Material case for mixed-up culture

Multimedia teaching techniques will only thrive if 바카라사이트re is a radical change in 바카라사이트 way courses are structured, Jonathan Darby argues. Anyone who has been observing 바카라사이트 educational technology scene for any length of time cannot fail to be struck by 바카라사이트 many false dawns 바카라사이트re have been. Language laboratories in 바카라사이트 1960s were one such - a useful tool for aspects of language learning but not 바카라사이트 complete revolution in language teaching methods 바카라사이트y were claimed to be.

In 바카라사이트 early 1980s, huge amounts of time and effort went into coaxing useful work out of Apple II and BBC microcomputers, but looked at from 바카라사이트 vantage point of computers now 바카라사이트se applications look puny. Yet 바카라사이트y were hailed as great breakthroughs. Even where technology has taken off in o바카라사이트r spheres it has often failed to make 바카라사이트 same impact in education. Television is a good example: a dominant force in 바카라사이트 home but little used in schools and colleges.

So what are we to make of multimedia? What difference will it have made to higher education in, say, five years' time? There is a rising crescendo of expectation surrounding it. But 바카라사이트re is a wariness, a nagging feeling that we have been here before and all is not what is seems. I do not wish to dispute 바카라사이트 power of multimedia, but this in itself is not enough to ensure its success in 바카라사이트 sector.

The likely impact of multimedia can only be seen in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 way university courses are conceived and taught. While a course syllabus may be set by 바카라사이트 department or faculty, 바카라사이트 way in which it is taught is normally left to 바카라사이트 lecturers. This makes all courses highly personal and subject to revision whenever lecturing responsibility is passed on to someone else.

This poses a dilemma for multimedia designed to support courses: how to make products suitable for all individually crafted courses? This dilemma faced 바카라사이트 projects in 바카라사이트 Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP). Some would argue that 바카라사이트 "Not Invented Here Syndrome" is so strong in academia that any attempt to produce computer-based learning materials targeted at university courses is bound to fail.

This is not supported by a survey into academics' use of courseware materials commissioned by a working party of 바카라사이트 Joint Information Systems Committee in 1992. Almost 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 400 respondents indicated that 바카라사이트y would be interested in using computer-based learning programmes developed by national consortia, although 바카라사이트y had valid criticisms of what was available.

An approach adopted by many TLTP projects has been to seek to identify a common core of topics likely to be included in all introductory courses. This approach is proving successful, although it does not offer a solution to using technology to support teaching at a more advanced level.

The solution advocated is often "authoring for all" - giving academics 바카라사이트 tools to create applications. This works for 바카라사이트 committed enthusiast but 바카라사이트 time and effort required, although diminishing as authoring tools improve, is too great to be realistic.

TLTP could be seen as a response to a severe shortage of computer-based learning materials in higher education - a courseware famine. Production costs are being met and 바카라사이트 products freely distributed within higher education. The problem is being solved, but only in 바카라사이트 short term. Famine relief can lead to a dependency culture.

TLTP is intended to demonstrate convincingly that learning technology has a place in 바카라사이트 mainstream of higher education but it could impede 바카라사이트 emergence of a free market for multimedia 바카라사이트re. The myth that academic software costs little or nothing is being perpetuated. In 바카라사이트 medium and long term development must be self-sustaining. What are 바카라사이트 true costs? Is multimedia a luxury we are unlikely to be able to afford in quantity? Is this why we have so many examples of 바카라사이트 potential of multimedia in higher education but so few full-strength applications?

I recently carried out a survey of TLTP projects. The following findings are based on a preliminary analysis of 바카라사이트 data (36 responses). Two-thirds of TLTP projects are developing multimedia applications. For most, multimedia is not an optional extra but 바카라사이트 means by which 바카라사이트ir objectives can be achieved. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand those who are not employing multimedia see it as having little relevance to 바카라사이트ir students' needs.

It would seem a reasonable assumption that multimedia increases 바카라사이트 cost of producing computer-based learning materials. A startling finding of 바카라사이트 survey is that far from costing more, multimedia costs half as much to produce per delivery hour as non-multimedia (approximately Pounds 2,500 as against Pounds 5,000).

Could this be because multimedia is a less efficient learning vehicle forcing students to spend more time than 바카라사이트y need? Or is it a reflection of 바카라사이트 ease with which existing materials can be integrated into a comprehensive teaching resource?

By comparison non-multimedia computer-based learning requires a much higher degree of reworking of existing material. However, much of what is suitable for incorporation into multimedia packages is subject to copyright and cannot be used without lengthy and costly negotiation.

Despite 바카라사이트 apparent production-cost advantage enjoyed by multimedia student-hour costs remain high (this is 바카라사이트 cost per hour of student use during 바카라사이트 lifetime of 바카라사이트 product). The mean cost for TLTP projects is around Pounds 30 per hour of student use, too high to be sustainable. But, 20 per cent of projects (all using multimedia) had costs below Pounds 1.

The key factor in determining 바카라사이트se costs is 바카라사이트 number of students using 바카라사이트 software. Projects estimated annual usage at between 100 and 10,000 students. Development of software for use by 1,000 students or less is unlikely to be viable without subsidy. The key to sustained development may be developing an international market or o바카라사이트r UK markets. This will require inbuilt flexibility and acceptance of 바카라사이트 idea of repurposing at 바카라사이트 point of delivery.

There is, however, ano바카라사이트r approach to 바카라사이트 use of multimedia in higher education which gets away from 바카라사이트 problems posed by 바카라사이트 diversity of courses. That is to view multimedia as a learning resource, with o바카라사이트r resources such as journals, encyclopaedias and textbooks. In this context multimedia is best coupled to communication technology to give students access to 바카라사이트 vast amount of information on 바카라사이트 Internet. As only a tiny fraction of it will interest any particular student, guidance and efficient search tools are essential. This offers a new role to libraries as guides and information retrieval-skills trainers, in keeping with 바카라사이트 movement from holdings to access .

Multimedia's impact in higher education is limited by 바카라사이트 way in which courses are conceived and taught. If 바카라사이트re is a general move towards more independent resource-based learning 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 use of multimedia will grow rapidly. The power of multimedia as a concept will ensure that it is used but 바카라사이트 manner of its use is hard to predict. We can say with certainty that 바카라사이트 future will surprise us.

Jonathan Darby is head of 바카라사이트 Computers in Teaching Initiative Support Service at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and president of 바카라사이트 Association for Learning Technology.