite movie with friends or family in their rare free time in this fast-paced world? Even though it is not possible all the time, a good Android media player is the best companion for most.

Disadvantages of Multimedia

As we all know, there are two sides to the same story. So, after taking a look at the benefits, now let’s explore the drawbacks of multimedia.

1. Technology dependent

The major drawback of multimedia is that it depends on technology. After all, you need hardware, software, and the Internet to share information. Even though the technology is progressing and accepted globally, there are still places on earth where access to technology is limited. They do not have the infrastructure to support multimedia for presenting information and conveying messages. Since multimedia cannot be used everywhere, the traditional way of displaying information through in-person meetings is the only available option. Multimedia also makes students more dependent on technology, which we explained in the advantage and disadvantages of online classes article.

2. Excess information

As the saying goes, too much of something is dangerous. In the same way, excess information can hamper our attention. Various types of content can be integrated into the same slide using multimedia. There can be audio, video, animations, and texts simultaneously requesting your attention. Getting exposed to too much information at once may lead to confusion. Ergo, the attention-grabbing nature of multimedia may distract you from the original message of the presentation.

3. Skills required

Creating presentations using multimedia is a form of art. The graphics and images should be presented in a way that the audience can remember them for a while. Several factors are involved in this process. Creators must consider the knowledge of the audience related to the topic. Then, they must ensure the right amount of facts and examples are included in the presentation. This will also include selecting relevant images, videos, and animation that won’t perplex the audience and keep them hooked on the information presented. All these take a lot of effort and require skills. In simple terms, integrating multimedia can be a tedious task.

Multimedia can be compared to a double-edged sword, where the intention of the user can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences. On the brighter side, it is used by the education sector to enhance the learning experience of the students. But, on the flip side, the same multimedia such as podcasts, slideshows, and animated videos can be used to influence the thoughts of millions of people worldwide. With multimedia, the same tidbit can be presented in vastly different ways, blurring the line between reality and illusion. Therefore, wrongdoers can abuse its potential to fulfill their malicious intentions.

5. Time-consuming

No doubt, once multimedia is used to create presentations, it can save a lot of time in education. But the whole process of creating high-quality presentations via multimedia can be very time-consuming. Also, we have a vast array of information available on the internet. Unsurprisingly, finding and integrating the content that fits the context of the presentation requires a lot of effort. And suppose you are distracted while making a presentation using multimedia? You might end up surfing unnecessary information and neglect the topic at hand.

6. Misinformation

Multimedia can misinform people pretty easily. It is a matter of time before inaccurate information posted online being consumed makes people think that it is true. Most of us are too lazy to fact-check the information we consume, making things much worse. Whether it is intentional or by accident, misinformation or half-knowledge of something can be extremely dangerous. The next time we are passing the information to someone, we will surely be influenced by the misinformation we consumed a while back. So, it is an unstoppable, ongoing chain that could have drastic impacts on the society.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Multimedia

Looking for advantages and disadvantages of Multimedia?

We have collected some solid points that will help you understand the pros and cons of Multimedia in detail.

But first, let’s understand the topic:

What is Multimedia?

Multimedia refers to the use of multiple forms of media, such as text, audio, video, and images, to convey information or entertainment.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Multimedia

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of Multimedia:

Advantages of Multimedia

• Enhancing learning experience – Multimedia allows for the use of various forms of media, such as videos, audio and images, making learning more interactive and engaging.
• Improving communication – Multimedia can be used to create presentations, videos and other materials that can effectively communicate complex ideas or information.
• Increase of information retention – Studies have shown that people tend to remember information better when it’s presented in multiple forms, rather than just text.
• Entertainment – Multimedia can be used to create games, movies, music and other forms of entertainment, providing endless hours of fun and enjoyment.
• Accessibility – Multimedia makes information accessible to a wider audience, including people with disabilities, as it can be used to create materials in various languages, or provide closed captions for videos.

Disadvantages of Multimedia

• Overstimulation – Multimedia can be overwhelming for some people, as it bombards the senses with a lot of information at once. This can make it difficult for them to focus and retain information.
• Distraction – Multimedia can also be a major distraction, especially when used in the wrong context. For example, watching a video during class can pull a student’s attention away from the lesson.
• Technical difficulties – Multimedia often relies on technology, which means that technical difficulties can impede its use. For example, if a video won’t play or a website is down, it can be difficult to access the information.
• High cost – Creating and using multimedia can be expensive. For example, video production equipment and software can be costly, and using multimedia in a classroom setting may require expensive technology upgrades.
• Limited accessibility – Not everyone has access to the technology or equipment needed to use multimedia. This can make it difficult for certain individuals or groups to access and benefit from the information being presented.
• Advantages and disadvantages of Globalisation
• Advantages and disadvantages of Privatisation
• Advantages and disadvantages of Liberalisation

You can view other “advantages and disadvantages of…” posts by clicking here .

If you have a related query, feel free to let us know in the comments below.

Also, kindly share the information with your friends who you think might be interested in reading it.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Multimedia: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

There is no escaping the challenges set before the educators of today's student. As educators, we once only had to compete against television with its cartoons and MTV. We now have to battle for attention over the latest video or computer game. Each new game becomes more realistic than the last and technology is growing to the point that movies can be made without any humans while the characters still appear to be human, as in Final Fantasy .

Teachers can meet and conquer these challenges with multimedia. Teachers must not only be stage performers, they must now be able to devise methods with which to grab and keep the attention of students. Multimedia presentations offer that opportunity and supply both teacher and student with the possibility to be creative and to expand beyond the boundaries that have limited them to this point.

Teacher Produced Multimedia Presentations

While creating a multimedia presentation, it is easy to see the management skills that must be practiced. One must set up timelines, search for resources, analyze material, and organize the content for presentation. This is best accomplished using concept maps and webs to demonstrate the relationships of the various components. Evaluation of learner outcome must also play a major role in selecting the methods of presenting content. With state standards in place, teachers must continually assess the benefits of multimedia presentations and weigh those benefits against the drawbacks. This duty can be overwhelming, but with determination and much patience the task can be completed.

The benefits of multimedia projects range greatly depending on whether you are creating the presentation or simply using a completed project. Benefits need to also be measured against the technology standards required of you as the teacher versus the standards that should be met by the student in your classroom. While both the teacher and student must meet basic operation and concept skills, those skills intensify for the teacher. This also applies in the area of using computers as productivity, communication, and research tools. By creating presentations that engage the student and promote technology in the classroom, teachers are able to exit left of the stage and become better facilitators. Students are given permission to become self-learners. This develops a win-win situation if all participants strive toward a common goal.

Multimedia presentations bring a self-motivating factor with them as they allow the student to become truly engaged and immersed in the presentation. While each student is seated at his/her own workstation, he/she can focus on the information presented without peer pressure. The student does not have to worry about appearing to be too smart or not so smart. This eliminates fear and releases the tension that may prevent a student from completing a task to the greatest potential. Multimedia presentations are self-paced and address the needs of the student. The presentations allow for a slower reader to take the time needed to comprehend the material while letting the speed-reader move at a quicker pace. Multimedia presentations also provide a chance for remediation should it be needed. Teachers can address each student need as the individual need arises. Multimedia presentations also address all modalities of learning. While allowing a visual student to read and digest the information, multimedia allows the kinesthetic student the movement needed to keep the presentation interesting. Add sound and video clips and the auditory learner has his/her needs met as well.

The above-mentioned pros for multimedia presentations come attached to a list of cons that can be viewed as overpowering and too much to take on for some teachers. While completing my first multimedia presentation, I found myself struggling with those issues. I spent many hours gathering materials, researching websites, analyzing the content I wanted to address, selecting graphics, and arranging and rearranging slides. This does not even begin to count the hours I spent creating links to slides in other slideshows and making sure they were in working order. Multimedia is not a quick fix and the teacher that embarks on the journey should be prepared to spend time on the presentation. One should also consider the types of computers that will be used for the presentations. As the files become large and the variety of images, sounds, and video clips that are added increase, you may find that the computers in the classroom are not equipped to handle the presentation. The computers slow down or worse yet they freeze, the media player does not support the clips you have chosen or have created, and those wonderful Internet sites that took you days to find and longer to research are no longer available. Be ready to "Adjust and Modify".

Tech & Learning Newsletter

Tools and ideas to transform education. Sign up below.

Student Produced Multimedia Presentations

Student produced multimedia presentations lend themselves to a diverse level of skill development and practice. Students practice management skills such as developing timelines, organizing ideas, assigning roles for each member of the group, and enforcing deadlines. They define research skills. They develop new skills such as scanning images, recording and editing sounds, and compressing files. These skills integrate various means of communication and thus expand the knowledge base for the student.

While developing multimedia presentations, students may find that it is easier to work with a partner when gathering the necessary information. This may not be true however, when the information is ready to be compiled and applied to a slideshow. Each person will bring his/her own visions to the project and at times this can produce friction within the group. The minutest detail can be hard to decide on and the group will need to practice the art of compromise. This need to comprise creates the occasion for real world application in problem solving. In essence, multimedia presentations teach more than just the content that is being presented. Multimedia presentations can, among other things, expand creativity, challenge and enhance prior skills, and teach tolerance of others. Students take ownership of the work being presented and many times upstage the teacher. What more can we ask?

Final Comments

As I worked on Bust A Move (my first true multimedia presentation), I found myself pushing the envelope and wanting to create more multimedia presentations for my students. I also found myself wanting to teach my students how to produce multimedia presentations.

The good of multimedia presentations definitely outweighs the bad, and the ugly can be quickly erased with a reminder that every page need not be the same color nor have the same font. The lesson you take from the completion of the project is far better than the simple content that was presented during the show.

Yes, it is time consuming. Yes, at times I found myself wondering if the task would ever be completed, but as I shared the presentation with family, friends, and colleagues I felt pride and knew that my feeling of accomplishment was one that I wanted my students to experience and embrace.

Standards Addressed

Technology Foundation Standards for Students

• Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
• Students are proficient in the use of technology.
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• The human organism has muscular and skeletal systems for movement.
• Disease is a breakdown in structures or functions of an organism. Some diseases are the result of intrinsic failures of the system.

State Standards require that I meet the above-mentioned standards for the Skeletal and Muscular Systems. Through Bust A Move I will have met those standards.

Email: Malura Shady

Educator Edtech Review: HoverCam Orbit Gigabit Wireless Super Camera

AI Ethics and Legal Concerns in Classrooms

What Is Canva And How Does It Work?

Most Popular

• Food & Dining
• Coronavirus
• Real Estate
• Seattle History
• PNW Politics

Advantages & Disadvantages of Schools Using Multimedia

Related articles, what are the advantages of authentic assessment over standardized testing, what are the advantages & disadvantages of the literature-based approach to teaching reading, creative ways to make a visual presentation for high school.

• What Are Advantages of Online Colleges?
• Disadvantages of Using the iPad for School

Multimedia in the classroom has evolved rapidly with a progression from audio cassettes to internet sites in classroom learning. Examples of multimedia in the classroom include the use of video, the creation of video by students, the creation of spreadsheets or the development of a website displaying student work.

Practical Advantages to Using Multimedia

A major advantage to using multimedia sources in the classroom is the ability to bring in images, sounds and videos without leaving the room. Computer programs and internet sites can also give students experiences that might ordinarily be unsafe, such as views from scaling mountains in a geography lesson or a dissection of a rare animal. Additionally, using a projector or individual computers gives students the opportunity to view information or materials up close.

Educational Advantages to Using Multimedia

Students who learned from materials containing both text and graphics produced 55 percent to 121 percent more accurate solutions to problems, according to David Taylor at the University of Maryland. The use of images, along with words, diminishes the overwhelming nature of text and helps the student to manage the cognitive load, which increases retention. Specifically, graphics are found to support retention because important elements are focused on via placement, layout and color. Activation of prior knowledge is engaged quickly with visual analogy, and mental models are created easily as diagrams can enhance understanding of how a concept works. Additionally, learning is made easier because simulations allow students to visualize real-life situations, and motivation is increased as students are able to see the relevance of skills.

Practical Disadvantages to Using Multimedia

Multimedia lessons or components of lessons delivered via video or image require computers, projectors and other electronic devices depending upon the subject and the amount of original material a teacher creates. The expense associated with quality projectors or computers for every student can be quite high, and the amount of images and videos in a lesson can slow down the delivery and pace of the class as a result. Student access to computers at home may also cause problems, and varying quality of student electronic devices can create inequity in projects and presentations.

Educational Disadvantages to Using Multimedia

When designing a multimedia learning experience, the role of the teacher shifts from instructor to facilitator. If a lesson allows students to complete learning at their own pace as they move through stages of learning, classroom management becomes increasingly difficult. This is particularly true if students work in groups to view multimedia sources or share computers. Additionally, students who are not as proficient with technology may have to spend more time learning computer skills to access information than focusing on course materials.

• Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF: Multimedia in the Classroom: What is Multimedia
• Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia: Multimedia as an Educational Tool
• Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF: Multimedia in the Classroom: Facilitating a Multimedia Activity

Based in Los Angeles, Jana Sosnowski holds Master of Science in educational psychology and instructional technology, She has spent the past 11 years in education, primarily in the secondary classroom teaching English and journalism. Sosnowski has also worked as a curriculum writer for a math remediation program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from the University of Southern California.

Instructional Theories Used in Middle Schools

Poor time management in online learning, the effects of electronics in schools, the disadvantages of computers in education, what are the positive & negatives with online learning, effective crisis intervention strategies in special education, elearning vs. classroom learning, ideas on how computers have changed education, examples of assessment methods for middle schools, most popular.

• 1 Instructional Theories Used in Middle Schools
• 2 Poor Time Management in Online Learning
• 3 The Effects of Electronics in Schools
• 4 The Disadvantages of Computers in Education

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• v.6(11); 2020 Nov

Multimedia tools in the teaching and learning processes: A systematic review

M.d. abdulrahaman.

a Department of Information and Communication Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

b Department of Telecommunication Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

A.A. Oloyede

N.t. surajudeen-bakinde.

c Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

L.A. Olawoyin

O.v. mejabi, y.o. imam-fulani.

d Department of Religions, Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

e Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Access to quality education is still a major bottleneck in developing countries. Efforts at opening the access to a large majority of citizens in developing nations have explored different strategies including the use of multimedia technology. This paper provides a systematic review of different multimedia tools in the teaching and learning processes with a view to examining how multimedia technologies have proven to be a veritable strategy for bridging the gap in the provision of unrestricted access to quality education and improved learners' performance. The review process includes conducting an extensive search of relevant scientific literature, selection of relevant studies using a pre-determined inclusion criteria, literature analysis, and synthesis of the findings of the various studies that have investigated how multimedia have been used for learning and teaching processes. The review examines various case study reports of multimedia tools, their success and limiting factors, application areas, evaluation methodologies, technology components, and age groups targeted by the tools. Future research directions are also provided. Apart from text and images, existing tools were found to have multimedia components such as audio, video, animation and 3-D. The study concluded that the majority of the multimedia solutions deployed for teaching and learning target the solution to the pedagogical content of the subject of interest and the user audience of the solution while the success of the different multimedia tools that have been used on the various target groups and subjects can be attributed to the technologies and components embedded in their development.

Education, Media in education, Teaching/learning strategies, Pedagogical issues, Systematic review

1. Introduction

Multimedia is a combination of more than one media type such as text (alphabetic or numeric), symbols, images, pictures, audio, video, and animations usually with the aid of technology for the purpose of enhancing understanding or memorization ( Guan et al., 2018 ). It supports verbal instruction with the use of static and dynamic images in form of visualization technology for better expression and comprehension ( Alemdag and Cagiltay, 2018 ; Chen and Liu, 2008 ). The hardware and software used for creating and running of multimedia applications is known as multimedia technology ( Kapi et al., 2017 ). Multimedia technology has some characteristics like integration, diversity, and interaction that enable people to communicate information or ideas with digital and print elements. The digital and print elements in this context refer to multimedia-based applications or tools used for the purpose of delivering information to people for better understanding of concepts.

Indeed, various aspects of human endeavours, especially the educational sector, are being transformed by the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT involves the use of hardware and software for the purpose of collecting, processing, storing, presenting, and sharing of information mostly in digital forms. Multimedia technology is an important aspect of ICT that deals with how information can be represented and presented digitally, using different media such as text, audio, video, among others ( Guan et al., 2018 ). It involves the combination of several technologies provide information in the best possible formats, packages, and sizes.

However, when used in the classroom or for educational purposes, the design quality and sophistication of multimedia application must be high enough to combine the different elements of the cognitive processes so as to achieve the best mimicking of the teacher. There are different types of multimedia applications available in the market today. These applications have been deployed for different educational purposes such as the works deployed for Mathematics classes, Social Sciences, Sciences, Physiology, Physics and Physical Education Studies ( Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami 2017 ; Anderson, 1993 ; Chen and Liu, 2008 ; Chen and Xia, 2012 ; Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ; Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ; Milovanovi et al., 2013 ; Shah and Khan, 2015 ).

The central problem, however, remains the same. Which is, the problem of how to use the applications to provide students with stimulating experience by delivering information for better understanding of concepts. While it is important to develop various applications for effective teaching delivery, each of these applications has its own focus area, peculiarities, target age, merits and demerits. Thus, the taxonomy and component synthesis for the development of the multimedia application need to be extensively investigated as these would affect the teaching delivery, learning and wider applicability. Some of the multimedia solutions have been deployed, tested and recorded significant success, while some did not record marginal success.

The success stories also vary with location, target age and deployment purposes. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the scientific published studies that examined different multimedia tools in the teaching and learning process with a view to identifying the existing multimedia-based tools, understanding their usage, application areas and impacts on education system. In order words, the study, through a systematic review of literature, aims at identifying the existing multimedia-based tools for teaching and learning; understanding their usage and limiting factors, application areas, evaluation methodologies, technology components synthesis and impacts on education system.

To this end, the study is guided by the following research questions:

• (1) What are the existing multimedia tools in teaching and learning?
• (2) What type of multimedia component fits an audience?
• (3) What types of multimedia components are adopted in the existing tools?
• (4) What evaluation methodologies are useful for successful outcome?
• (5) What factors aid success or failure in the use of multimedia tools for teaching and learning?

The outcome of this study is aimed at serving as a guide for teachers and education administrators while selecting multimedia tools and applications for teaching in schools. So, in this study, the taxonomy and component synthesis of some widely cited multimedia applications are provided. Various case studies and results are examined. Furthermore, barriers limiting the usage of ICT and multimedia in teaching and learning are identified; and some unresolved cases and future research decisions are outlined.

The subsequent parts of this paper include Section 2 , which is the literature review that examines multimedia technology and its place in teaching and learning; Section 3 , the research methodology; Section 4 , presentation of results; Section 5 , discussion of the findings; and Section 6 , the conclusion, recommendations and suggestions for future work.

2. Literature review

2.1. multimedia learning and teaching: concepts and resources.

Multimedia or digital learning resources assist learners to get on well with mental representations with the use of different media elements, which support information processing. Information, which is made up of content and sometimes learning activities, are presented with the use of the combination of text, image, video and audio by digital learning resources. It has been demonstrated, by research on using multimedia for learning, that there are more positive results observed in learners who combine picture and words than those who use words only ( Chen and Liu, 2008 ; Mayer, 2008 ). As stated in Eady and Lockyer (2013) , different pedagogy methods were implemented by the use of digital resources. Their paper presented how the authors were able to introduce topics to students, demonstrate to them, stimulate a group, make different text types available and engage students in an interactive manner.

Generally speaking, multimedia technology for educational purposes can be categorised according to whether they are used for teaching or for learning. Some of the different multimedia or digital learning resources are listed in Eady and Lockyer (2013) . Furthermore, according to Guan et al. (2018) , several studies have established the importance of multimedia technologies to education and the widespread adoption of multimedia tools. Multimedia generally involves the use of technology and the widespread adoption of multimedia applications in education is as a result of its many benefits ( Almara'beh et al., 2015 ). Some of the benefits of the multimedia application tools for teaching and learning are summarized as follows:

• (1) Ability to turn abstract concepts into concrete contents
• (2) Ability to presents large volumes of information within a limited time with less effort
• (3) Ability to stimulates students' interest in learning
• (4) Provides teacher with the ability to know students position in learning.

Multimedia designed for learning refers to the process of building mental representation from words and pictures in different contexts. They are designed to assist learning with tools which can be used in presentations, class room or laboratory learning, simulations, e-learning, computer games, and virtual reality, thereby allowing learners to process information both in verbal and pictorial forms ( Alemdag and Cagiltay, 2018 ). Multimedia designed for learning requires understanding of some theories such as cognitive theory of multimedia learning, which postulates three assumptions that describe how people learn from instructional multimedia materials. These assumptions can be phrased as dual-channel, limited capacity, and active processing ( Alemdag and Cagiltay, 2018 ). Dual-channel assumes that learners have many channels to separate visual and auditory information. The restricted/limited capacity assumes that there is a limit to the load of data that can be processed in each channel. Understanding these will allow teachers not overwhelming learners with much information. On the other hand, learners will be aware of their information processing limitations or capabilities. Active processing proposes that when it comes to information selection, organization, and integration, human beings are active agents and are capable of managing the forms of information they are interacting with.

The appropriate use of ICT in teaching transforms the learning environment from teacher-centred to learner-centred ( Coleman et al., 2016 ) just as it is transforming all aspects of human life ( Guan et al., 2018 ). Coleman et al., (2016) emphasised that the shifting from teaching to learning creates a student-centred learning where teachers are there as facilitators and not sages on the stages, thus changing the role of the teacher from knowledge transmitter to that of a facilitator, knowledge navigator and a co-learner. Keengwe et al., (2008a) concluded that the application of multi-media technologies ensures a very productive, interesting, motivating, interactive and quality delivery of classroom instruction while addressing diverse learners' needs.

2.2. Role of multimedia technology in teaching and learning

Technology is evolving and scholars in the areas of Information Technology (IT) and education technology are continuing to study how multimedia technologies can be harnessed for the enhancement of teaching and learning. A software tool can be used to expand teaching and learning in various fields. It is important to provide students with practical experience in most fields of learning.

The importance of multimedia technologies and applications in education as a teaching or learning tool cannot be over emphasized. This has been confirmed in several studies that have investigated the impact of multimedia technology to the education system. Milovanovi et al. (2013) demonstrated the importance of using multimedia tools in Mathematics classes and found that the multimedia tool greatly enhances students' learning. Several works exist that show that multimedia enhances students' learning ( Aloraini, 2012 ; Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami, 2017 ; Barzegar et al., 2012 ; Chen and Xia 2012 ; Dalacosta et al., 2009 ; Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ; Janda, 1992 ; Keengwe et al., 2008b ; Kingsley and Boone, 2008 ; Shah and Khan, 2015 ; Taradi et al., 2005 ; Zin et al., 2013 ).

Multimedia communication has close similarities to face-to-face communications. It is less restricted than text and ensures better understanding ( Pea, 1991 ). Multimedia technology helps simplify abstract content, allows for differences from individuals and allows for coordination of diverse representation with a different perspective. The use of the computer-based technique as an interface between students and what they are learning with suitable fonts and design can be very valuable.

Certainly, multimedia technology brings about improvement in teaching and learning, however, there are a number of limitations in this technology for educational purposes. Some of these limitations include unfriendly programming or user interface, limited resources, lack of required knowledge and skill, limited time and high cost of maintenance among others ( Al-Ajmi and Aljazzaf, 2020 ; Putra, 2018 ).

2.3. Multimedia evaluation techniques

Evaluation entails assessing whether a multimedia programme fulfils the purposes set including being useful for its target audience. Kennedy and Judd (2007) make the point that developers of multimedia tools have expectations about the way they will be used which could be functional (focused on the interface) or educational (involving the learning designs, processes and outcomes). It is important to note that there are different methods used in the evaluation of multimedia and most evaluations entail experiments, comparisons and surveys. The primary goal is to balance assessment validity with efficiency of the evaluation process ( Mayer, 2005 ).

Survey research has two common key features – questionnaires (or interviews) and sampling, and is ideally suited for collecting data from a population that is too large to observe directly and is economical in terms of researcher time, cost and effort when compared to experimental research. However, survey research is subject to biases from the questionnaire design and sampling including non-response, social desirability and recall and may not allow researchers to have an in-depth understanding of the underlying reasons for respondent behaviour ( West, 2019 ; Kelley et al., 2003 ).

Generally, comparison studies follow the format of comparing outcome from an experimental group using the multimedia being evaluated against a control group. This method has been criticised for having inadequate treatment definition, not specifying all treatment dimensions and failure to measure treatment implementation, among others ( Yildiz and Atkins, 1992 ).

Faced with the subjective nature of surveys and the limitations from comparison studies, eye tracking and other student behaviour such as emotional response, provides information not consciously controlled by the student or researcher and is used as an objective data gathering technique. Eye tracking research is a multi-disciplinary field that tracks eye movements in response to visual stimuli ( Horsley et al., 2014 ). Data from eye-tracking allows researchers to validate empirically and objectively, how learners comprehend the multimedia content, the attention of the learner while analysing the multimedia content, and the cognitive demand of the content ( Molina et al., 2018 ). Eye tracking is quite interesting as it provides a useful source of information in the case of children. This is because gathering information using the traditional techniques is more difficult especially when it involves children's interests and preferences ( Molina et al., 2018 ).

Earlier attempts at analysing student behaviour while engaging with online material included analysing student access computer logs, and the frequency of participation and duration of participation ( Morris et al., 2005 ). Nie and Zhe (2020) demonstrated that the conventional method of manually analysing student behaviour is gradually becoming less effective compared to online classroom visual tracking. They found that the online classroom visual tracking behaviour can be divided into several components: selection, presentation, mapping, analysis and collection, as well as the analysis from students' facial expression.

Several works exist that use student behaviour tracking to examine how students interact with multimedia learning tools. For instance, Agulla et al. (2009) , incorporated in a learning management system (LMS), student behaviour tracking that provided information on how much time the student spent in front of the computer examining the contents. They did so through the use of face tracking, fingerprint and speaker verification. Alemdag and Cagiltay (2018) conducted a systematic review of eye-tracking research on multimedia learning and found that while this research method was on the rise it was mainly used to understand the effects of multimedia use among higher education students. They also identified that although eye movements were linked to how students select, organise and integrate information presented through multimedia technologies, metacognition and emotions were rarely investigated with eye movements.

Molina et al. (2018) used eye-tracking in evaluating multimedia use by primary school children. Some studies have used a combination of eye tracking data and verbal data in order to gain insight into the learners' cognitions during learning and how they perceived the learning material ( Stark et al., 2018 ).

As much as eye-tracking and other behavioural research present opportunity for objective evaluation, difficulty of interpretation is one of the limitations of eye-movement data ( Miller, 2015 ), and it is not surprising that the traditional methods of evaluation through questionnaire administration and surveys are still commonly used.

3. Research methodology

This study adopted a research design that involves a searching method for identifying the articles to be reviewed for solving a specific research problem. It includes a systematic review of the article contents for analysis and synthesis. The systematic review follows the procedure outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis for Protocol (PRISMA-P) 2015 guideline as provided in the work of Moher et al. (2015) , an extension of Liberati et al. (2009) . The guideline is to facilitate a carefully planned and documented systematic review in a manner that promotes consistency, transparency, accountability and integrity of review articles. Although it was originally developed for the analysis of health related studies, it is now widely adopted in other fields of study. Furthermore, the study involves protocol that includes identifying the data sources for the search, the keywords for the search and the inclusion criteria. To aid in synthesis of the identified articles, key points from the articles are summarised in tables and quantifiable components are analysed.

3.1. Data sources

The quality of a systematic review starts with the data sources used for identifying the articles to be selected for the review. This requires a thorough search and scrutiny of existing literatures from variety of academic databases and journals. The academic databases and journals considered for this review include Science Direct, IEEE Explore, ACM Digital library, Google Scholar, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Taylor & Francis, EBSCOHOST, Web of Science, and Scopus. These databases are reputable bibliographic sources and journals or conference papers indexed in them are deemed reputable and of good quality.

3.2. Search keywords

In order to ensure appropriate primary search terms are used and relevant papers are carefully selected for the review purpose, the literature search method of Kitchenham et al. (2009) was adopted. While it is expected that searching on a main string should be sufficient for the query output to collect all related papers, this is not the case always; hence the inclusion of substrings. Some problems associated with the databases used for the study are:

• • Some do not have automatic root recognition
• • Some have limitation of how many words to use e.g. IEEE, 15 words
• • Some databases offer advanced or expert search
• • ACM, IEEE and others do not have anything, not even a precedence rule.

The search terms for relevant literatures in the academic databases and journals specified in section 3.1 , are: “multimedia”, “multimedia technology”, “multimedia technology + Education”, “ICT impact + Education”, “multimedia tools + Education”, “multimedia + Teaching”, “multimedia + Learning”, “Application Software + Education”, and “Digital + Education”.

3.3. Inclusion and exclusion criteria

For the purpose given, each of the articles from the consulted academic databases and libraries had an equal chance of being selected. In order to avoid bias in the selection, a clear principle was set and adopted to form the criteria for inclusion of papers. These criteria are presented in Table 1 .

Table 1

Inclusion criteria of articles.

Thus, the queries using the stated search strings led to a pool of 10,972 articles in the subjects of interest that were online and written in English. All publications found as at the time of the search, which was in May 2019, were included. Publication date constraint for including a paper in the study was not applied. The process of screening this pool of 10,972 articles to meet the purpose of the study is outlined in the next section.

3.4. Exclusion from pooled articles

The number of articles from the database keywords search were reduced in line with the elimination procedure outlined as follows:

• i. elimination of paper based on unrelated title and elimination of duplications from various sources, leading to a reduction from 10,972 to 1,403;
• ii. examination of the abstracts of the 1,403 articles and reduction from 1,403 to 505;
• iii. elimination based on the direction of the article after reading through, leading to reduction from 505 to 78.

The elimination procedure is represented in Figure 1 which shows the flow of the procedure for screening the articles for the study.

Literature elimination process.

Table 2 provides a summary of the databases visited and the respective number of articles (from the final 78) that were obtained from that source.

Table 2

Search databases and number for articles.

Table 2 shows the percentage of the articles sourced from each academic database and reveals that Science Direct accounts for the highest number of the related articles with 25 (32%) papers, closely followed by Google Scholar 20 (26%) and IEEE Explore with 12 (15%) articles. Springer accounts for 8 articles, which represents 10% of the entire reviewed papers, while ACM Digital Library, Taylor and Francis, Web of science and EBSCOHOST contribute 4 (5%), 2 (3%), 4 (5%) and 2 (3%) respectively. The least paper is contributed by Wiley Online Library with one paper, which represents 1% of the entire papers reviewed for this study.

3.5. Data collection and synthesis of results

Based on the selection mechanism, 78 articles were shortlisted for analysis. Each article was reviewed and information extracted from it for tabulation. The information sought included the following: the type of multimedia tool used, the focus area of the tool, the technology that was deployed, the multimedia components used within the tool, how the tool was applied – whether for teaching or learning or both, the location where the tool was tested, and the target age on which the tool was tested. The researchers also tabulated impressions gleaned from the review in a “comments” column. If the tool was evaluated, then the evaluation methodology, target group, sample size, outcome, limitations of the methodology and whether or not the outcome could be generalized, were also presented.

In the next section, the insights from the articles reviewed are presented and some of the findings presented in tables for ease of analyses and synthesis.

After careful application of the procedures for selection as outlined in section 3 , each of the 78 shortlisted articles were subjected to a systematic review which involved extracting information as itemised in section 3.5 . Such information were tabulated for further analysis. Not all the articles were empirical based or contained the desired data items. Nineteen articles which were based on experimental work reported the details of the multimedia tool developed or deployed. Furthermore, 13 articles with details of the evaluation of the use of multimedia tools in teaching and learning were identified. Also revealed, were barriers to the use of multimedia. The findings from the systematic review are presented in this section.

The set of articles reviewed clearly emphasized the importance of multimedia technology to the improvement of teaching and learning environment. Several studies that have investigated the impact of ICT to education stated that multimedia technology has positive impact on the way teachers impart knowledge and the manner in which learners comprehend subject matters. The review also revealed that several multimedia-based tools exist, most of which are usually based on subject, field, age or level at various institutions of learning. In addition, some of the reviewed papers investigated the impact of teaching and/or learning with multimedia based instructional materials using descriptive, qualitative and quantitative research methods with different focus groups for both the pre-test and post-test conditions.

Nevertheless, despite the impact of multimedia tools on the improvement of teaching and learning activities, it could be counterproductive if the computer-based tools are not properly designed or the instructional materials are not well composed. The reviews showed that multimedia adoption in education requires adequate understanding of technology and multimedia types or components required to properly represent concepts or ideas. This implies that a teacher must understand the learners and know what technology or tool needs to be adopted at a given time for a set of targets. According to the reviews, the target groups determine the type of multimedia components employed while preparing instructional materials and the ways they are to be delivered. To provide context, a review of some of the analysed case studies are presented next.

Huang et al. (2017) explored the use of multimedia-based teaching materials that include three view diagrams (3D) and tangible 3D materials to teach 3D modelling course. This was aimed at determining the influence of multimedia technology in meta-cognitive behaviour of students. The authors employed lag sequential analysis as well as interview methods to examine the pattern transformation of students' meta-cognitive behaviour while solving problematic tasks. The evaluation results show that different teaching method and materials produce different meta-cognitive behaviours in student. The result further revealed that compare to traditional instructional instruments, using 3D tangible object in cognitive apprenticeship instruction stimulates more meta-cognitive behaviour. To teach an introductory course to control theory and programming in MATLAB, a video based multimedia guide was created by Karel and Tomas (2015) for distance learning students using Camtasia Studio 7 program. The software can record screen, edit video and create DVD menu. The impact of the multimedia aid tool was evaluated to be positive on the students based on the feedback.

Zhang (2012) created an online teaching and learning resource platform with interactive and integrated features. The platform was created with Macromedia Flash version 8.0, a form of Computer – Aided Drawing (CAD) software that is very easy to use. In an attempt to test student's professional cognition and operational skill cognition as well as learning satisfaction during learning phase, an experimentation technique that utilizes a non-equivalent pre-test and post-test control group was adopted. The evaluation revealed no significant difference between the groups in terms of professional cognition and operation skill cognition. However, it was noted that a significant difference exists in learning satisfaction, which shows a greater satisfaction in the coursework with multimedia Flash compare to that of the traditional learning method.

A web-based multimedia software is another popular educational tool designed to enhance teaching and learning. The major constraints of web-based learning are in its ability to provide personalised learning materials. Hwang et al., (2007) presented a web-based tool for creating and sharing annotations in their study. They then investigated the effect of the tool on learning using college students as a case study after four months of using the tool. The study concluded that there is value in understanding the use of collaborative learning through shared annotation. The paper also carried out a GEFT test on the students and concluded that there was no significant divergence between field – dependent and cognitive style students on the quantity of annotation. The paper also concluded that in the final examination, the tool provided a high motivation for students to study for their final exams.

Similarly, Bánsági and Rodgers (2018) developed a graphic web-based application in the educational sector for liquid – liquid extraction with the help of ternary phase diagram. The application allows chemical engineering students of the University of Manchester to draw liquid – liquid two – phase equilibrium curves and calculate mixture of phase separation among others. The application was put into use for testing purpose during which student usage figure as well as their opinions was sampled for both full – time taught and distance learning courses. The HTML 5, JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) based application is interactive and easy to be used. In order to further analyse the web application developed, an iTeach questionnaire for the assessment of the efficiency of individual pedagogical approach was administered to students. The study revealed that students find the application useful as it has increased their level of understanding the course.

In order to teach students how to compose and continue delivering text based information in various media forms for current and emerging technologies, Blevins (2018) made students to search and analyse various multimedia technologies used in new media and capable of reflecting on their current and future works by adopting a scaffold project – based activities. The students were taught Augmented Reality (AR) software in a specific way with an assumption that such method will change next time students embark on AR project. After student's evaluation, the assumption was achieved even more than expected.

Ertugrul (2000) provided an overview of some lab view application software for teaching. The focus of the software was to seek for software use friendliness and compatibility faced by users. The paper provided recommendations for selection criterion. Even though the software applications have been found very useful and could compliment for conventional practical teaching particularly where there is shortage of laboratory facilities, the application is not suitable for engineering kind courses that requires hands on and intensive practical. Davies and Cormican (2013) identified the fundamental principles needed when designing a multimedia training tool or material for effective teaching and learning. The principles considered both students and an instructor's perspectives. Experiments were conducted in Ireland using a computer aided design (CAD) training environment. During data collection, mixed methods (i.e. interviews, surveys and a group discussion) were employed and findings showed that computer-based material is the most effective and popular way to learn. However, the costs, perceived lack of skill and insufficient support could be hindering factors.

The department of Computer Science in UiTMNegriSembian, developed three applications, namely, the Greenfoot, Visualization makes Array Easy (VAE) and e-TajweedYassin. The Greenfoot as a Teaching Tool in Object Oriented Programming is a tool that creates scenarios in order to ease visualization of 2D objects interaction in teaching object-oriented programming. The term “scenario” is used in Greenfoot to mean a project, and it has been used as a teaching aid for object-oriented programming (OOP) language introduction course. To ensure that a standard and quality application is built, the teaching aid was developed using System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The Greenfoot-based scenario shows a great improvement in visualization and object element interaction and an impressive engagement of students during learning process. The application also provides clear illustration of object-oriented concepts to students and enabled them develop a game-like application from the scenario provided.

The Visualization makes Array Easy (VAE) on the other hand was created using the ADDIE model which is made up of Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate for instructional design. The analysis stage recognizes visualization technique as a key factor for enhancing students' understanding of programming concepts. The design stage of VAE took about a week to create a storyboard, while MS PowerPoint with i-Spring and Video Scribe formed the principal software for developing the application using storyboard as a guide. The VAE was instrumental in teaching students some hard programming concepts like Array. The results of the simple test with 60 students showed simulation technique of VAE to be effective in helping students to learn the concepts. To determine the effectiveness of VAE prototype, learnability, efficiency, memorability, accuracy and satisfaction of students were examined.

While the e-TajweedYaasin software was also developed using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate) as an e-learning application, the tool was intended to aid students mastering tajweed and avoid common mistakes that were usually made by previous students who had undergone the course. During the analysis stage, visualization and interactive technique were recognised to be helpful in ensuring that students understand tajweed properly and are able to study with ease. The design stage involved the designing of the application layout with the focus on its easy accessibility to users. In addition, its user interface imitates the traditional teaching method called syafawiah. The development stage involved the use of MS PowerPoint with i-Spring features. The combination of audio, video and animation was more effective in comparison to text only in the promotion of learning. A sample of 51 students were selected to use the system and later, they were evaluated based on their ability to read the surah of Yaasin. A great improvement was observed as the number of mistakes had reduced to all the rules as students were enabled to better recognise and practice the tajweed for the surah of Yaasin ( Kapi et al., 2017 ).

Kapi et al. (2017) compared the effectiveness of three multimedia applications for effective teaching and learning. The applications considered were: Greenfoot Tool for programming; Visualisation Makes Array Easy (VAE) and e-TajweedYasin applications. The comparison looked into the design models used in meeting the desired instructional needs. Findings from the paper showed much more improved students' performance, learning and better understanding of subjects taught.

The advantages of using multimedia tools to teach Physics, which most students think is difficult, are enumerated in Jian-hua & Hong's (2012) work. They established that effective application of multimedia technology in university physics teaching can change the form of information, integrating graph, text, sound and image on PC, improving the expressive force of the teaching content so that the students can actively participate in multi-media activities via multi senses. High-quality university physics multimedia courseware is the best means to provide a variety of audio-visual images, which can show a lot of physical processes and phenomena vividly that is difficult by common means. The tool, especially, combines the advantages of multimedia courseware for university physics and that of traditional teaching of physics, and it greatly helped in improving teaching results of physics ( Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ).

Two researchers developed a culturally responsive Visual Art Education module at the secondary level so as to assist the teachers to integrate and to implement a multicultural education in the teaching and learning practices at schools with the aim of enhancing students' knowledge and awareness regarding the elements of art and culture inherited by each race that makes up the multiracial society in Malaysia. Microsoft power point authoring tool was the technology with visual art materials including images and texts in a multimedia interactive teaching material for teaching 60 secondary school students, which resulted in accelerated teaching and learning processes with the IT skills of the teachers greatly improved ( Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ).

Two control groups, pre-test and post-test, were selected for the implementation of a developed multimedia tool for 20 weeks. The tool, multimedia aided teaching (MAT) with text, audio, video and animation, was applied on 60 science students with age less than 15 years. The valid and reliable questionnaires were used as data collection tools. The Attitude Towards Science Scale (ATSS) was used to measure the attitude of both groups before and after treatments. The independent sample t-test was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that MAT is more effective than the traditional one. Students' attitude towards science improved with the use of MAT when compared to the traditional method of teaching ( Shah and Khan, 2015 ).

The effect of multimedia tools on the performance of 67 grade 4 students of social studies in Kayseri, Turkey was presented. Teaching tool with Computer representation with text, audio, video and animation as its components applied on a control group and an experimental group. The study concluded that academic performance of students in social studies was greatly improved when multimedia technique was applied as compared to traditional classroom ( Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ).

Two samples of 60 senior secondary school II students in two different schools in Lagos State, Nigeria, were selected for the pre-test, post-test control group quasi experimental design in the research by Akinoso. Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) with twenty-five questions from four topics namely: logarithm, percentage error, range, variance and standard deviation and circle theorems was the tool used. It was concluded that the students in the experimental group where multimedia tool was used performed better than those in the control group. It was equally inferred from the work that students' interest, motivation and participation increased according to the researcher and experimental group's teacher observations ( Akinoso, 2018 ).

Specifically, in the field of engineering, laboratory software applications can be used to provide an interface to providing practical alternatives to students depending on their requirement. Ertugrul (2000) provided a review of LabView software applications. The paper provided some knowledge about laboratory software tools used in the field of engineering and concluded that computer-based technology has advanced up to the stage where it can aid Engineering education at a significantly low price. The paper also highlighted some challenges faced by institutions in selecting and in the use of these software such as the need to upgrade software as the curriculum changes while also providing some future trends.

Zulkifli et al. (2008) examined a self-calibrating automated system for depressed cladding applications as they demonstrated utilizing the Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW) software and General-Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) interface. The presented model confirmed that the overall experiment time was reduced by 80% and data obtained is more accurate than caring out the experiment physically. Similarly, Teng et al. (2000) presented a Lab view as a teaching aid for use as power analyzer. The paper showed the tool allows for developmental speed to be accelerated as it is a connection between different workbench instruments.

The structured information extracted from the relevant reviewed articles are presented in the next sections. The systematic review enabled us to extract information from the reviewed articles on the type of multimedia tool the article described, what type of technology the tool deployed, what were the multimedia components utilized, and whether the tool applied to a teaching or learning scenario or both. Furthermore, results from articles reviewed for their evaluation studies are also presented including barriers to multimedia use.

4.1. Multimedia tools, technology, components and applications

The systematic review enabled us to extract information from the reviewed articles on the type of multimedia tool the article described, what type of technology the tool deployed, what were the multimedia components utilized, and whether the tool applied to a teaching or learning scenario or both. The results are presented in Table 3 .

Table 3

Summary of multimedia tools, technology, components and applications for education.

Various multimedia tools were identified in the research papers reviewed. Perhaps, owing to the advancement in multimedia technology, several applications have been developed and deployed to enhance teaching skills and learning environment in many fields of study. These include subject specific tools such as that for teaching and learning Mathematics ( Akinoso, 2018 ), the Chinese language ( Wu and Chen, 2018 ), Physics ( Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ) and for teaching Social Studies ( Ilhan and Oruc (2016) . All the multimedia tools were developed for teaching except the CENTRA tool ( Eady and Lockyer, 2013 ) and the e-Tajweed Yaasin tool ( Kapi et al., 2017 ). Likewise, all the tools handled learning except the web-based application reported by Bánsági and Rodgers (2018) and the multimedia interactive teaching material ( Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ).

The tools fell into two categories: standalone or web-based. One-third were web-based (36%) while 65% were standalone.

Technologies identified varied widely. Multimedia tools used included advanced technologies such as computer representation ( Akinoso, 2018 ; Aloraini, 2012 ; Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ; Milovanovic et al., 2013 ) and augmented reality ( Blevins, 2018 ). High-level web design and programming software were also utilized. For instance, Bánsági and Rodgers (2018) and Hwang et al. (2007) utilized HTML 5, JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), which are software commonly used for web site programming. Camtasia Studio 7 software was used in the development of a video based multimedia guide for teaching and learning ( Karel and Tomas, 2015 ).

A commonly used web design and animation software, Macromedia Flash, was also identified ( Zhang, 2012 ). Object-oriented programming software was reported by Kapi et al. (2017) in the Greenfoot multimedia tool reported by them. Some low end technologies such as word-processing ( Eady and Lockyer, 2013 ) and presentation software ( Kapi et al., 2017 ) were also utilised. Other technologies reported include the use of e-book ( Wu and Chen, 2018 ), computer aided design (CAD) ( Davies and Cormican, 2013 ) and YouTube ( Shoufan, 2019 ).

As shown in Table 3 , several multimedia components were identified. These included text, audio, video, image, animation, annotation and 3D, with several of the multimedia tools combining two or more components. However, the incorporation of 3D was reported only by Huang et al. (2017) . All the analysed papers incorporated text in the multimedia tool reported, except in the tool, CENTRA ( Eady and Lockyer, 2013 ). Animation was also embedded as part of the multimedia tool developed for visualisation ( Kapi et al., 2017 ), for teaching Social Studies ( Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ), engineering virtual learning tool ( Ertugrul, 2000 ), CAD ( Davies and Cormican, 2013 ), augmented reality ( Blevins, 2018 ) and in tool for teaching Mathematics ( Akinoso, 2018 ). Figure 2 shows the trend in educational technology based on year of publication of the reviewed articles. The figure reveals that while incorporation of audio and video became common as from 2012, 3-D makes its first appearance in 2017. This suggests that as new ICTs emerge educators are likely to try them in the quest for the best learning experience possible.

Educational technology trend based on year of publication.

4.2. Multimedia tools test location and target age

In this section, information on the location where the multimedia tool was tested and the target age of the study group are presented as summarised in Table 4 . The table also includes comments about the articles that could not be captured under any of the tabulation headings.

Table 4

Summary of multimedia tools for education study locations.

The multimedia tools tested were reported in studies from various countries, including Nigeria ( Akinoso, 2018 ), Saudi Arabia ( Aloraini, 2012 ), England ( Bánsági and Rodgers, 2018 ), Ireland ( Davies and Cormican, 2013 ), Australia and Canada ( Eady and Lockyer, 2013 ), Taiwan ( Huang et al., 2017 ), Turkey ( Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ) Czech republic ( Karel and Tomas, 2015 ), Malaysia ( Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ), Serbia ( Milovanovic et al., 2013 ), Pakistan ( Shah and Khan, 2015 ) and China ( Wu and Chen, 2018 ).

Various age groups were targeted by the multimedia tool tests. A considerable proportion involved university students with ages starting from 16 or 18 years as specified in the articles ( Bánsági and Rodgers, 2018 ; Huang et al., 2017 ); Hwang et al., 2007 ; Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ; Kapi et al., 2017 ; Karel and Tomas, 2015 ). Another group targeted were secondary school students ( Akinoso, 2018 ; Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ) including vocational school students ( Wu and Chen, 2018 ). Shah and Khan (2015) reported testing their multimedia tool on children below the age of 15 years.

4.3. Evaluation methods of multimedia technology tools in education

The articles involving evaluation were examined to identify the methodologies used for the evaluation, the target groups and sample of the evaluation and the evaluation outcome. The limitations of the evaluation were also identified and whether or not the study outcome could be generalized. Thirteen articles were found and the results are presented in Table 5 .

Table 5

Summary of Evaluation methods of multimedia technology Tools in education.

Evaluation of multimedia technology used for teaching and learning is important in establishing the efficacy of the tool. For determination of the impact of a developed tool, an experimental evaluation is more meaningful over a survey. However, the results from the analysis showed that the survey method for evaluation was used nearly as equally as the experimental design.

Experimental based evaluation was conducted by Akinoso (2018) , Aloraini (2012) , Ilhan and Oruc (2016) , and Shah and Khan (2015) in order to determine the effectiveness of the multimedia tool they developed. Another group of experimental evaluations involved designing the research for teaching with or without multimedia aids not necessarily developed by the research team which involved exposing 10–11 year olds ( Dalacosta et al., 2009 ) and elementary school students ( Kaptan and İzgi, 2014 ) to animated cartoons. Another of such evaluation was done by Milovanovi et al. (2013) , who used an experimental and control group to evaluate the impact of teaching a group of university students with multimedia.

In contrast, the survey method was used to elicit the opinion of respondents on the impact of the use of multimedia in teaching and learning and the target group were university students ( Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami, 2017 ; Barzegar et al., 2012 ), secondary school students ( Akinoso, 2018 ; Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ); one involved interviewing the Professors ( Chen and Xia, 2012 ), another involved 4–10 year olds ( Manca and Ranieri, 2016 ) and a sample of 272 students whose ages were not specified ( Ocepek et al., 2013 ).

The focus areas in which the evaluations were conducted ranged from the sciences including mathematics ( Akinoso, 2018 ; Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami, 2017 ; Dalacosta et al., 2009 ; Kaptan and İzgi, 2014 ; Milovanovi et al., 2013 ) to the social sciences ( Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ) and the arts ( Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ). There were evaluations focused on education as a subject as well ( Aloraini, 2012 ; Chen and Xia, 2012 ; Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 ; Manca and Ranieri, 2016 ). While positive outcomes were generally reported, Ocepek et al. (2013) , specified that students in their evaluation study preferred structured texts with colour discrimination.

Sample sizes used in the studies varied widely, from Maaruf and Siraj (2013) that based their conclusions on an in-depth interview of teachers, to Manca and Ranieri (2016) that carried out a survey with a sample of 6,139 academic staff. However, the latter study reported a low response rate of 10.5%. One notable weakness identified was that the findings from all but one of the studies could not be generalized. Reasons for this ranged from inadequate sample size, the exposure being limited to a single lesson, or the sampling method and duration of the experiment not explicitly stated.

4.4. Identified barriers to multimedia use in teaching and learning

The review revealed some challenges that could be barriers to the use of multimedia tools in teaching and learning. Some of these barriers, as found in the reviewed articles, are highlighted as follows:

• • Attitudes and beliefs towards the use of technology in education. Findings from literatures and surveys have shown high resistant to change and negative attitude towards adoption and use of ICT in education ( Cuban et al., 2001 ; Said et al., 2009 ; Snoeyink and Ertmer, 2001 ). In some findings, some respondents perceived no benefits ( Mumtaz, 2000 ; Snoeyink and Ertmer, 2001 ; Yuen and Ma, 2002 ).
• • Lack of teachers' confidence in the use of technology and resistance to change ( Bosley and Moon, 2003 ; Fabry& Higgs, 1997 ; Said et al., 2009 ).
• • Lack of basic knowledge and ICT skills for adoption and use of multimedia tools ( Akbaba-Altun, 2006 ; Bingimlas, 2009 ; Cagiltay et al., 2001 )
• • Lack of access to computing resources such as hardware and software ( Akbaba-Altun, 2006 ; Bosley and Moon, 2003 ; Cinar, 2002 ; Mumtaz, 2000 ; Taylor and Todd, 1995 )
• • Lack of technical, administrative and financial supports ( Akbaba-Altun, 2006 ; Cinar, 2002 ; Said et al., 2009 ; Goktas et al., 2013 )
• • Others include lack of instructional content, basic knowledge and skills, physical environment and lack of time to learn new technologies ( Akbaba-Altun, 2006 ; Cinar, 2002 ; Said et al., 2009 ).

5. Discussion

The findings from the systematic review are discussed in this section with a view to answering the research questions posed. The questions bordered on identifying the existing multimedia tools for teaching and learning and the multimedia components adopted in the tools, the type of audience best suited to a certain multimedia component, the methods used when multimedia in teaching and learning are being evaluated and the success or failure factors to consider.

5.1. Multimedia tools in teaching and learning

The review revealed that multimedia tools have been developed to enhance teaching and learning for various fields of study. The review also shows that multimedia tools are delivered using different technologies and multimedia components, and can be broadly categorized as web-based or standalone.

From the review, it was found that standalone multimedia tools were more than twice (64%) the number of tools that were web-based (36%). Standalone tools are a category of teaching and learning aids which are not delivered or used over the internet, but authored to be installed, copied, loaded and used on teachers or students' personal computers (PCs) or workstations. Standalone tools are especially useful for teaching and practicing new concepts such as 3D technology for modelling and printing ( Huang et al., 2017 ) or understanding augmented reality (AR) software ( Blevins, 2018 ). Microsoft Powerpoint is a presentation tool used in some of the reviewed articles and is usually done with standalone systems.

Standalone tools were favoured over web-based tools probably because the internet is not a requirement which makes the tool possible to deploy in all settings. This means that teachers and students in suburban and rural areas that are digitally excluded, can benefit from such a multimedia tool. This system is considered most useful because a majority of the populace in most developing countries are socially and educationally excluded due to a lack of the necessary resources for teaching and learning. The need to sustainably run an online learning environment may be difficult, and therefore, the standalone, provides a better fit for such settings. However, the problem with a standalone application or system is the platform dependency. For instance, a Windows based application can only run on a windows platform. Also, there will be slow convergence time when there is modification in the curricular or modules, since, each system will run offline and has to be updated manually or completely replaced from each location where the tool is deployed.

The other category, web-based multimedia tools, are authored using web authoring tools and delivered online for teaching and learning purposes. About one-third of the tools identified from the review were web-based although they were used largely in university teaching and learning. Examples of these tools are: online teaching and learning resource platform ( Zhang, 2012 ), graphic web-based application ( Bánsági and Rodgers, 2018 ), multimedia tool for teaching optimization ( Jian-hua & Hong, 2012 ), and educational videos on YouTube ( Shoufan, 2019 ).

One of the benefits of the web based multimedia solution is that it is online and centralized over the internet. Part of its advantages is easy update and deployment in contrast to the standalone multimedia system. The major requirements on the teachers and learners' side are that a web browser is installed and that they have an internet connection. Also, the multimedia web application is platform independent; it does not require any special operating system to operate. The same multimedia application can be accessed through a web browser regardless of the learners' operations system. However, when many people access the resource at the same time, this could lead to congestion, packet loss and retransmission. This scenario happens often when large classes take online examinations at the same time. Also, the data requirements for graphics or applications developed with the combination of video, audio and text may differs with system developed with only pictures and text. Hence, the web based system can only be sustainably run with stable high speed internet access.

A major weakness of web-based multimedia tools is the challenge posed for low internet penetration communities and the cost of bandwidth for low-income groups. As access to the internet becomes more easily accessible, it is expected that the advantages of deploying a web-based multimedia solution will far outweigh the disadvantages and more of such tools would be web-based.

5.2. Components, technology and applications of multimedia tools in education

The results from the review revealed that most of the existing multimedia tools in education consist of various multimedia components such as text, symbol, image, audio, video and animation, that are converged in technologies such as 3D ( Huang et al., 2017 ), Camtasia Studio 7 software ( Karel and Tomas, 2015 ), Macromedia Flash ( Zhang, 2012 ), HTML5, JavaScript, CSS ( Bánsági and Rodgers, 2018 ; Eady and Lockyer, 2013 ; Chen and Liu, 2008 ; Shah and Khan, 2015 ; Shoufan, 2019 ). As shown in Figure 3 , the analysis confirms that text (26.8%) is the predominant multimedia component being used in most of the educational materials while other components such as videos (19.5%), audios (18.3%), images (18.3%) and animation (11.0%) are fairly used in teaching and learning multimedia materials. However, annotation and 3D technologies are least incorporated.

Proportion of multimedia components in reviewed articles.

How these components are combined is shown in Figure 4 . Perhaps, the combination of these four major components (text, video, audio, image) provides the best outcome for the learner and points to the place of text as a most desired multimedia component. The components used also reflect the type of subject matter being addressed. For instance, the audio component is important for language classes while video and image components are stimulating in Biology classes, for example, due to the need for visual perception for the learners. It is, therefore, imperative to note that the choice of the combination of these components could yield variable impacts to learners. Hence, it can be deduced from the studies that most of the tools are applied either as teaching or/and learning aids depending on the nature of the audience and teacher.

Use of various multimedia combinations.

In Figure 4 , we provided the analysis of the component combination of the data set reviewed. The multimedia components combinations range from two to six. This was grouped based on the multimedia components combination employed in each of the data set. Group 1 (G1) represents the number of multimedia application with the combination of Text, Image, audio, Video, and 3D. G2 consists of video and audio, while G13 combines all the multimedia components except the 3D.

Furthermore, a majority of the multimedia applications considered four (4) and two (2) combinations of components in their design as shown in Figure 5 . Tools with five and six components were very few and as the figure reveals, all the tools used at least two components.

Multimedia tools and the number of components utilized.

These findings stress the fact that application of multimedia tools in education and the multimedia component incorporated, are audience, subject, curricula and teacher-specific and the tool needs to be well articulated and structured to achieve its goals.

5.3. Targeted multimedia solutions

Our systematic review also revealed that most multimedia solutions deployed for teaching and learning target the solution to the pedagogical content of the subject of interest (see Table 4 ) and the user audience of the solution ( Table 5 ). Several studies highlighted in Tables  4 and ​ and5 5 showcase multimedia tools used for mathematics classes ( Akinoso, 2018 ; Milovanovi et al., 2013 ), Social science ( Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ), Physiology ( Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami, 2017 ), Physics ( Jian-hua and Hong, 2012 ), in Chemical engineering ( Bánsági and Rodgers, 2018 ) and teaching of Chinese language ( Wu and Chen, 2018 ). In addition, multimedia tools were utilized for teaching specific principles such as in control theory ( Karel and Tomas, 2015 ) and teaching of arrays ( Kapi et al., 2017 ). That multimedia solutions are subject-based is not surprising given that multimedia involves relaying information using different forms of communication. It follows that multimedia solution developers need to incorporate some text, video, audio, still photographs, sound, animation, image and interactive contents in a manner that best conveys the desired content for teaching or to aid learning.

As stated earlier, the review revealed a variety of user types for the multimedia solutions reported. It is noteworthy that a large proportion of the studies where the target audience were university students, a mixture of graphics, text, audio, video and sometimes animation was utilized ( Aloraini 2012 ; Blevins, 2018 ; Huang et al., 2017 ; Shah and Khan, 2015 ). While a sizeable number of solutions were targeted at secondary school students (such as Maaruf and Siraj, 2013 , Kapi et al., 2017 , and Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ), very few studies were identified that targeted students less than 15 years in age. Shah and Khan (2015) targeted a multimedia teaching aid that incorporated text, audio, video and animation. Perhaps the absence of multimedia tools targeted at very young children may be as a result of the inclusion criteria used for identifying articles for the review.

5.4. Success factors

The success of the different multimedia tools that have been used on the various target groups and subjects can be attributed to the technologies and components embedded as shown in Tables  4 and ​ and5. 5 . In most cases where text, audio, video, graphics and animations were the components of choice, significant improvements in teaching and learning are used, as reported in the studies reviewed ( Blevins, 2018 ; Huang et al., 2017 ; Zhang, 2012 ).

These studies also implemented technologies such as 3D modelling and printing; Macromedia flash version 8.0 and augmented reality (AR) software respectively. It is worthy of note that all the above-mentioned multimedia tools were applicable in both the teaching and learning processes. Another set of tools with components being text, audio, video and animation, excluding graphics, and equally applied in both the teaching and learning processes, adopted computer representation as their technologies ( Aloraini, 2012 ; Ilhan and Oruc, 2016 ; Milovanovic et al., 2013 ). Teaching and learning were equally greatly improved in these cases.

5.5. Evaluation methodologies

Our systematic review included a synthesis of the methodologies described by the reviewed articles for evaluating the multimedia tools that they present as shown in the summary in Table 5 . The evaluation methodologies appeared to be different depending on the type of multimedia tool, technology components, deployment strategies, and application area and target groups. However, two main evaluation methods were identified - experimental investigations and the survey methodology.

The experimental approach involved the use of an experimental group and a control group, where the assessment of the impact of the multimedia tool on the students' performance on the experimental group was compared with the performance of the control group who were taught the same content without the use of the multimedia tool. This experimental approach is a widely practiced evaluation method and has proven to be effective. It was deployed by Aloraini (2012) , Milovanovi et al. (2013) , Kaptan and İzgi (2014) , Shah and Khan (2015) , Ilhan and Oruc (2016) and Akinoso (2018) in their studies in the subject area of education, social sciences, general science, science, education and mathematics classes respectively.

Survey, as an evaluation approach which was used in 46% of the studies reviewed, involved the use of questionnaires that were administered to gather opinion on the perceived impact of the multimedia tool from a targeted group of respondents. From the systematic review, it was found that the questionnaire administration approach also varied. The data collection could be face-to-face interview ( Al-Hariri and Al-Hattami, 2017 ; Barzegar et al., 2012 ; Chen and Xia, 2012 ), or online survey ( Armenteros et al., 2013 ; Wang et al., 2020 ).

The difficulty of determining impact from a survey is related to the weaknesses associated with instrument design and sampling biases. It is our opinion that the perceived impact of the technology components used in the development of the multimedia tools may not be accurately ascertained using survey when compared with the actual deployment and experimentation with the multimedia tool that takes place in experimentation approach. Besides, in the survey approach, judgment is merely based on perceptions. Interestingly, the simplicity and ease of the survey method makes it a good option for evaluating larger target groups, and its findings can be generalised when the statistical condition is satisfied ( Krejcie and Morgan, 1970 ).

Although the evaluation studies analysed had publication dates as recently as 2015 to 2018, none reported any objective data collection such as from eye-tracking or other behavioural data. Perhaps, this may be due to our search keyword terms not being wide enough to identify multimedia evaluation studies that used objective data gathering. It could also be that the cost, time and effort needed to collect objective data means that many studies incorporating evaluation are avoiding this route.

5.6. Barriers to multimedia use in teaching and learning

Several barriers to multimedia use in teaching and learning were revealed as a result of the review. Such barriers include resistance to the adoption of ICT, lack of teachers' confidence in the use of technology, resistance to change on the part of teachers, a lack of ICT skills and lack of access to ICT resources. Other barriers identified were the lack of support, lack of time to learn new technologies, lack of instructional content, and the physical environment in which multimedia delivery took place. Some studies reported respondents that perceived no benefits from the use of multimedia. These barriers certainly affect both the integration of multimedia in teaching and learning and the uptake of the multimedia tool.

Most of the barriers identified could be classified into three groups with a major one being the fear or resistance to change. This means that change management must be an integral part of multimedia tools development and deployment in order to achieve the desired goal. Also, barriers such as lack of time and lack of resources should not be underestimated. Some of the studies reported providing the hardware for the multimedia application and such an approach should be considered. Most multimedia tools are ICT driven and as such the identified barrier of lack of ICT skills is an important aspect that must be addressed. This can be done as part of the change process and would also boost the confidence of teachers to incorporate multimedia for teaching.

It is important that the multimedia tool is designed and developed with the end-goal in mind. As indicated, some recipients of multimedia applications did not see any benefit in its use. This means that the multimedia tool should be designed to provide an experience that is worth the teachers and students' time, attention and effort.

6. Conclusions and future research direction

A lot of work has been done to highlight the effectiveness of multimedia as a teaching and learning aid. This paper provides a systematic review of studies on the use of multimedia in education in order to identify the multimedia tools being commonly used to aid teaching and learning. The paper did a systematic review of extant literature that reported studies that have been carried out to determine the extent to which multimedia has been successful in improving both teaching and learning, and challenges of using multimedia for leaning and teaching.

We note, however, that our review, especially of the studies on evaluation of multimedia, leaned more to the outcome from the studies rather than the process. Some of the information that was not captured include how the classroom teacher's mastery of the technology influences the attractiveness of the tool to the learner, both visually and through the content and if the multimedia tool allowed for learners' participation. Also, while studies on multimedia evaluation was of interest to us, this search phrase was not part of the search phrases used. A future review could incorporate these for a richer perspective.

It is obvious from the review that researchers have explored several multimedia in order to develop teaching and learning tools either based on the web or standalone using different technologies. It is observed that there exist several multimedia tools in education, but the proliferation of the tools is attributed to the evolvement of technologies over the years and the continuous teachers' efforts to improving knowledge delivery with respect to the subject areas and target audience. It is also revealed that most multimedia solutions deployed for teaching and learning target the solution to the pedagogical content of the subject of interest and the user audience of the solution. The success of the different multimedia tools that have been used on the various target groups and subjects is also attributed to the technologies and components embedded.

Furthermore, the evaluation methodologies and learning outcomes of the deployment of multimedia tools appeared to be different depending on the type of multimedia tool, technology components, deployment strategies, and application area and target groups. The two main evaluation methodologies identified from the various studies reported in the articles we reviewed were the experimental investigations and the survey methodology.

Attitudes and beliefs towards the use of technology in education, lack of teachers' confidence and resistance to change, lack of basic knowledge and ICT skills, lack of technical, administrative and financial supports, lack of physical environment are some of the barriers identified in the various articles reviewed. These barriers affect the integration of multimedia in education.

For future work, efforts should be made to explore mobile technology with several multimedia components in order to enhance teaching and learning processes across a diverse group of learners in the primary, secondary, vocational, and higher institutions of learning. Such research efforts would be significant in increasing inclusiveness and narrowing the educational divide. Also, research into the change management process for overcoming the barriers to multimedia adoption would be of interest.

Declarations

Author contribution statement.

All authors listed have significantly contributed to the development and the writing of this article.

Funding statement

This work was supported by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund), Ministry of Education, Federal Government of Nigeria 2016–2017 Institutional Based Research Grant.

Competing interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

No additional information is available for this paper.

• Agulla E.G., Rúa E.A., Castro J.L.A., Jiménez D.G., Rifón L.A. 2009 11th IEEE International Symposium on Multimedia. 2009. Multimodal biometrics-based student attendance measurement in learning management systems; pp. 699–704. [ Google Scholar ]
• Akbaba-Altun S. Complexity of integrating computer technologies into education in Turkey. Educ. Technol. Soc. 2006; 9 (1):176–187. [ Google Scholar ]
• Akinoso O. Effect of the use of multimedia on students' performance in secondary school mathematics. Global Media J. 2018; 16 (30):1–8. [ Google Scholar ]
• Al-Ajmi N.A.H., Aljazzaf Z.M. Factors influencing the use of multimedia technologies in teaching English language in Kuwait. Int. J. Emerg. Technol. Learn. 2020; 15 (5):212–234. [ Google Scholar ]
• Alemdag E., Cagiltay K. A systematic review of eye tracking research on multimedia learning. Comput. Educ. 2018; 125 :413–428. 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Al-Hariri M.T., Al-Hattami A.A. Impact of students' use of technology on their learning achievements in physiology courses at the University of Dammam. J. Taibah Univ. Med. Sci. 2017; 12 (1):82–85. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Almara'beh H., Amer E.F., Sulieman A. The effectiveness of multimedia learning tools in education. Int. J. Adv. Res. Comput. Sci. Software Eng. 2015; 5 (12):761–764. [ Google Scholar ]
• Aloraini S. The impact of using multimedia on students’ academic achievement in the College of Education at King Saud University. Kind Saud Univ. J. King Saud Univ. Lang. Transl. 2012; 24 :75–82. 2012. [ Google Scholar ]
• Anderson R.E. IEA Computers in Education Study, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota. 1993. Computers in American schools 1992: an overview: a national report from the international IEA computers in education study. [ Google Scholar ]
• Armenteros M., Liaw S.S., Fernández M., Díaz R.F., Sánchez R.A. Surveying FIFA instructors' behavioral intention toward the multimedia teaching materials. Comput. Educ. 2013; 61 :91–104. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bánsági T., Jr., Rodgers T.L. Graphic web–apps for teaching ternary diagrams and liquid–liquid extraction. Educ. Chem. Eng. 2018; 22 :27–34. [ Google Scholar ]
• Barzegar N., Farjad S., Hosseini N. The effect of teaching model based on multimedia and network on the student learning (case study: guidance schools in Iran) Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2012; 47 :1263–1267. 2012. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bingimlas K. Barriers to the successful integration of ICT in teaching and learning environments: a review of the literature. Eurasia J. Math. Sci. Technol. Educ. 2009; 5 (3):235–245. [ Google Scholar ]
• Blevins B. Teaching digital literacy composing concepts: focusing on the layers of augmented reality in an era of changing technology. Comput. Compos. 2018; 50 :21–38. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bosley C., Moon S. Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Derby; 2003. Review of Existing Literature on the Use of Information and Communication Technology within an Educational Context. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cagiltay K., Cakiroglu J., Cagiltay N., Cakiroglu E. Teachers’ perspectives about the use of computer in education. H. U. J. Educ. 2001; 21 (1):19–28. [ Google Scholar ]
• Chen H.Y., Liu K.Y. Web-based synchronized multimedia lecture system design for teaching/learning Chinese as second language. Comput. Educ. 2008; 50 (3):693–702. [ Google Scholar ]
• Chen S., Xia Y. Research on application of multimedia technology in college physical education. Procedia Eng. 2012; 29 (2012):4213–4217. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cinar A. METU; Ankara, Turkey: 2002. Teachers’ Computer Use at Basic Education Schools: Identifying Contributing Factors. Unpublished master’s thesis. [ Google Scholar ]
• Coleman L.O., Gibson P., Cotten S.R., Howell-Moroney M., Stringer K. Integrating computing across the curriculum: the impact of internal barriers and training intensity on computer integration in the elementary school classroom. J. Educ. Comput. Res. 2016; 54 (2):275–294. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cuban L., Kirkpatrick H., Peck C. High access and low use of technology in high school classrooms: explaining an apparent paradox. Am. Educ. Res. J. 2001; 38 (4):813–834. [ Google Scholar ]
• Dalacosta K., Kamariotaki-Paparrigopoulou M., Palyvos J.A., Spyrellis N. Multimedia application with animated cartoons for teaching science in elementary education. Comput. Educ. 2009; 52 (4):741–748. [ Google Scholar ]
• Davies W., Cormican K. An analysis of the use of multimedia technology in computer aided design training: towards effective design goals. Procedia Technol. 2013; 9 :200–208. 2013. [ Google Scholar ]
• Eady M.J., Lockyer L. Queensland University of Technology; Australia: 2013. “Tools for Learning: Technology and Teaching Strategies,” Learning to Teach in the Primary School; p. 71. [ Google Scholar ]
• Ertugrul N. Towards virtual laboratories: a survey of LabVIEW-based teaching/learning tools and future trends. Int. J. Eng. Educ. 2000; 16 (3):171–180. [ Google Scholar ]
• Fabry D., Higgs J. Barriers to the effective use of technology in education. J. Educ. Comput. 1997; 17 (4):385–395. [ Google Scholar ]
• Goktas Y., Gedik N., Baydas O. Enablers and barriers to the use of ICT in primary schools in Turkey: a comparative study of 2005–2011. Comput. Educ. 2013; 68 :211–222. [ Google Scholar ]
• Guan N., Song J., Li D. On the advantages of computer multimedia-aided English teaching. Procedia Comput. Sci. 2018; 131 :727–732. 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Horsley M., Eliot M., Knight B.A., Reilly R. Springer; Cham, Switzerland: 2014. Current Trends in Eye Tracking Research. [ Google Scholar ]
• Huang T.C., Chen M.Y., Lin C.Y. Exploring the behavioral patterns transformation of learners in different 3D modeling teaching strategies. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2017; 92 :670–678. 2017. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hwang W.Y., Wang C.Y., Sharples M. A study of multimedia annotation of Web-based materials. Comput. Educ. 2007; 48 (4):680–699. [ Google Scholar ]
• Ilhan G.O., Oruc S. Effect of the use of multimedia on students' performance: a case study of social studies class. Educ. Res. Rev. 2016; 11 (8):877–882. [ Google Scholar ]
• Janda K. Multimedia in political science: sobering lessons from a teaching experiment. J. Educ. Multimedia Hypermedia. 1992; 1 (3):341–354. [ Google Scholar ]
• Jian-hua S., Hong L. Explore the effective use of multimedia technology in college physics teaching. 2012 International Conference on Future Electr. Power Energy Syst. Explore. 2012; 17 :1897–1900. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kapi A.Y., Osman N., Ramli R.Z., Taib J.M. Multimedia education tools for effective teaching and learning. J. Telecommun. Electron. Comput. Eng. 2017; 9 (2-8):143–146. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kaptan F., İzgi Ü. The effect of use concept cartoons attitudes of first grade elementary students towards science and technology course. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2014; 116 :2307–2311. 2014. [ Google Scholar ]
• Karel P., Tomas Z. Multimedia teaching aid for students of basics of control theory in Matlab and Simulink. Procedia Eng. 2015; 100 :150–158. 2015. [ Google Scholar ]
• Keengwe S., Onchwari G., Wachira P. The use of computer toolsto support meaningful learning. Educ. Technol. Rev. 2008; 16 (1):77–92. [ Google Scholar ]
• Keengwe J., Onchwari G., Wachira P. Computer technology integration and student learning: barriers and promise. J. Sci. Educ. Technol. 2008; 17 :560–565. 2008. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kelley K., Clark B., Brown V., Sitzia J. Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. Int. J. Qual. Health Care. 2003; 15 (3):261–266. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kennedy G.E., Judd T.S. Expectations and reality: evaluating patterns of learning behaviour using audit trails. Comput. Educ. 2007; 49 (3):840–855. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kingsley K.V., Boone R. Effects of multimedia software on achievement of middle school students in an American history class. J. Res. Technol. Educ. 2008; 41 (2):203–221. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kitchenham B., Brereton O.P., Budgen D., Turner M., Bailey J., Linkman S. Systematic literature reviews in software engineering–a systematic literature review. Inf. Software Technol. 2009; 51 (1):7–15. [ Google Scholar ]
• Krejcie R.V., Morgan D.W. Determining sample size for research activities. Educ. Psychol. Meas. 1970; 30 (3):607–610. [ Google Scholar ]
• Liberati A., Altman D.G., Tetzlaff J., Mulrow C., Gøtzsche P.C., Ioannidis J.P., Clarke M., Devereaux P.J., Kleijnen J., Moher D. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. Ann. Intern. Med. 2009; 151 (4):65. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Maaruf S.Z., Siraj S. The state of technology and the arts-interactive multimedia in enhancing culturally responsive pedagogy. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2013; 103 :1171–1180. [ Google Scholar ]
• Manca S., Ranieri M. Facebook and the others.Potentials and obstacles of social media for teaching in higher education. Comput. Educ. 2016; 95 :216–230. [ Google Scholar ]
• Mayer R.E. Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Camb. handb. Multimed Learn. 2005; 41 :31–48. [ Google Scholar ]
• Mayer R.E. Applying the science of learning: evidence-based principles for the design of multimedia instruction. Am. Psychol. 2008; 63 (8):760–769. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Miller B.W. Using reading times and eye-movements to measure cognitive engagement. Educ. Psychol. 2015; 50 (1):31–42. [ Google Scholar ]
• Milovanovic M., Obradovic J., Milajic A. Application of interactive multimedia tools in teaching mathematics--examples of lessons from geometry. Turk. Online J. of Educ. Technol.-TOJET. 2013; 12 (1):19–31. [ Google Scholar ]
• Moher D., Shamseer L., Clarke M., Ghersi D., Liberati A., Petticrew M., Shekelle P., Stewart L.A. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst. Rev. 2015; 4 (1):1. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Molina A.I., Navarro O., Ortega M., Lacruz M. Evaluating multimedia learning materials in primary education using eye tracking. Comput. Stand. Interfac. 2018; 59 :45–60. [ Google Scholar ]
• Morris L.V., Finnegan C., Wu S.S. Tracking student behavior, persistence, and achievement in online courses. Internet High Educ. 2005; 8 (3):221–231. [ Google Scholar ]
• Mumtaz S. Factors affecting teachers’ use of information and communications technology: a review of the literature. J. Inf. Technol. Teach. Educ. 2000; 9 (3):319–341. [ Google Scholar ]
• Nie Y., Zhe Y. On-line classroom visual tracking and quality evaluation by an advanced feature mining technique. Signal Process. Image Commun. 2020; 84 (May):115817. [ Google Scholar ]
• Ocepek U., Bosnić Z., Šerbec I.N., Rugelj J. Exploring the relation between learning style models and preferred multimedia types. Comput. Educ. 2013; 69 :343–355. 2013. [ Google Scholar ]
• Pea R.D. Learning through multimedia. IEEE Comput. Grap. Appl. 1991; 11 (4):58–66. [ Google Scholar ]
• Putra C.A. Utilization of multimedia technology for instructional media. J. ICT Educ. 2018; 5 :1–8. 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Said A., Lin L., Jim P. Barriers to adopting technology for teaching and learning in Oman. Comput. Educ. 2009; 53 :575–590. [ Google Scholar ]
• Shah I., Khan M. Impact of multimedia-aided teaching on students’ academic achievement and attitude at elementary level. US China Educ. Rev. 2015; 5 (5):349–360. [ Google Scholar ]
• Shoufan A. Estimating the cognitive value of YouTube's educational videos: a learning analytics approach. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2019; 92 :450–458. [ Google Scholar ]
• Snoeyink R., Ertmer P. Thrust into technology: how veteran teachers respond. J. Educ. Technol. Syst. 2001; 30 (1):85–111. [ Google Scholar ]
• Stark L., Brünken R., Park B. Emotional text design in multimedia learning: a mixed-methods study using eye tracking. Comput. Educ. 2018; 120 :185–196. [ Google Scholar ]
• Taradi S.K., Taradi M., Radic K., Pokrajac N. Blending problem-based learning with Web technology positively impacts student learning outcomes in acid-base physiology. Adv. Physiol. Educ. 2005; 29 (1):35–39. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Taylor S., Todd P.A. Understanding information technology usage: a test of competing models. Inf. Syst. Res. 1995; 6 (2):144–176. [ Google Scholar ]
• Teng J.H., Chan S.Y., Lee J.C., Lee R. Vol. 1. 2000. A LabVIEW based virtual instrument for power analyzers; pp. 179–184. (2000 International Conference on Power System Technology. Proceeding s (Cat.No. 00EX409) ). [ Google Scholar ]
• Wang C., Fang T., Gu Y. Learning performance and behavioral patterns of online collaborative learning: impact of cognitive load and affordances of different multimedia. Comput. Educ. 2020; 143 :103683. [ Google Scholar ]
• West J. 2019. Data Collection. https://www.researchconnections.org/childcare/datamethods/survey.jsp Retrieved on 3 Sept 2020 from: [ Google Scholar ]
• Wu T.T., Chen A.C. Combining e-books with mind mapping in a reciprocal teaching strategy for a classical Chinese course. Comput. Educ. 2018; 116 (2020):64–80. [ Google Scholar ]
• Yildiz R., Atkins M.J. ERIC No. ED 350 978; 1992. How to Evaluate Multimedia Simulations: Learning from the Past. [ Google Scholar ]
• Yuen A.H., Ma W.W. Gender differences in teacher computer acceptance. J. Technol. Teach Educ. 2002; 10 (3):365–382. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang F. Significances of multimedia technologies training. Phys. Procedia. 2012; 33 :2005–2010. 2012. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zin M.Z.M., Sakat A.A., Ahmad N.A., Bhari A. Relationship between the multimedia technology and education in improving learning quality. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2013; 90 :351–355. 2013. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zulkifli M.Z., Harun S.W., Thambiratnam K., Ahmad H. Self-calibrating automated characterization system for depressed cladding EDFA applications using LabVIEW software with GPIB. IEEE Trans. Instrument. Meas. 2008; 57 (11):2677–2681. [ Google Scholar ]

The Pros and Cons of 7 Digital Teaching Tools

Explore more.

• Classroom Management
• Course Materials
• Digital Learning

O ne highlight of the last 18 months has been the level of experimentation I’ve seen among educators. They’ve explored new ways to teach in different environments and new technologies to keep students involved and engaged. As we move forward, it’s important that we learn from all this experimentation so we may deliver a learning experience that’s better than what we entered the pandemic delivering.

Simply rejecting all digital modes of teaching once you’re back in a physical classroom is not in your students’—or your own—best interest. There are many benefits to virtual learning that are worth keeping. In my own teaching, I’ve tried to incorporate the best learnings of pandemic teaching by using a four-step framework —struggle, structure, systemize, and synthesize—alongside different digital teaching methods and technologies that I’ve found work for me.

The precise way you use each digital tool and the extent to which you combine digital instruction with in-person instruction will of course depend on the needs of each specific course you teach. But to help you start thinking about how digital tools can remain useful to you, here’s a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of seven of the most common ones. I also share when I use each one to help spur your thinking.

1. Recorded Lecture Videos

Recording yourself giving lectures is perhaps the simplest digital approach. While these video recordings are easy to create and effective for sharing information quickly, production value is often less than ideal and the videos can be less than engaging. Overall, this approach doesn’t nearly reach the full potential that can be accomplished with digital learning.

Advantages of recorded lectures:

They let students consume course material on their own schedule and at their own pace, which students like.

They are more accessible—you can speed them up or slow them down—and you can easily add additional accessibility features, such as automated closed captioning or transcriptions.

Students can fast forward through material they already understand and rewind or rewatch material they are struggling with, unlike in a live lecture when wandering attention can mean missing a crucial point.

Disadvantages of recorded lectures:

They can be less than engaging.

They’re not interactive.

When I use them:

Truthfully, I don’t use them very often. They can be useful for exceptional circumstances that make it impossible for everyone to be in a live lecture.

Occasionally, I use them to set up a mini-case to initiate problem-solving thinking, or to provide information about key framework ideas before class discussion, but I tend to use edited video lessons (see next section) for that purpose.

2. Edited Video Lessons

Webinar: designing better courses.

Robert D. Austin recently delivered an HBP Education webinar, entitled Designing Better Courses: Blending the Best of Pre- and Post-Pandemic Pedagogy , to discuss his course design process and detail how—and why—he mixes digital technologies both asynchronously and synchronously throughout his courses. Watch the full webinar recording here .

Advantages of video lessons:

All the advantages of recorded lectures (e.g., self-paced).

Students have an opportunity to watch several short videos in a row, as their schedules permit.

Graphics and other illustrations can be useful for clarifying concepts.

Disadvantages of video lessons:

They’re more engaging than recorded lectures, but still not interactive.

Producing these videos requires extra time and effort.

To set up initial problem situations or present useful framework materials.

To add new information that may cause students to reconsider previous conclusions.

To teach a mechanical analysis approach, such as how to calculate a net present value.

3. Zoom Sessions

When courses are held fully remotely or in a hybrid setting (with some students participating in person and some participating virtually), most class sessions and discussions happen over Zoom or a similar videoconferencing platform. These live virtual sessions can allow for a synchronous learning experience enhanced by other digital tools, such as whiteboards and other display technologies, but they cannot be considered an exact replacement for in-person discussions.

For those teaching fully in person, Zoom can still be used for things like bringing in guests from afar and for exercises that involve the use of groups in the form of breakout rooms. I run a negotiation exercise for one of my classes that is actually a lot easier to run in Zoom than in person, because it involves rapid transitions between breakout groups and larger class discussion. Zoom is also great for students to use in coordinating project work outside of class.

Advantages of Zoom sessions:

Students can synchronously interact with each other remotely.

Technology allows for unique modes of interaction and discussion, such as breakout rooms , which can be configured instantaneously, as well as chat channels.

It’s easy to invite remote guest speakers who would otherwise be unable to travel to campus.

Disadvantages of Zoom sessions:

Students and educators alike can experience Zoom fatigue.

It can be hard to read interpersonal cues from those who are remote.

While Zoom calls are interactive, they still lack valuable opportunities for casual social interaction.

There’s no real substitute for students walking in the hall together, chatting about pretty much anything. At least not yet.

For case discussions that include remote guests.

For exercises that need fast transitions in and out of groups.

For group-based project work.

4. Online Discussion Boards

Many instructors have tried to replace in-person discussions with asynchronous online discussion boards. In my experience, however, online discussion boards are best used in conjunction with synchronous discussion (via Zoom or in person). You can pick up points or concepts introduced in an online discussion and use them as jumping-off points for a synchronous discussion—giving credit to the students who raised them, of course. It’s a flow that I find leads to greater understanding of the material.

Advantages of online discussion boards:

They encourage student interaction.

Students can participate on their own time.

There’s generally no limit to the number of ideas students can contribute—meaning more students can participate in these discussions.

Shy students reluctant to engage in live sessions can build confidence with online contributions, especially if you pick up their points and credit them in synchronous discussions.

Disadvantages of online discussion boards:

Although instructors can drop comments and questions into online chat, it’s harder to actively guide and focus the discussions (because you’re not constantly there), so there’s no guarantee that students will arrive at the desired conclusions.

Multiple unrelated, branching discussions can occur at once, making things confusing or unfocused.

Students may not enjoy these types of discussions; they can feel forced or unnatural.

To start students thinking in a particular direction with the intention of bringing it all home in synchronous discussions.

To allow shy students opportunities to make contributions and gain confidence that may carry over into live sessions.

To surface ideas that I want to pick up on and add to in subsequent synchronous discussions.

5. Simulations

Simulations, like case studies, are a way to immerse students in a very specific experience—but with simulations, information is unfolding in real time. We can then ask students to do the work of extracting generalizable propositions, frameworks, theories, and so forth under our guidance.

Advantages of simulations:

They invite students to interact directly with the course material—and often each other—to solve the types of problems they may encounter in a real business environment.

Students have the opportunity to take direct control of their learning . They reach their own conclusions, then connect those learnings to framework material you present to rescue them from their struggle with it—to help them structure and systemize.

They have narrative elements and cause students to change their minds; students tend to remember lessons from simulations in much the same way they remember an impactful dramatic experience.

They give students experience in organizing and making meaning from information that arrives in real time and out of any helpful order.

Disadvantages of simulations:

They can take up a lot of time; in my view, the real learning from a simulation happens in a debrief and you need to take the time to distill out general lessons , especially when the models that underlie a simulation are complex.

Preparing a simulation for use can be effort intensive for instructors.

Very much in the same situations I use cases—when I want to present specific problems or situations from which I want students to derive general lessons.

To mix learning modes, as a break from and enhancement of cases.

Sometimes, in conjunction with cases, to show students that it can be harder than they think to “walk the talk”—to do what they said they would do in a case discussion when confronted with a problem unfolding in real time.

6. Multimedia Content

There’s also a lot of great multimedia content available—and this is yet another way to mix things up and shift modes to keep students interested. Using video elements in multimedia cases , for example, allows students see and hear case protagonists as opposed to just reading quotations.

Advantages of multimedia content:

Multimedia experiences offer a change of pace, and they’re often highly engaging.

Disadvantages of multimedia content:

They still don’t facilitate casual social interaction.

When I use it:

When I want to offer alternative modes for introducing problems or management situations, much like my use cases for simulations.

7. Curated Content

Many of us were using curated third-party content—anything from TED Talks to podcasts to YouTube tutorial videos—before the pandemic. But going virtual has prompted me to search around and use even more curated material. This kind of content can be used for a variety of desired outcomes: to help students explore case studies more deeply, for example, or to complete projects in virtual workspaces, such as Miro or Google Jamboard, for which students may need a how-to assist.

Advantages of curated content:

It’s often quite engaging, and much of it is very professionally done.

Once you have located good content, there is relatively little an instructor needs to do other than cue it up.

Disadvantages of curated content:

When you use too much of this type of content, students can think that you haven’t prepared for their specific needs.

Some content isn’t research based, or it can even put forth theoretical ideas that are unsupported or flawed. You must verify the quality of the content for yourself.

Pretty much anywhere—interwoven amid asynchronous edited video content or in synchronous classes, whether online or in person.

Pulling This All Together: An Example

The thought of putting all of these pieces—and there are a lot of them—together can feel like assembling a difficult puzzle. But by taking a fresh look at these technologies and thinking through how these use cases may support your course objectives, you can land on some really powerful learning experiences for your students.

Here is an example of how I tried to get the mix right for a course called Managing Innovation that I teach in Ivey’s Accelerated MBA program.

Robert D. Austin, “ Designing Better Courses: Blending the Best of Pre- and Post-Pandemic Pedagogy ,” Harvard Business Publishing Education, July 21, 2021. Accessed September 8, 2021.

To step through this in more detail, watch the video below to hear me talking though this sample implementation.

The New Normal of Teaching Includes Digital Tools

No matter how enticing it may be to return to your previous “normal”—a normal in which perhaps you didn’t incorporate all that many technologies or tools in your teaching—there are many benefits to virtual learning that are worth keeping, from better accessibility for all students to more opportunities for experiential learning that sticks.

By carefully considering the pros and cons of each available technology, you can choose the digital tools that will best support your lesson plans, making each stage of your course as effective and memorable for your students as possible.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Do you use other technologies in your online, hybrid, or in-person courses that aren’t on this list? We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] .

Robert D. Austin is a professor of information systems at Ivey Business School and an affiliated faculty member at Harvard Medical School. He has published widely, authoring nine books, more than 50 cases and notes, three Harvard online products, and two popular massive open online courses (MOOCs) running on the Coursera platform.

Related Articles

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content. Learn More . By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies and revised Privacy Policy .

21 Advantages & Disadvantages of New Media (College Essay Ideas)

When writing a college essay on new media, make sure you cover the following points. These points can help you add depth and detail to your essay.

To write a strong essay, I recommend paraphrasing the following points and turning each point into a full paragraph . Provide clear examples and reference a source for each paragraph. You can use the sources listed below, but remember to use your college’s referencing style when citing your sources.

There are both pros and cons of new media. So it’s important to give a well-rounded analysis that shows you have considered your essay from both old and new media perspectives.

Old Media vs New Media

Here’s the difference between old and new media:

• Old media are media that were owned and controlled by large companies and disseminated through one-way communication methods. Examples include newspapers, film and television.
• New media are media that can be produced and distributed digitally by anyone with an internet connection and generally involve two-way communication. Examples include blogs, social media (like Facebook and Twitter) and online forums.

My favorite definition is from Logan (2010, p. 4) :

“The term ‘new media’ will generally refer to those digital media that are interactive, will incorporate two-way communication, and involve some form of computing.”

New media like Facebook and Twitter have made communication, socialization, sharing and interacting easier for people with an internet connection. We can now not only be the consumers of information but also information producers . Sharing news, thoughts and opinions to a global audience is no longer something only the rich and powerful can do. Anyone with a Twitter handle how has global reach.

Advantages of Old Media

1. Old media have broad reach. Old media were designed as a form of mass communication that was to be broadcast to the masses. From the invention of the printing press in 1440 to the 1980s, print media such as newspapers, then radio, and finally television, followed this same broadcast formula. One message was broadcast to an entire population of a nation. People of all ages got their news from a small amount of publications that had extremely broad reach across a population.

2. Urgent information is broadly dispersed. A follow-up benefit of this broad reach of old media was that information of public importance was distributed rapidly. Still today, when a public disaster occurs, most people turn to old media of television and radio to get important information from authorities. This information is often controlled by, distributed by, and policed by the government so everyone gets the same information about how to protect themselves during times of emergency.

3. The people who control news dissemination are authorities and experts. Old media has important gatekeepers (Carr, 2012) to ensure the quality and authenticity of information. Published information is parsed by editors and producers to ensure it is true. People along the information supply train are trained and experienced journalists, and their editors provide checks and balances to what is distributed in newspaper, radio and television broadcasts. By contrast, new media can be produced and disseminated by anybody with an internet connection, leading to misinformation. This is one possible con of the internet .

4. Extreme views do not spread easily. Because of the control that gatekeepers exert over old media, unfettered media bias , extreme and radical opinions are curtailed. Untrue information can be prevented and filtered and offensive information can be bleeped out to protect children. Unfortunately with the rise of social media, our world has become increasingly polarized and radicalized (Thompson, 2011) . This is largely due to the fact those gatekeepers aren’t there to provide quality control for information anymore.

5. A sense of community and social cohesion develops. Benedict Anderson (1983) theorized that the emergence of the printing press led to the concept of the ‘nation’. He said that when people of a nation all started to read the same information each day, they began to see themselves as a community. Before then, our sense of community was to people in our villages. After that, we saw ourselves as an “imagined community” who share a common set of values and culture.

Related: Imagined Communities Pros and Cons

Disadvantages of Old Media

6. Minority views can be marginalized. There is extensive literature that shows that people of color, women, and other minorities have had their views curtailed and silenced in old media. Instead, dominant views are perpetuated by old media. Critical theory and post-structuralism (inspired in large part by Michel Foucault) have long stressed that media has produced unfair stereotypes and narratives about minorities. Old media were complicit in the reproduction and normalization of ‘dominant discourses’, and have long silenced minority or unpopular opinions.

7 The government and oligarchs often control the message. Throughout the 20th Century, the ability to share information was controlled by a small group of people. This helped them to maintain their power. In Manufacturing Consent , Herman and Chomsky (2010) highlight how corporate America and media oligarchs (such as Rupert Murdoch) have had a mutually beneficial relationship where they perpetuated untruths and propaganda in order to maintain their positions of power in society. To a greater extreme, in socialist nations, governments literally censor the ‘old’ press and only allow favorable media coverage.

8. Old media don’t get much instant feedback. Today, when you broadcast something on the internet, it gets comments and re-tweets to provide the writer with instantaneous feedback. This isn’t the case with traditional media like television , which broadcast information without an instantaneous response (one exception might be talk back radio). Interestingly, many major communication models in the 20th Century that had a linear structure (e.g. the Laswell model and the Shannon-Weaver model ) are largely outdated due to the two-way communication features of new media.

9. People don’t listen to or respect old media anymore. The declining trust in expertise and authority is widely a result of the emergence of new media. As previously marginalized and even extreme voices have been magnified by new media, people have started turning away from old media and considering it to be elitist and untrue. Whether these claims are accurate or not, the declining trust in old media means it doesn’t have the clout it once did.

Advantages of New Media

10. Information production is no longer just for the elites. In the era of blogs, social media , and instant communication, elites and the powerful no longer hold a monopoly on mass dissemination of information. Anyone with an internet connection can now have their beliefs and opinions broadcast to anyone around the world who wants to listen. This removal of gatekeepers has allowed us to become not just information consumers, but also information producers.

11. People can find their ‘tribe’. With the rise of the internet, people can connect to people who share their interests from around the world. This has led to the rise of a multitude of internet subcultures where people get together on forums and associate with their ‘tribe’. Now, subculture groups (goths, LGBTQI youth, punks, etc.) who feel out of place among their friends from school can go online and connect with people who share their experiences.

12. National borders are less of a barrier. In the 20th Century, our ability to communicate was often restricted to people in our local community. This limited who we could associate with. The rise of dispersed tribes could have the effect of undermining traditional cultural groups (based around national identities, etc.) and instead allow us to link up with our dispersed sub-cultural groups around the world.

13. Minority views and opinions can gain traction. People from minority groups that were traditionally excluded from old mass media platforms have found platforms to share their opinions online. Together, they have been able to form groups large enough to have their voices heard. Silenced voices have risen up – from the #metoo movement to the Arab Spring – to change our world for the better.

14. We can stay in touch. Prior to social media platforms like Facebook, we often lost touch with people form out past. But now, thanks to social media, we can watch people from a distance and share our major achievements, milestones and life changes to stay in touch with people on our distant periphery.

15. News is instantaneous. Thanks to news apps, Twitter, etc., news spreads faster than ever. We no longer need to wait until the 6pm news to access our news. As part of this instantaneous access to knowledge, we now have what’s known as the “24 hour news cycle”. Consumers have an insatiable appetite for news, so new media have to pump out an ongoing stream of ever more sensationalized news articles.

16. News producers get instant feedback. As soon as a piece of news is pumped out, tweets fling back and comments are provided to show feedback. Digital analytics software identifies which headlines get the most clicks and can show how long people spend reading each article . These qualitative and quantitative big data coalesce to help news producers to create content that best serves their consumers.

Disadvantages of New Media

17. Misinformation spreads like wildfire. Without traditional gatekeepers of knowledge such as editors and publishing houses, there is nobody controlling which information is disseminated. Misinformation has become widespread in the 21st Century thanks to social media (Allcott, Gentzkow & Yu, 2019). This causes fringe conspiracy theories and even doctored images to influence people’s political and social views.

18. We can live in an ideological bubble. New media often allow us to ‘subscribe’ to our own news networks and favorite information producers. Without the need to have widespread mass appeal, new media target dispersed niche and ideological markets. Conservatives begin to only consume conservative media; and liberals only consume liberal media. People begin to only reinforce their personal views, causing social polarization.

19. There is fierce media competition. While in the past there were three or four major news organizations, now there are diverse and numerous sources for news. Small news websites with fresh takes for niche audiences popped up, crowding the market with information. In this crowded media market, there is competition in all niches, and brands need to have a fresh take to get attention.

20. There is a wider customer base for companies large and small. While competition is more fierce than ever, there is also a bigger customer base than ever before. Websites target global audiences and have global reach. A savvy media producer or social media marketer can expand their market globally – beyond what traditional media was generally capable of.

21. Children can access inappropriate information more easily. New media gives on-demand access to information. While in the past adult content was broadcast late at night, today it can be accessed day and night. Scholars like Neil Postman (1985) argue that there is a “disappearance of childhood” as a result of how media is changing. As children have greater access to adult information, the innocence of childhood is being decayed earlier than ever.

For your essay you might have to take a position on whether new media has been a ‘positive’ or a ‘negative’ force in society. In reality, there is no clear answer here: it’s been both positive and negative, in different ways. But we can clearly see that it has changed society significantly. It plays a huge role in political campaigns and changing how companies communicate with potential consumers. By outlining all the different facets of the advantages and disadvantages of new media, you can show the person grading your paper your deep and nuanced knowledge of the impact of new media on society.

Allcott, H., Gentzkow, M., & Yu, C. (2019). Trends in the diffusion of misinformation on social media.  Research & Politics ,  6 (2).

Anderson, B. (2006).  Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism . New York: Verso books.

Carr, J. (2012). No laughing matter: the power of cyberspace to subvert conventional media gatekeepers.  International journal of communication ,  6 , 21.

Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (2010).  Manufacturing consent: The political economy of the mass media . New York: Random House.

Kellner, D., Dines, G., & Humez, J. M. (2011). Gender, race, and class in media: A critical reader. New York: Sage.

Logan, R. K. (2010).  Understanding new media: extending Marshall McLuhan . New York: Peter Lang.

Postman, N., (1985). The disappearance of childhood. Childhood Education ,  61 (4), pp.286-293.

Thompson, R. (2011). Radicalization and the use of social media.  Journal of strategic security ,  4 (4), 167-190.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Animism Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 10 Magical Thinking Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• ⋮⋮⋮ ×

Why Use Media to Enhance Teaching and Learning

The Advantages of Using Media:

• Many media sources (feature films, music videos, visualizations, news stories) have very high production quality capable of showcasing complex ideas in a short period of time. This helps develop quantitative reasoning. Learn more about this technique using the Teaching Quantitative Reasoning with the News module.
• Media offers both cognitive and affective experiences. It can provoke discussion, an assessment of one's values, and an assessment of self if the scenes have strong emotional content.
• The use of media sources help connect learners with events that are culturally relevant . As a result, a positive consequence of utilizing media is that instructors must keep their materials and examples up-to-date.
• News stories can be used to connect theories taught in the classroom with real world events and policies .

The Advantages of Media for Students:

• Popular media (films, music, YouTube) are a familiar medium to students that helps gain attention and maintain student interest in the theories and concepts under discussion. Students can see the theories and concepts in action. In more than a figurative sense, theories and concepts leap from the screen.
• Students can hone their analytical skills by analyzing media using the theories and concepts they are studying.
• The use of media in the classroom enables students to see concepts and new examples when they are watching television, listening to music, or are at the movies with friends.
• Students can experience worlds beyond their own , especially if the media is sharply different from their local environment.

« Previous Page       Next Page »

Types, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Multimedia Resources as Learning Tools in English Language Learning

Back to: Pedagogy of English- Unit 5

Multimedia is an umbrella term that includes text, audio, and visual content. The three components are often used together in an interactive presentation. Multimedia influences the way people interact to a great extent and it has the power to make interactions more engaging. It also connects people through the use of technology.

Types of Multimedia

The five main types of multimedia are as follows:

Advantages of Multimedia Resources as Learning Tools

Multimedia resources bring more variety to the learning sessions. It caters to all kinds of learners.

Realistic Approach

It follows an approach that has the ability to make the learning sessions more interesting.

It offers learning assessment tools that are ideal for the students and entertaining at the same time.

Cost-effective

Multimedia resources can be purchased once and be used for the long term. After you purchase it, you can use it unlimited times.

Modern Practice

Using multimedia resources is apt for the modern generation because there are a lot of technological advancements and there are numerous resources available in different formats.

Disadvantages of Multimedia Resources as Learning Tools

Distracting.

There are a few formats that may attract the attention of the learners but they may also distract them.

Time-Consuming

Creating different forms of multimedia may require a lot of time and energy.

The devices used to showcase the multimedia formats may be fragile and they may require a lot of care and maintenance. If they are damaged, they could be expensive.

Multimedia has more than one medium due to which its products may be expensive. Since it requires an electronic device, it can be costly.

Accessibility

Electricity is required for the multimedia to operate and in rural areas, the same may not be available regularly.

Using multimedia has its good sides as well as bad aspects as extensive use of multimedia can be distracting and may cause anxiety and isolation at times.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Multimedia Computer Science Essay

Multimedia is a combination of text, graphics, sound, animation, and video, interactive electronic or digital means of manipulation delivered to the user. Multimedia elements, including text, video, sound, graphics and animation. Used in the multimedia elements are present. Multimedia is only these elements are combined into a powerful new tool. The media elements in the world's leading business and multi-platform multimedia services, video games and digital entertainment. Our work with our customers to provide the best solutions, while also providing the multimedia services they need to do this in order to achieve its market. We can create a very exciting and interesting and innovative and cost-effective technology, and then sell the item. Therefore, multimedia continues to play a huge role in keeping the attention and interest of the online advertising.. Interactive multimedia animation mode converted into a static image, therefore, to attract and encourage people to click on ads. Today there are thousands of sites on the Internet, the competition for customers in an unprecedented height. What ideal can be separated from your site depends on the nature of competition has been registered on your site any multimedia elements. Multimedia elements, such as through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. So I would like to discuss about the multimedia elements in Twitter. Video is one of the multimedia elements that can be promote through by Twitter.. Promoting videos involves embedding your links into several highly trafficked websites. People can easily watch your company or product videos. Music helps your company or brand to easily connect emotionally with its consumers. Animated images can be used to provide product demonstrations and presentations of the award-winning. You can easily demonstrate the features and benefits of your product and, therefore, to encourage consumers to try them out. Interactive video or image, but also to help your business build relationships with consumers can watch your company's product commercials and respond by posting their views or comments. If you provide useful feedback, then you can easily establish long-term lasting relationships with consumers. When shooting video ads, graphics, or composer, you need to pay a lot of attention. You must produce the quality of work, not only interesting, but also cited the induced action. If you can not be delivered or the production quality of the multimedia elements, and then hire a professional multimedia experts, should be your next best choice. Multimedia marketing to produce amazing results, if it is a correct implementation. Conversely, if you produce a substandard video or graphics, then your company's image or reputation will be severely damaged. Therefore, you need to carry out a thorough study, so that you can come up with creative multimedia concepts, the interest of many consumers. Employ a creative multimedia agency or corporate guarantee, provide you with high-quality multimedia concepts, it is possible to improve your website traffic or sales. Element in Twitter Out of all the elements, the most influential text on the quality of interactive multimedia. In general, the text provides important information. The text as a cornerstone of the tying of other media elements. Sound The sound is used to provide emphasis or highlight the transition from one page to another. Sound synchronization screen, so that teachers can submit a lot of information. Creative use of sounds to become imaginative stimulus; improper use, it has become an obstacle or an annoyance. The distance between the two properties amount-the acoustic frequency in each peak height of these wave patterns-(sometimes referred to as pitch) peaks. The greater the distance, low voice.Representatives, through video visualization capabilities can be direct and powerful. While this is no doubt, it is how we see and the ability to interact with digital video content to the use of digital video education to provide a new and exciting possibilities. The video can stimulate interest and if it is relevant information on the other pages, and not too far. Video of one of the most compelling reasons, may be its dramatic ability to induce emotional responses from individuals. Animation The animation is used to display status changes over time, slowly, to provide students with information to make them in smaller blocks, it is absorbed. Animation, when a user enters a combination, so that students can view the different versions over time change, according to different variables. Animation is used to prove an idea or to explain a concept. Video is usually yes taken from the life, while the animation is based on the drawings on the. 2-D animation there are two types of animation cell animation-based on 3-D animation of moving objects on the screen along a predetermined path-on the changes, one to the next path animation: 3D animation-the structure of a wide range of contour and 3D objects and scenes animation-defines the motion of the object rendering-to an object, such as color, surface texture properties involves three steps modeling of three-dimensional animation, and transparency3-ð animation amount: 3D animation image: from the multimedia concept scanning-the James Schuman3 3D animation special effects:-the two images together a series of image warping-3D animation effects deformation distort a single image of the virtual reality-Create a user the surrounding environment, therefore, he or she becomes part of the experience. Graphic Graphics to provide a learning session, the most creative possibility. They can from the photographs, drawings, charts, spreadsheet, photo from the CD-ROM, or from the Internet to pull something. Scanners, hand-painted work can be included. Standing commented that the "picture recognition memory is almost unlimited. The reason for this is that the images use a lot of range of cortical skills: color, shape, line, size, texture, visual rhythm, especially the imagination. The advantages and disadvantages of Multimedia There are a couple of advantages and disadvantages to using multimedia in communication. I'm only going to a list a few important ones below. If you are interested to know more, visit one of the given websites by just following the links. Advantages This is a very user-friendly. It does not need the number of energy users, in this sense, you can sit down to watch the demo, you can read the text and hear the sound.

Related Papers

Joanna Barros

Arch Academy - Art and Design

Oguzhan Ozcan

In todays, computer-centered society, designing interactive media has emerged as a new profession. Interactive design is often associated with spread of computers as a communication and interaction tool. However, interactive design has been a staple of artists and designers for many centuries. We present a historical perspective upon interactive design and point out the close relationship of this field with different fields of art and design. We argue that interactive media design is a distinct and evolving field and that it is imperative to teach it as such. In this paper, we have adopted this perspective and detailed a new four-year under- graduate curriculum on interactive media design education. This curriculum stresses the various components of interactive media design and its close relationship with computer science.

Kiran Budhrani

Banner ads appear on billions of web pages everyday. Rather than standard images, advertisers are now using rich media to have interactive features on their ads -- to watch videos, play games, fill up forms, and even download content from the ad. Rich media appealed to advertisers because of the possibility of tracking and measuring online customer interactions such as display time, interaction rate, video playback, exit links, and custom events. These tracking metrics provide advertisers more information on what works or does not work among their online ad campaigns.

The Cosmos of Animation: 28th Annual Conference of the Society for Animation Studies

Marina Teixeira Kerber

Expanded abstract of a presentation done at the 28th Annual International Society for Animation Studies Conference at Singapore in 2016. You can see my expanded abstract on page 100 of the catalogue.

Larissa Scantamburlo

ANIMATION Animation is the process of making the illusion of motion and change by means of the rapid display of a sequence of static images that minimally differ from each other. The illusion—as in motion pictures in general—is thought to rely on the phi phenomenon. Animators are artists who specialize in the creation of animation. Animation can be recorded with either analogue media, a flip book, motion picture film, video tape,digital media, including formats with animated GIF, Flash animation and digital video. To display animation, a digital camera, computer, or projector are used along with new technologies that are produced. Animation creation methods include the traditional animation creation method and those involving stop motion animation of two and three-dimensional objects, paper cutouts, puppets and clay figures. Images are displayed in a rapid succession, usually 24, 25, 30, or 60 frames per second. THE MOST COMMON USES OF ANIMATION Cartoons The most common use of animation, and perhaps the origin of it, is cartoons. Cartoons appear all the time on television and the cinema and can be used for entertainment, advertising,

Proquest Llc

Ryan Patton

UMI. ProQuest® Dissertations & Theses The world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. Learn more... ProQuest. Games as artistic medium: Interfacing complexity theory in game-based art pedagogy. by ...

rebecca young

Miguel Reyes

sandro santini

Continue "discussioni" sul tracciato della cd "Via Francigena" in Lunigiana per evitare e chiarire quali vie fossero a questa assimilabili sin dai primordi. La Francigena, area di via non è quella di Sigerico e molti la confondono unificandone il tracciato, ma la Francigena non è nemmeno, sempre in Lunigiana, quella oggi descritta che transita da Groppodalosio e Previdè. Già ne ho scritto molto e male ed oggi cerco di tirare le somme...

Srinivasan Kalyanaraman

Sāmaveda has two Brāhmaņas, the Tāņdin and the Talavakāra or Jaiminiya. .. The Talavakāra Brāhmaṇa consists of five books of this the Jaiminiyopanişad-brāhmaṇa forms the fourth book. The Kenopanişad is a part of this Jaiminiyopanişad-brābmaņa. The fifth is called the Ārseya-brähmaņa. Five Gandharvas (celestial musicians) from 4th-5th century CE, northwest Indian subcontinent, carrying the four types of musical instruments. Gandharvas are discussed in Vedic era literature. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tala_(music)#/media/File:Five_Celestial_Musicians_LACMA_AC1992.254.1-.5.jpg Tala refers to musical meter in classical Indian music. Above: a musician using small cymbals to set the tala."A Tāla, sometimes spelled Titi or Pipi, literally means a "clap, tapping one's hand on one's arm, a musical measure". It is the term used in Indian classical music to refer to musical meter, that is any rhythmic beat or strike that measures musical time. The measure is typically established by hand clapping, waving, touching fingers on thigh or the other hand, verbally, striking of small cymbals, or a percussion instrument in the Indian subcontinental traditions. Along with raga which forms the fabric of a melodic structure, the tala forms the life cycle and thereby constitutes one of the two foundational elements of Indian music." Almost a complete chapter of Bharata's Natyashastra is on idiophones; the text is a theoretical treatise on the system of tāla. Vid. Itereya Bhardwaj explains that Talavakāra were a group of R̥ṣi who used clapping of hands while rendering the mantras of Sāmaveda. This rendering of Veda chantings accompanied by tāla, yields the name of Talavakāra-upanişad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hqvwE2LoJg (52:07) Brilliant introduction in Kannada by Vid. Itereya Bhardwaj "Talavakara Upanishat" by Vid. Itereya Bhardwaj | day 01 | 28 Jul 2018 Kena Upaniṣad is also called Talavakāra Upaniṣad. जैमिनीय उपनिषद्-ब्राह्मण, Jaiminīya Upaniṣad Brāhmaņa printed edition of the text was published by Hanns Oertel along with its translation into English in the Journal of the American Oriental Society in 1896. The Jāiminīya or Talavakāra Upaniṣad Brāhmaṇa Hanns Oertel Journal of the American Oriental Society Journal of the American Oriental Society Vol. 16 (1896), pp. 79-260 (182 pages) https://doi.org/10.2307/592488 The first three pages are presented below for ready reference. Full text and translation can be read at the URL. Kena upanishad (Madhva commentary) by Srisa Chandra Vasu | 1909 | This is also called Talavakāra Upaniṣad. In a manuscript in Sārada characters in the Adyar Library, it is called Brāhmaṇopaniṣad. It is called Kena from the first word of the Upaniṣad. It forms according to Śaṅkara, the ninth chapter of the Brāhmaṇa of that name. For a long time the very existence of Talavakara Brāhmaṇa was doubted. But of late a manuscript of it has been found by Dr. Burnell: and so the statement of Śaṅkara that this Upaniṣad forms part of the Talavakāra Brāhmaṇa has been verified. This Brāhmaṇa appertains to the Sāma Veda and is called Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa also. Book 1 - Prathama-Khaṇḍa Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Kena-upaniṣad mantra 1.1: ओं केनेषितं पतति प्रेषितं मनः केन प्राणः प्रथमः प्रैति युक्तः । केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति चक्षुः श्रोत्रं क उ देवो युनक्ति ॥ १ ॥ oṃ keneṣitaṃ patati preṣitaṃ manaḥ kena prāṇaḥ prathamaḥ praiti yuktaḥ | keneṣitāṃ vācamimāṃ vadanti cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ ka u devo yunakti || 1 || kena—by whom, at whose; iṣitam—wished, behest; By whose wish merely; patati—falls, lights upon, proceeds (toward its objects, good or bad); preṣitam—appointed, sent forth on errand; manaḥ—mind, the inner organ, the jñāna-śakti, knowing faculty; kena—by whom; prāṇaḥ—breath, life; The kriyā-śakti or volition or acting faculty. prathamaḥ—the first-born of Īśvara; The first son of the God. praiti—goes forth, proceeds; yuktaḥ—commanded, ordained, appointed; kena—by whom; iṣitām—wished; vācam—speech; imam—this; vadanti—utter, pronounce; cakṣuḥ—eye; śrotram—ear; Kaḥ what. u—verily or vocative, O teacher!; devaḥ—God; The Shining One; yunakti—directs, assigns. 1. Sent by whom does the mind go towards (its) wished for object, by whom ordained the First Breath goes forth (to perform His functions)? By whose direction they utter this speech O (Brahmā)? What deva directs the eye and the ear?—1 Notes: The manas is an organ of perception and so must be under the control of some one that uses this instrument. The jīva or human soul is not the director of the mind, because we see that man cannot control his mind. Therefore, there must exist some other being, who is the director of the mind—who is that being? By whose appointment does the First Breath perform his activities?

Analysis disadvantage of multimedia education

Ieee account.

• Change Username/Password
• Update Address

Purchase Details

• Payment Options
• Order History
• View Purchased Documents

Profile Information

• Communications Preferences
• Profession and Education
• Technical Interests
• US & Canada: +1 800 678 4333
• Worldwide: +1 732 981 0060
• Contact & Support
• About IEEE Xplore
• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Privacy & Opting Out of Cookies

A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. © Copyright 2024 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages of multimedia approach of Educational Technology

Back to: Educational Technology in Education B.ed Notes, M.A Notes, IGNOU Notes

Advantage of the Multimedia Approaches

• Multimedia approach enables students to represent information using different media.
• Some pupils learn by interpreting text while others need more graphical representation.
• This approach can take pupils into different learning styles.
• It can develop a positive attitude towards the teaching-learning process.
• It helps in high order thinking development skills.
• Helps in developing and improving personal and group skills.

Disadvantages of Multimedia Approaches

• All types of topics cant be covered by this approach.
• Requires developed and costly infrastructure facilities.
• Experts are required to operate multimedia devices, which will lead to the problem of the non-availability of human resources.