Media Integration Strategy: Determining the Instructional Sequence

The 21st century provides educators and composers with a rich mixture of media. One cannot see nor pay attention to all of of the media possibilities at once but they can be paired or grouped together in ways that complement one another. The challenge is to create ways to mix different media without overwhelming the reader or user. Paper technology provided the first test of designs which mixed text and images. With this chapter, we now see that computer technology allows at least 8 different kinds of expression to exist on the same screen at the same time. With this chapter it is also time to plan and present the instructional sequence.

The most notable strategy for mixing images and text can be frequently seen in many publications whose major articles start out with a heavy mix of pictures and graphs, then a gradual reduction of this media which provides room for an increasing gradient of text. This idea of a media gradient was expressed in chapter two by the graphic on the right as a National Geographic design, though many major publishers use it effectively. Though Internet bandwidth can hinder the most effective application of this format, the overall direction is clear. When introducing a new topic, starting to teach a new unit of study, or beginning a presentation, begin with a heavy mix of images and a minor application of text, primarily for title and subtitle. This approach is done to more immediately and more intimately draw the audience into the topic at hand. For presentation of information on paper, this is as far this strategy can go.

Having explored and learned the use of a full range of media types, the concept can now be expanded when computer technology can be employed. A larger media integration strategy can be seen for teaching and learning. This model does not imply which media should be used first or which should follow. It does address their relationship to text and reading and writing. The goal remains the same as with paper. Introduce new topics with a rich concentration of media other than text.

The teacher and information designer need other criteria to use in deciding which media should be used initially. Which of the many media options should be applied first? Several questions should be considered in planning media sequence.

What concepts need to be taught first or in what order so that understanding builds on understanding?

What media is available for a sequence of ideas and concepts? For many topics, there is not a choice of every kind of media. Increasingly though, the file extensions which indicate media type have enabled web database designers to collect and build vast databases of types of media from which educators can select. Specialized web search engines now exist for many media, including text, audio as special effects, audio as voice or narration (podcasting), video and images.

What time is available for the teacher/designer to create in a media that is not available during initial preparation for a topic?

What kinds of interaction are needed for the teacher to know what the learner is thinking and to provide the learner with the option to work through their own understandings and discoveries about a topic? Talking whether self-initiated or in response to a question is an easy and common technique, but only 1 person talking in a group at a time can be effective. The larger the group, the more voice expression can limit progress. From Powerpoint slides of pictures to photo web sites and live text chat to WebCT/Blackboard online quizzes, there many options to enrich the feedback loop to the instructor for further guidance and redirection.

What media skills are the learners currently capable of using? The youngest learners may not be able to write, but they may be able to using a drawing program or use paint on an easel. Older students may be able to write on paper, but not able to type well enough for instructional needs. Older students may be able create and compose in many or all of the media, but needed applications for composition may not be widely available throughout the class of learners. Where skills and resources are available, assignments should include a wide range of composition options.

What other criteria might be applied?

From the answers to these questions, a sequence and mix will begin to suggest itself. It is unlikely that there is any single correct sequence. Many learners appear to learn better in one media or another, though research questions whether students actually know which media produces the best results for them. Certainly the option of studying an idea from more than one media increases understanding of the topic. What is clear that some sequence must be arranged and followed. The overriding criteria is understanding. The pace and sequence must be such that later ideas build successfully on those introduced earlier.

Once a sequence and media options are determined for a topic, two basic design display options are available. With a single web page display design, the bottom and/or top of each page would have text or a button indicating that when the current page is finished, a new next page should be selected. With this design, any overall table of contents to the sequence of instruction can be recreated on a portion of each page or a link can be provided that returns to a page with the table of content or list of major items in a sequence of instruction.

With a frame page, one frame in the frame set can be dedicated to serving as a kind of table of contents. This allows a continual reference as to how a given topic or idea fits into the overall frame of reference of other ideas.

For this course, two sequence designs are needed. The first has been building across the chapters, a frame with list of media items and events, such as the multimedia shopping list should be organized by chapter. This makes review of what has been completed convenient for quick reference.

But at this point in the chapters, an additional sequence is needed, a frame page which provides the preferred instructional sequence. Using the media integration strategy discussed above, in what order will the learner encounter concepts and different media? Again, though there are general guidelines that have been discussed, there is unlikely to be one single correct way to proceed but some sequence must be planned and presented in a frame page. This instructional sequence needs to lead the learner through the media that have been composed and found the unit plan project.