Mini-Course Unit 2
Unit 2: Design of lesson plans/activities incorporating multimedia resources
Unit Objectives
- Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the principles of the CTML by creating or modifying their lessons in order to minimize cognitive load through instructional design.
Learning Activity
1. Create your own inventory table of hardware and software resources to assess available technology resources in your classroom, school, and the school district as shown in Table 1.
It is important to assess resources availability in technology before designing your multimedia lesson plan or activity [1]. Make your best estimate to see what options are available for you to incorporate into your lesson.
Table 1. Inventory of Technology resources
| Hardware | Software |
|---|---|
| Computers – desktop and laptop; Macintosh and PC | Word processors |
| Scanners | Spreadsheets |
| Digital cameras (still images) | Databases |
| Digital camcorders (for movies) | Presentation software (PowerPoint, etc.) |
| Analog camcorders (with appropriate digitizing equipment) | Video editing software (iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Adobe PremierS) |
| Graphing calculators | Audio editing software |
| Scientific probes | Concept mapping software (Inspiration, Kidspiration, etc.) |
| Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) and other handheld computers, such as iPods | Draw programs |
| Microphones | Paint programs |
| Speakers | Web editors (DreamWeaver, etc.) |
| Storage options: CD writers, network connections, and memory sticks | Animation/programming (Flash) |
2. Determine how you want to incorporate multimedia resources into your lessons such as (a) a part of your lecture, or (b) a student-activity.
When you design a multimedia activity for your students, it would be better to create a group activity rather than an individual activity, for instance, if there are only 5 computers available for the whole class.
You may reference this site[2] to determine strategies for the activity as well as the length of the activity[3].
3. Design or modify your lesson plan or a multimedia activity integrating multimedia resources based on the principles of the CTML and the reference to the checklist of minimizing the cognitive load through design for applicable and appropriate criteria to your lesson/activity.
4. Submit your lesson plan or multimedia activity on Edmodo [4]
References:
Checklist for minimizing cognitive load through design. Retrieved from http://www.sage-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Checklist-for-Minimizing-Cognitive-Load-Through-Design.pdf
Pinellas School District and Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF. Multimedia in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://fcit.usf.edu/multimedia/design/designa.html
Navigate to
Unit 1. Introduction to the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning