media theory

Media Theory

The instructional design knowledge base

Key Principles

• The value of media in the learning process is a function of their fidelity & the extent to which the experiences seem to be occurring simultaneously with real-life events.

• Concrete experiences facilitate the acquisition of abstract generalizations.

• Learning is increased as the number of audio & visual stimuli increase

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Key Principles• Visual information is retained more than

verbal information since it is processed in both the visual & verbal working memories

• Media selection & design should adapt to the characteristics of the learners, the content, the learning environment

• Media can influence the development of student cognitive skills & the internal representation of information

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Philosophical emphases• The following generalizations can be made:

• Objects directly presented to our senses represent the objects that actually exist in nature

• Reality can be baased upon directly experiencing & manipulating concrete objects

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Basic research support

• Skinner’s research on contingencies of reinforcement, Paivo’s research on dual coding

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Early contributors

• William Allen, Edgar Dale, Charles Hoban, Jr. & Arthur Lumsdaine

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ID Application

• Automating instruction

• Media selection (face-to-face & Online setting)

• Multimedia Computer-Based Instruction

• Online Worlds

• Simulations and Games

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Supporting ID Research

• Media & learning research

• Media attributes research

• Media comparison research

• Media design & development research

• Media use research

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Related concepts:

• Aptitude-treatment interactions

• Cone of experience

• Flexible learning

• Immersive technologies

• Teaching machines & individualized instruction

• Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment (TELE)

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ID design domains & elements related to media theory

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Learners & Learning processes

• Learner characteristics (aptitude, demographics, background)

• Distributed learning process

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Learning & performance contexts

• Instructional environment (e.g. Location of instructor & students, group size, delivery conditions, connectivity, storage & facilties)

• Instructional resources available• Similarity between learning & performance

contexts• Support available(technical &

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Content structure & sequence

• Visualization of content

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Instructional & noninstructional strategies

• Facilitating activity & engagement

• Facilitating communication online

• Facilitating interaction (between learners, between learners & instructors)

• Individualizing instruction

• Providing concrete experiences

• Reproducing real-life activities & events

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Media delivery systems

• Media capabilities & attributes (e.g. richness, social presence)

• Media costs

• Media functions (e.g. presentation,feedback,practice,manager of interactions)

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Media delivery systems• Media selection (cues, interaction, symbol

system, relating to content, learner characteristics, instructional strategy, environment, management)

• Role in learning process (e.g. part of stimulus,part of response)

• Type of delivery (e.g. synchronous or asynchronous)

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Designers & design processes

• Design of online learning

• Multimedia design (e.g. increasing cues, sound over visuals)

• Product development

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Media Theory

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The instructional design knowledge base: Theory research & practice

Rita C. Richey, James D. Klein, & Monica W. Tracey 2010