This week we talked about the importance of multimedia learning. I had never considered just how much I relied and still do rely on multimedia for learning as I am someone who uses pictures and videos to reinforce concepts constantly. One point that we talked about that stood out to me was how multimedia allows us to see the unseeable. The example used to explain this idea was trying to teach students how to use a bike pump. When we talk them through the mechanics of what is happening inside of the bike pump, some students may understand, but most will not be able to visualize what is going on. By showing them a photo of the mechanisms working inside of the bike pump, students can then see the unseeable and connect the words to the concepts. To support this idea, we talked about how it is important to use pictures and videos that are relevant to the work that students are doing and that will support the explanation.
For example, if we are teaching our students about the rain cycle, we should use graphics that support and reinforce the concepts. This first photo below is great to see rain in real life, but it does not tell us anything about the cycle itself.
A graphic like the one below would be much more helpful for students as it breaks down the different parts of the cycle and shows students how rain is created.
