FIT3033 Principles of Educational Multimedia , Unit Information Guide (Semester 1, 2006)

ASCED Discipline Group classification: 029999 Information Technology not elsewhere classified

This unit examines the diversity of theoretical and conceptual frameworks which influence current research and production of educational multimedia applications. Topics will include: educational theory and practice, cognition and cognitive development, the differentiation between child and adult learners, catering to differences in the capacity to learn, for example, gifted and disabled learners, creating immersive and interactive learning environments, current debates surrounding e-Learning, and enabling equitable access to learning technologies. Students will be given an overview of issues and techniques for applying information technology to support instruction in educational and training contexts and gain practical experiences in managing a design process involving competing aspects of learning theories, content characteristics, audience needs and software development practices.

At the completion of this unit students will have a theoretical and conceptual understanding of:

• the diversity of theoretical and conceptual frameworks which contribute to the current research and application of educational multimedia;
• the uniquely immersive, engaging and interactive nature of educational multimedia learning environments;
• the correlation of the individual needs of a learner with an appropriate digital environment for the delivery of educational material and learning experiences.

At the completion of this unit students will have developed attitudes that enable them to:

• be acquainted with and value the diversity of learning styles and requirements within the community;
• appreciate the need for an adaptive approach in the modification of technology to the requirements of both the learner and the educational content.

At the completion of this unit students will have the skills to:

• design and produce documents relating to the conceptual development of educational learning environments;
• develop applications of learning environments for specific learning needs;
• utilise appropriate techniques and be able to select tools to meet the requirements of specific learning environments.

At the completion of this unit students will have developed the teamwork skills needed to:

• recognise the potential of multimedia in enabling educational access and equity
• further develop communication and group work skills
• understand the importance of the functional and structural role of multimedia in contemporary educational practice
• recognise the significance and ubiquity of educational products in the multimedia industry and the need for quality assurance in production processes

Required text(s)

Prescribed Text

Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

Software requirements:

The software required for this unit is available in the multimedia labs at the Berwick campus.

Software may be:

• purchased at academic price at good software retailers

Hardware requirements:

On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 10 hours per week for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Recommended Reading (*indicates Highly Recommended for this unit)

Study resources for FIT3033 are:

The MMS2701/FIT3033 web site on MUSO, where lecture slides, weekly tutorial requirements, assignment specifications, sample solutions and supplementary material will be posted.

The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+

Assessment for the unit consists of 3 assignments with a weighting of 100%. Read this section VERY carefully.

Assignment 1: Presentation by the group of a detailed concept to be developed into a multimedia learning environment appropriate for child learners and to be targeted at a given learning style and instructional methodology outlined via design documentation, including objective summary, storyboards and flowcharts, and an individual process diary.

(30%) Due Friday 3 pm week 5.

Assignment 2: An individual essay.

Conduct a detailed analysis of an educational multimedia product (it may be CD/DVD-based or online) and discuss the following aspects of the package in relation to learning theory:

• Give a brief description of the package and the nature of the subject matter.
• Which major learning theory best relates to this product? The main learning theories include Behaviourism, Instructivism, and Constructivism. Give an overview of the learning theory selected, state how it relates to this product and comment on how well or badly the theory has been applied.
• What are the instructional objectives of the package? Are these made clear to the learner?
• Describe how the content is structured, chunked, formatted and presented. Does this support the instructional objectives? Does the presentation adequately motive the learners? Is the learner given adequate feedback on their progress through the package?
• How does the learner interact with or experience the content? Does this provide the learner with sufficient opportunity to absorb and/or practice the content?
• How is the learner assessed? Is this assessment appropriate? Does it relate directly to the instructional objectives of the package? What feedback is the learner given on their performance?

Compile your response into an essay. Use screen shots to illustrate your points where ever possible. As a minimum include screen shots of the overview/introduction, a content screen, an interaction/activity screen,an assessment screen and a feedback screen.

Final submission 3000 words

(30%) Due Friday 3 pm week 9

Assignment 3:

Production by the group of a multimedia learning environment for a specific user
demographic that demonstrates:

1) clear instructional objects,

2) an effective instructional strategy,

3) an appropriate assessment strategy, and

4) the appropriate formatting and use of media for the presentation of content.

Plus an individual process diary.

(40%) Due Friday 3 pm week 12.

To pass this unit you must:

Attempt all assessment tasks.

Obtain a total score from all assessment tasks of 50% or more.

Attend a minimum of 80% of both lectures and tutorials, unless medical certificates are provided.

Assessment Procedures for a Non-performing Team Member or Members.

If the unit assessor, or one or more team members, becomes concerned regarding the contribution of one or more members of a group then the unit assessor will determine, using the project documentation, examination of student Process Diaries and discussions with the students concerned, whether the student or students are making an equitable contribution to the work of the group. If it is determined that the student or students are not making an equitable contribution they may be deemed to be a Non-performing team member. In the event of this determination being made the Group component of their assessment will be multiplied by up to a factor of 0.5 in order to arrive at a Raw Score.

Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

The final grade will be calculated by adding group and individual scores for all component assessment items which may be scaled.

Assessment Feedback – Raw Scores.

Assessment Requirements

Assignment specifications will be made available on the MMS2701/FIT3033 web site on MUSO. Information about assignments will be published on the Unit's Notices Newsgroup.

On-campus Students Submit the assignment to the labelled Assignment Boxes in the foyer of the Berwick School of Information Technology at the Berwick Campus by 3 pm on the due date, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached.

Late submission of assignments

Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of a 5 % reduction in marks for each day (including weekends) the assignment is late. Assignments will not normally be accepted if handed in more than 2 weeks after the due date.

This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment. 

Extensions

It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. 

Students requesting an extension must apply, using the standard 'Extension Request', to their unit adviser at least two days prior to the due date. You should also confirm your extension request via e-mail. Extensions may be granted for medical or personal reasons supported by appropriate documentary evidence. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. Students will be provided with a reply slip documenting the extension, a copy of which should be submitted with the assignment.

Grading of assessment

Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

Michael Morgan can be contacted at:

Room Number:

1135 Berwick Campus

Email

michael.morgan@infotech.monash.edu.au

Phone:

03 99047155

Phone Messages

03 99047155

Fax

03 99047125

Postal address

Michael Morgan,
Monash University,
Berwick School of Information Technology,
Clyde Road,
Berwick,
Victoria, Australia, 3806

Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in the Unit Website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.

Consultation Times

Tuesday: 11.00 to 12.00

If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.