Article Reviews

ITEC 8532
Renée Jackson

1. Effects of Text, Audio, and Graphic Aids in Multimedia Instruction for Vocabulary
Learning

Citation
Kim, D., & Gilman, D.A. (2008). Effects of text, audio, and graphic aids in multimedia
instruction for vocabulary learning. Educational Technology & Society, 11(3), 114-126.
Retrieved September 17, 2008, from http://www.ifets.info/journals/11_3/9.pdf

Summary
This study conducted at a middle school in Seoul, South Korea tested the value of adding
multimedia components to a web-based program teaching English vocabulary to English as a
Foreign Language learners. The study used pretests, posttests, a retention test, and an attitude
inventory to reach the conclusion that students learning the English vocabulary benefited from the
addition of graphics that illustrated the meaning of the words.
This research was done to study the effectiveness of six different methods of instruction.
Multimedia components of visual text, added graphics and added spoken text were used with a web-
based self-instruction program. Students were divided into six groups for the study with each group
having different multimedia components added to the English vocabulary program. The article
gives a complete table of statistical results as well as graphs of the results comparing pretest,
posttest and retention test results of all six groups of participants. Probability scores were also
explained and graphed. The conclusion of the experiment showed that when visual text was teamed
with graphics of the vocabulary word the learners were able to achieve more success and were more
motivated to learn. The illustration of the word in graphic form helped the students visualize the
word’s definition in a more meaningful way.

Critique
This type of research on the use of multimedia components is always helpful to multimedia
designers of educational material, especially those designing vocabulary programs. It supports the
use of graphics in vocabulary learning instruction but points out that the use of too much visual text
or spoken text can detract English as a Foreign Language Learners who are used to memorizing
words without knowing the correct pronunciation. It looked at the effect of the different multimedia
components when used in different configurations. This study is important for the support of using
multimedia components in the classroom because it shows the benefit of using graphics in
conjunction with text. As a visual learner, I found that it was no surprise that the test group that used
the software program which had added graphics, visual text, and added spoken text had the highest
retention scores.
I did find some flaws in the research as it did not make clear how much prior knowledge or
experience the students had with vocabulary software programs or computers in general. The two
test groups that did not have spoken text added to their vocabulary program were larger than the
other four groups because not all of the computers used in the study had sound which could have
made some difference in the study. Also, this study was done in Korea where the foreign language
learning style is to memorize lists of words without necessarily knowing how to pronounce those
words so the spoken text in the study could have been a distraction for those students. If the spoken
text were not used in this study or the study had been conducted where students were expected to be
able to pronounce the vocabulary word correctly and know the definition it would have made a
better research situation.
I find it is always gratifying to have research back up what is becoming increasingly known that
students who are living in the world of increasing video stimuli are able to learn more through the
use of multimedia in instructional material. Students’ shorter attention spans can be focused using
computers and well planned software to learn vocabulary and other information in a more effective
way. It also shows that the use of graphics in the conventional classroom setting is also important
and that teachers should use visual aides whenever possible.

2. Seeing is believing: Video Mock-Ups to Evaluate and Demonstrate Multimedia Designs

Citation
Fadde, P. (2007, July). Seeing is believing: Video mock-ups to evaluate and demonstrate
multimedia designs. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 51(4),
32-38. Retrieved September 17, 2008, doi:10.1007/s11528-007-0053-5. http://proxygsu-
gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=26035226&site=ehost-live

Summary
In a July 2007 TechTrends article Dr. Peter Fadde, co-coordinator of the Collaboratory for
Interactive Learning Research, and assistant professor of Instructional Technology and Instructional
Design at Southern Illinois University, writes about the benefits of using a video mock-up by
designers of interactive instructional multimedia programs to demonstrate their concept without
producing a full blown product. A video mock-up is a non-functional videotaped representation of a
multimedia program used to demonstrate a design concept and features along with a depiction of
how a user would interact with the product.
Two video mock-ups were profiled in the article. A video mock-up of DVD Reader was produced
for formative evaluation of how struggling beginning readers could improve their reading skills at
home without aid from an adult using their existing DVD player. The second video mock-up was
for demonstration purposes. It involved an interactive multimedia program called Interactive Video-
Football which combined videotape of actual football game footage and data from the game with
voice input to create interactive quizzing for college football players. Dr. Fadde takes the position
that video mock-ups such as these are helpful tools in presenting a multimedia prototype because
showing is always better than telling.

Critique
This article is helpful because it gives specific benefits of using video mock-ups to present an
interactive instructional multimedia program. According to the article, two benefits of video mock-
ups are they are not limited by the features that would be too expensive or difficult to produce
without a full development commitment and they show an actual learner using the program. The
article also gave two examples of projects that used video mock-ups for different agendas and with
different budgets. The DVD Reader video mock-up profiled was of an instructional multimedia
product designed by students. The videotape showed the student using the DVD Reader while
PowerPoint slides were used to depict the interface screens that would be used in the actual product.
The video mock-up for their product was produced by them at a lower production level than the
video mock-up of the second example, an interactive multimedia program called Interactive Video-
Football which called for a more professional level of video production because it was to be
presented to potential investors for the program. The process of producing the Interactive Video-
Football video mock-up involved the use of video clips of football games, rollover computer
interface screens and video of an actual football player using the program. Giving the varying
examples showed the value of this approach to all multimedia designers. This article would be
especially useful to anyone designing a multimedia program that needed a less expensive way of
showcasing their program than investing money in a fully functional prototype.
Even though the author states that the purpose of the article is not to train readers to produce
video mock-ups, there was enough production information and techniques described to give readers
ideas on some tools they might use to create a video mock-up. However, I did feel that either not
enough information was given concerning the actual process of creating a video mock-up, or too
much information concerning the production process of the two examples was given. For example, I
did not need to know the shot by shot information of the videotaping of the football player looking
at a computer screen if I am not going to be given all the specifics of creating the video mock-up for
the actual program. I found the article interesting because of the integration of various media forms
used to depict or storyboard an instructional multimedia program. It just shows yet another use of
media in the overall process of designing educational multimedia material.

3. Enhancing Learners’ Cognitive Skills through Multimedia Design

Citation
Liu, M. (2003) Enhancing learners’ cognitive skills through multimedia design.
Interactive Learning Environments, 11(1), 23. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from
Academic Search Complete database,
http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9589937&site=ehost-live

Summary
This article by Dr. Min Liu, Instructional Technology professor at the University of Texas –
Austin, looks at the use of technology in the classroom to promote the acquisition and development
of higher level cognitive skills in students. The research teams examined high school, middle school
and elementary school students engaged as multimedia project designers over several years. The
study used Bloom’s taxonomy to categorize cognitive skills used in the project based learning
environment. It then examined how using technology could potentially help students acquire higher
level cognitive skills such as decision making, problem solving, self-reflection, and evaluating.
Cognitive skills in the research referred to the design skills and resource management skills needed
to produce a multimedia product in a project-based learning approach.
The study followed high school, middle school and elementary school students through the
creation of a multimedia projects for target audiences. This study tried to simulate the multimedia
industry design process as closely as possible. The paper described the learner as designer
environment and reported on the findings of the research at the various educational levels. To
measure the outcome of cognitive skills development, quantitative and qualitative measures were
used across all levels. Project design questionnaires, interviews, and observations were used. The
products created by the students were also evaluated and their technology skills were assessed.

Critique
I found this article to be useful to teachers thinking of new ways to develop cognitive skills in
their students. While the use of technology is an excellent way to engage and motivate students at
all educational levels, it is important to take a realistic look at the scale of a project and determine
the environment students will have to work in. This article found that the use of multimedia project
did increase cognitive skills. What I found most important in the article were the points made about
what was required to conduct a student as multimedia project designer project.
The researchers conceded the project created a chaotic classroom environment where students
would have to be self directed, responsible and able to work independently. While these are all
goals we want for our students, the reality is that very few students are going to be working at a
high level of any of these qualifications. The study also pointed out that teachers involved in using
such a project would need to be able to give explicit instruction on design skills to the students. It
would also seem that the teachers would need to be well educated in technology and have access to
the latest hardware and software in the classroom. Using new software would also mean there
would be a learning curve for the actual software for the students so such a project would need to be
conducted over a longer period of time than might be realistic for a regular classroom. The
researchers also mentioned that local multimedia experts were used as consultants and field trips to
their companies and user group meetings were conducted. This would also be a consideration in
incorporating such a project for students in a public school setting.
I believe in the validity of the hypothesis that project-based learning using multimedia design
projects produced by students will enhance their cognitive skills. I do think that teachers should
carefully plan out those projects and consider all the cons listed above. I think a teacher would need
to have a project in mind that could be completed in a matter of weeks, using software and
equipment that the students have had at least some exposure to and which the teacher or technology
department within the school would be able to provide some support for that technology. For me,
advanced and well thought out planning would make the use of such a project a useful learning tool
in the classroom.

4. Combining Software Games with Education: Evaluation of its Educational Effectiveness

Citation
Virvou, M., Katsionis, G., & Manos, K. (2005). Combining software games with
education: Evaluation of its educational effectiveness. Educational Technology & Society, 8 (2),
54-65. 54 ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print). © International Forum of Educational
Technology & Society (IFETS). Retrieved September 19, 2008, from
http://64.233.179.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-
8&q=cache:NNiJ5yNCLdMJ:ifets.info/journals/8_2/5.pdf+george+katsionis+author:k-manos

Summary
Researchers at the University of Piraeus tested their virtual reality educational game on fourth
grade elementary students in Greece to examine the appeal and educational value of an Intelligent
Tutoring System in the form of a virtual reality game. The VR-ENGAGE game was designed to
teach students geography. The evaluation study was broken up into groups of students selected
based on their geography grade the previous term. Good, average, and poor performers were used to
test the virtual reality game. It also compared groups using educational software that had a user
interface but without using a virtual reality game.
VR-ENGAGE used a 3D-engine. Students navigated through a 3D world of castles while
answering questions from guard dragons and taking hints from “animated-speaking” guides. VR-
ENGAGE included the four main components of an Intelligent Tutoring System but also included a
negotiation component that allowed students to make plausible guesses on questions which they
were not entirely sure about the answer. This was part of the interactivity of the game which aimed
at involving the student in the learning process. Tutoring places were built into the game to motivate
students to read and memorize important geography facts.
While there is the view that educational games and software are only considered to be effective in
the classroom if they are comparable in success to the traditional ways of classroom teaching, the
researchers’ view was that such software and games should not replace traditional teaching but
supplement it. This game proved to be motivational to the learners and the findings show that poor
performers benefited the most from use of the game.

Critique
This research is helpful for educational software game designers because it gives them some ideas
of the components that help make the games more educationally effective and motivational. It is
also useful for teachers and parents considering using educational software games to supplement
students’ learning. The findings show that technology can create a more enjoyable learning
experience for students and can engage students that might otherwise be considered behavior
problems.
The paper was well organized and presented. However, I did think that better pictures could have
been included or more description made of the interactivity of the game. I also thought that the
process of how the students in the study were chosen and broken down into groups should have
been consistent for both parts of the experiment. The use of pre-test and post-tests along with
interviews with the students and teachers were a good way to test the findings of the research but
the authenticity of the study may have been compromised by the fact that lab assistants were
available to aid the students with the interactive aspect of the game. Setting the experiment in an
actual classroom where students might not have expected to find a game was a good way to test the
entertainment factor.
I think that the interactive process involved in gaming can be a valuable tool in stimulating
reasoning skills in students. I think the use of entertainment in teaching is very important in today’s
society where most students are playing video games at home. The motivational value of getting a
student, especially students that may find school boring, involved in a subject can be worth trying to
find quality educational games.

5. Progressive Teaching of Mathematics with Tablet Technology

Citation
Loch, B., & Donovan, D. (2006). Progressive teaching of mathematics with tablet technology.
e-Journal of Instructional Science and Technology (e-JIST), 9(2). Retrieved September 19,
2008 from
http://www.usq.edu.au/electpub/e-jist/docs/vol9_no2/papers/current_practice/loch_donovan.htm

Summary
 This 2006 article looks at the use of tablet technology in mathematics lecture presentation at the
University of Queensland. The premise of the study was to evaluate the pros and cons of giving
instructors the ability to spontaneously add diagrams, concept maps and solutions with electronic
ink to math lectures. The hope was that students would benefit from the more interactive and
engaging learning environment provided by the use of tablet technology in a lecture hall. Using
electronic ink, comments can be added to PDF files projected during lecture presentations in real
time. Three different college math classes were used for the experiment over a period of three
semesters. Surveys were used to evaluate how effective students found this technology to be in a
math lecture environment.

Critique
This study would be useful to instructors at all educational levels. The description of the various
combinations of technology used was interesting and would be helpful for anyone doing a lecture
presentation. Ideas of what combination of technology would work for a particular classroom
situation could be gathered from reading this article. I found the survey questions to be limited as
only five questions were asked. I think there should have been more in-depth questioning of the
students and even comparison questions about other math classes that did not use any tablet
technology. More description could have been included about how the instructors felt about using
the technology and their technology experience. The technical problems that were encountered
during actual lectures and the reliability of equipment used were important points of the article.
Particularly the use of an overhead projector in too small a space in one case. This problem was
corrected during the second week of the study of this particular class.
I think that by allowing students to see their contributions to a lesson written on screen would help
students feel more engaged and involved with the subject matter. I like the use of interactive
technology when presenting concepts to students. It helps to visualize concepts. Students that are
allowed to see how problems are solved are better able to understand concepts and their learning is
enhanced. By using technology instead of just writing on a blackboard, students are also engaged by
the use of that innovation.

6. Video Games: A Vehicle for Problem-based Learning

Citation
Annetta, L.A., Cook, M., & Schultz, M. (2007). Video games: A vehicle for problem-based
learning. e-Journal of Instructional Science and Technology (e-JIST), 10(1). Retrieved
September 19, 2008 from
http://www.usq.edu.au/electpub/e-jist/docs/vol10_no1/papers/current_practice/annetta_cook_schultz.htm

Summary
This 2007 article written by Leonard Annetta, Assistant Professor of Science Education at North
Carolina State University, Michele Cook, Assistant Professor of Science Education at Clemson
University and Maya Schultz a teacher at East Chapel Hill High School in North Carolina, gives an
explanation of how video games can be designed as problem-based learning vehicles. An example
of how a high school biology teacher in North Carolina designed and implemented a video game
using a virtual learning environment is also outlined. The authors give several arguments as to why
video games are a natural way to teach science to high school students. Popularity of the games
with the 14 to 19 age group and the potential of games reaching a diverse population of learning are
cited as reasons why video games should be used in high school classrooms. They also assert that
the entertainment value of video games allows for “stealth learning”. The conclusion of the article
was that although the students were engaged in the game there was no significant difference in test
scores on the material covered from the control group that did not use the video game format.

Critique
This article was well written and would be valuable to any teacher that wanted to create their own
video game to use in the classroom. It gave not only arguments that would be useful in supporting
the use of video games in an education environment but an actual link to a class teachers interested
in creating a similar game could take. It also discussed the possible reasons why the use of the
particular game that was highlighted in the article did not result in higher test scores. I think by
including assessments in the game teachers would be able to better see where their further
explanation or coaching could be helpful to students. The article did not include data on student
reaction or learning. An interview survey could have been easily done and included with the article
to support their arguments that this type of problem-based game would be valuable to students
either by providing a less boring atmosphere of learning, or an opportunity to learn in an interactive
way.
The article also discussed formats that could be used to create simple and inexpensive video
games for the classroom. I found this type of information to be a very useful component of the
article. Not being a video game user, it explained some of the basic tools that can be used to create a
game platform. I also appreciated the arguments that teachers and students should collaborate on
such game creation as teachers are the content experts and students are the entertainment experts in
this situation of video games in the classroom.

7. Time-lapse Video as a Self-Reflection Tool for Collaborative Learning Projects

Citation
Rosenberg, L.B., & Petersen, G. J. (2008). Time-lapse video as a self-reflection tool for
collaborative learning projects. Journal of Research for Educational Leaders (JREL), 4(2), 4-
16. Retrieved September 19, 2008 from http://www.education.uiowa.edu/jrel/Petersen_0701.htm

Summary
Louis Rosenberg and George Petersen authored this 2008 study on the benefits of using time-
lapse video to enhance student’s reflections following group efforts. The researchers’ premise was
that if students could observe themselves in a group activity through the use of an hour long video
that has been compressed into a sixty second high-speed video using time-lapse technology, they
would be better able to objectively critique their group’s performance, time management skills,
division of labor, and collaborative success.
Two different groups of students at California Polytechnic State University were involved in the
initial study using time-lapse technology. Eighteen undergraduate students from the College of
Engineering and twenty-five graduate students from the College of Education were asked to
participate in a group activity and then reflect on their experience. The group activity videotaped
was a design experiment that required groups of three to five students to work together to build a
structure using only 12 Post-It® brand sticky notes. Following the challenge, the groups were asked
to reflect on questions about certain aspects of the group’s interaction during the activity. The six
control groups were asked to just give a written reflection while the other six groups were asked to
view a time-lapse video of their group experience at least once before writing their reflection.
Although the study was small, the results showed that the students that used the time-lapse video
were better able to objectively reflect on their group experience than the students who did not use
the technology.

Critique
This article is especially useful for high school or college instructors that require their students to
reflect on group activities. As the article points out, objective reflection is difficult for students
especially if some time has passed since the group activity has occurred. The researchers point out
that by using time-lapse technology to playback a video of a group project it may allow students to
pinpoint behaviors that might ordinarily go unnoticed just by virtue of the high speed of the video.
Just watching visual images enhances learning so, using a time-lapse video as a reflection tool
makes sense. This study was small but it used observation, written questions and control groups to
come to a conclusion that students would benefit from using time-lapse technology.
The only flaw I found with the research was the small sample used in the study. I think it is an
innovative idea and would like to see more studies done. I think it would greatly benefit high school
and even younger students to see how they personally interact with others in a group, how they do
or do not contribute in a group activity, and how other students react to a challenge. This technology
could have more far reaching advantages than just in aiding in reflections. Group activities could
become modeling opportunities through the use of time-lapse video. Students could see how
activities performed over a long period of time are carried out but only spend a short period of time
viewing a video of that activity. This technology has been used in science with great success but I
think it is time it be used in other areas of education.

8. Digital games in Education: The Design of Games-Based Learning Environments

Citation
Gros, B. (2007). Digital games: The design of games-based learning environments. Journal of
Research on Technology in Education 40(1), 23-38. Retrieved September 19, 2008 from
http://web.ebscohost.com.libez.lib.georgiasouthern.edu/ehost/pdf?
vid=11&hid=16&sid=282f4ce0-c3ca-4217-99f2-4104d34940fe%40sessionmgr3

Summary
Begoña Gros is a full professor of the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona and
director of research at the university’s Institute of Educational Science. In this 2007 article, she
looks at the evolution of videogames, how these games aid in learning and the hurdles involved in
using them in the classroom. Her main premise is that we need to change teaching strategies to
incorporate video games in the classroom because the students of today are of the digital generation.
In the past, educators have either ignored the use of video games or found limited use for them.
Gros writes that the way students interact with technology may be changing they way they actually
learn and create knowledge. The article contends that the past research of the use of videogames has
been haphazard and been done by varied educational disciplines without any real focus.
Gros feels that video games create the opportunity for complex learning if the games are such
that they teach experimentation and do not isolate the student from the teacher. She proposes that
educators need to be aware of the context of using video games and that the best way to analyze the
qualifications of a suitable game would be to consider the way in which the game will be used such
as a daily activity or reward, what the sessions will entail, who will participate, and the crucial and
reflective aspects of the actual game.

Critique
This article was a bit scattered in its approach to the subject of video games in learning. The
author could have focused on her main idea that teaching strategies should change to accommodate
the needs of students that have developed their learning styles and skills through emersion in
technology rather than going off on the tangent of the evolution of video games. This section of the
article did not seem to be necessary to convey this point. I do think the article would be useful to
educators by virtue of the main idea alone. If educators start to think differently about the value of
video games and other technology in the classroom and evaluate the skills students have learned
through game playing, perhaps they can help students translate those skills into computer literacy
and science and technology education. Time and curriculum constraints are valid arguments for not
using games in the classroom but as the article points out there are many areas of learning where
video games can be beneficial such as problem-solving and sequencing.
Just understanding that the visual intelligence of learners today is being impacted by the graphics
of video games and how that can lead to critical skills needed for scientific and technical thinking is
important to me. To know that attention spans of learners can be improved by playing video games
is useful information. I think educators will need to find ways to harness the skills learned through
playing video games, change the way they view games in the classroom, and adapt teaching styles
to teach the video game generation. This article not only supports these ideas but put them in a
global perspective.