TEACHERS AS MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPERS: USING MULTIMEDIA AUTHORING TOOLS TO ENHANCE TEACHING

AND LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM

Mr Ken Neo Tse Kian

Lecturer,

Centre for Innovative Education (CINE),

Faculty of Creative Multimedia,

Multimedia University,

Cyberjaya, Selangor,

Malaysia

Tel: +603-56357817

Fax: +603-56357817

Email: kneo@pc.jaring.my

Correspondence address:

21, Jalan USJ 5/3, 47610 UEP Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

In recent years, many institutions of higher learning in Malaysia are incorporating multimedia technology into the classroom to enhance the teaching and learning process. In this paper, we focus on the process in which an interactive multimedia learning (IMML) module was created using Authorware. This learning module is based on a lecture in a multimedia degree course in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University, Malaysia. Inclusive in this presentation is a highlight of Authorware's capability to frame a multiple-choice test, which can

be conducted electronically and synchronously in a networked learning environment.

Introduction

In the face of rapid technology advancement, educators in this age of digital information and technology not only have to be proficiently knowledgeable in the field(s) that they are teaching, but must also be skilled in the technologies that are being used to convey the educational content. As a result, in the educational arena today, there is an emerging breed of technologically proficient educators who are using the information and communication technology (ICT) to create a better teaching and learning environment. The marriage of content and technology not only provides the teacher with a more effective way to transfer knowledge and information to students, but also enables them to learn in a more productive way. It is fast gaining popularity as a powerful instructional tool for disseminating knowledge and information to the learners.

Furthermore, the ICT revolution is also fast changing the world, and creating a generation that is media-hungry and technologically savvy. This new generation is using digital media for learning and communicating (Tapscott, 1998). Business, industry, the military and educational institutions have recognised this potential and used computers as instructional tools. However, in the context of education, technology also refers to the process of applying the tools for educational purposes. In other words, "educational technology is a combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems, with an emphasis on applying the most current tools: computers and their related technologies" (Roblyer and Edwards, 2000).

In an opening address at the conference on E-Learning held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 25th May 2000, the Secretary-General from the Ministry of Education, Dr. Johari Bin Mat stated that, "Technology has been and is becoming an important component of teaching and learning in our educational system.......Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides powerful tools for accessing, storing, and disseminating information.....Our approaches to teaching, preparing contents and delivering learning materials need to be adjusted according to the existence of this technology. The classroom is no more a static physical set-up, but a rather dynamic existence...Teachers should be able to integrate technology in their process of teaching and learning...Technology supports learning. It will enable teachers to pursue traditional goals with new fervor and success. This impact of technology will give a new dimension to the quality of our education system...Technology supports the learners to bring about significant change in learning. Group of students at different schools work together on

collaborative projects, other learning skills and social relationships" (Mat, 2000).

Currently, the multimedia technology resources available to educators to help them to develop ICT curricula are many and able to address different modes of teaching. The ability to incorporate multiple media elements in conjunction with interactive features into teaching and learning will modify and enhance the traditional instructional approaches. This will inevitably change the way teachers teach and students learn.

The permeation of multimedia elements into the teaching and learning environments has also pushed educators to becoming more technology-oriented. Incorporating multimedia technology into the classroom has become a global trend, and in recent years, institutions of higher learning in Malaysia and the world over are incorporating multimedia into their educational curricula to enhance the teaching and learning process (Johns, 1999; Kachian & Wieser, 1999, Kamsah, Mokhtar, Ahmad, & Yaakob, 2000).

The issue that surrounds many educators is the need to use multimedia in their lesson plans and curricula and how technologically innovative we can be in delivering knowledge and information to the students to help them to learn better. There is now an increasingly growing level of PC-users in the world, and computers are becoming integral parts of our lives. As the next generation becomes more familiar with computers and the Internet, they are going to expect information in the classrooms to follow in the same pattern (Tapscott, 1998).

In this paper, we focus on integrating multimedia technology into the teaching and learning process by using Authorware for creating an interactive multimedia learning (IMML) module with a media-rich environment which can be deployed through the Web or CD-ROMs. In this respect, the teacher assumes the role of a multimedia developer and creates his/her own multimedia learning module. Here, multimedia is presented as an instructional tool which will enable the teacher to present his/her educational content in multiple media format and in an interactive multi-sensory manner rather than in the traditional format (text only). The learning module created is based on a lecture in a multimedia degree course in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University, Malaysia.

Multimedia Technology in Education

In the traditional education realm, the role of the teacher is to provide content and information to students. This can be done in the form of many instructional media, such as notes, diagrams, overhead transparencies, models and more. The information or content that is presented is based on the teacher's curriculum and other relevant information for the class. With technology, especially with multimedia authoring technology, the very same content can be converted into the electronic form and presented on the PC. The multimedia technologies used will transform the traditional materials into an interactive multimedia courseware.

With this transformation, multimedia is changing the way we communicate with each other. The way we send and receive messages is more effectively done and better comprehended. The inclusion of media elements reinforces the message and the delivery, which leads to a better learning and teaching environment. The power of multimedia lies in the fact that it is multi-sensory, stimulating the many senses of the audience, which consequently leads to better attention and retention rates. In other words, multimedia provides "an individual or a small group using a computer to interact with information that is represented in several media, by repeatedly selecting what to see and hear next" (Agnew, Kellerman and Meyer, 1996).

As such, many are turning to multimedia as a means to better communicate their message and to foster better feedback on the information exchanged. For many years, multimedia and multimedia developers were housed in selected industries such as advertising, entertainment and edutainment, games and corporate computer-based training (CBT) systems. However, multimedia is now penetrating the education field and changing the way teachers teach and students learn. With the advent of multimedia and technology in the classrooms, teachers can equip themselves with these technological skills and become better communicators of their content materials, and thus enabling the students to learn in a more productive way.

As stated by Lindstrom (1994), "Multimedia provides a means to supplement a presenter's efforts to garner attention, increase retention, improve comprehension, and to bring an audience into agreement." In light of this, educators can thus take advantage of the multi-sensory environment created by the multiple digital media elements to create multimedia education materials that would not only stimulate a variety of senses from the audience, but also elicit high attention and retention rates from them. This is especially feasible with the advent of the Multimedia PC (MPC). The MPC is specifically designed for multimedia creation and development with the inclusion and support of sound cards and digital video capture boards coupled with the increased computer processing power. This alliance of sophisticated

computing hardware and software technologies provides educators with a powerful toolset for creating multimedia courseware content.

Tway (1995) posited that "Multimedia offers an excellent alternative to traditional teaching. By allowing the students to explore and learn at different paces, every student has the opportunity to learn at his or her full potential." Thus, with the combination of multimedia technology and educational content materials, the final interactive content can be delivered in various ways and made available for the different teaching and learning modes such as teacher-centric, student-centric and mixed modes (Neo & Neo, 2000).

Multimedia Authoring Tools

An authoring tool is a software package that allows the author to develop interactive multimedia applications. There are many different types of authoring tool in the market today. Most authoring tools are becoming more user-friendly, thus benefiting many new- comers and experienced multimedia developers. They range from the simple slide-based tools to sophisticated software packages. Software packages that are classified under slide-based authoring tools include software packages such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Gold Disk's Astound, Macromedia Action and Lotus Freelance, just to mention a few. Usually, this type of authoring package is used for speaker-supported presentation. The application is mainly a linear presentation with very little user participation. For highly complex user participation applications, sophisticated authoring tools such as Macromedia Director, Asymmetric Tool Book and Macromedia Authorware can be used. In Table 1, the various categories of authoring tools are depicted.

In this paper, Macromedia Authorware was chosen as the primary authoring tool to create the IMML module. One of the reasons why Macromedia Authorware was picked is because the software is most suited to converting educational materials into interactive content. "Authorware is rooted in some pretty powerful technology. Its sophisticated judging, sequencing and instructional management facility builds upon two decades of work by Authorware founder Mike Allen on a computer-assisted instruction system called PLATO" (Hofstetter, 1995).

Authorware adopts a flowchart methodology in its presentation much like the common flowchart used in computer programming. It uses icons as its authoring metaphor and is designed to be used by developers with no computer programming experiences to create highly interactive applications. Each of these icons represents a task or function that the user can take advantage of without knowing any scripting language or programming syntax. When creating a learning application, an important aspect is its interactive features as the level of interactivity included will enhance the user's knowledge in the subject matter. In this context, Authorware provides many functions for creating such interactive features. Authorware also provides a very flexible and versatile feature whereby applications created in other popular authoring software packages such as Director and Flash, can be imported directly into the Authorware application and thus embedded as part of the Authorware application. In addition, Authorware applications can be made web-enabled for those wanting to put interactive modules on the Internet or Intranet.

Table 1 The various authoring tools and their metaphors

Authoring metaphors

Type of

authoring tools

Explanation

SLIDE-BASED

MS PowerPoint, Astound,

Harvard Graphics

Presentation is linear and

packages support many

popular multimedia

elements. Interactivity is

simple.

ICON-BASED

Macromedia Authorware,

click2learn's IconAuthor

Presentation is created

using icons to represent

the different media

elements and placed in a

flowline. Interactivity

ranges from simple to

complex. Complex

interactivity can be

achieved using variables

and Functions (for

Authorware).

MOVIE-BASED

Macromedia Director

Presentation is created

using movie-making

concepts of casts, score,

scripts and stage.

Interactivity is high-end

and powerful, especially

when combined with

Behaviours and Lingo

programming.

BOOK-BASED

click2learn's Multimedia

ToolBook

Presentation is created

using pages for each

screen. Interactivity is

sophisticated and can be

further enhanced with

OpenScript programming.

Authorware also allows users to import or link the application to various media file formats including popular file formats.

Interactivity in Multimedia Learning Applications

Modern-day multimedia applications are effective methods of presenting instructional material because they contain one key ingredient: interactivity. What is innovative about using interactivity in the multimedia presentation of educational materials is the ability of the user (i.e., the student) to become involved in the content and story of the application itself. For example, in the edutainment world, the Living Books series, many of the pages held embedded animations and sound effects, which could be triggered by the user clicking on a particular spot on the screen. It was entertaining and it kept the user attracted to the application. Based on the success of edutainment titles and Computer-Based Training (CBT) modules, teaching curricula can also be made multimedia-oriented. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), for example, has developed a series of educational games that help teach children

with language-based learning disorders, such as Circus Sequence and Old MacDonald's Flying Farm. These applications are multimedia-oriented as they employ multiple media elements (text, sound, animations and images) and incorporate interactivity into the exercises.

In Computer-Based Training (CBT) modules, the trainee can navigate through the content of the application in a non-linear fashion, accessing glossaries and jumping to different pages at any time, and not losing his or her place in the application. Testing, scoring and feedback can also be done simultaneously, giving instant satisfaction to the interaction. Educators can also move away from the traditional method of teaching and adopt a more interactive approach to instruction by providing students with a more meaningful method of skills and applications. By doing so, they can have an interactive experience with the topic whose impact far surpasses that of the textbooks, and consequently, achieve a higher level of comprehension and retention of the topic itself.

Interactivity allows the user to navigate and explore the application at his or her own pace. With navigational controls such as buttons, hot spots, and others, the user is able to hyperlink to different parts of the application very easily and at his or her own choice. Studies have shown that interactivity raised the comprehension and retention rates of the audience to about 75%, compared to the 40% rate from what they see and hear, and the 20% rate from what they see only (Lindstrom, 1994).

Educational materials can be translated into interactive electronic form through the use of an authoring tool. An authoring tool is a software package that allows the designer to incorporate multimedia elements such as text, graphics, sound, video and animations on the PC and choreograph them in an orderly sequence to convey the message in a multi-sensory environment. This presentation is made more powerful through the incorporation of interactive features that would involve the user and make him or her part of the instruction and learning process of the module. Interactive multimedia applications have been used mainly in the business, corporate and entertainment sectors with interactive kiosks, interactive company profiles, interactive games and so on.

Building IMML Module using Authorware: The Development Process

The interactive multimedia content showcased in this paper utilised Authorware's multimedia and interactive features. The content for the application was based on a class lecture in a multimedia degree course. The task was undertaken by using the multimedia authoring process ( MAP) (Neo & Neo, 1998) which is a 3-stage procedure used in developing a multimedia application. The three stages are:

1 Pre-authoring2 Authoring process, and3 Post-authoring

Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the MAP.

Figure 2 The Multimedia Authoring Process (MAP)

The Pre-Authoring Stage

As depicted in Figure 2, the pre-authoring stage consists of creating a storyboard or plan of

action for the creation of the final application and involves the assembly of media elements needed for the application. These elements can be in analogue or digital format at this stage. The objective in this stage is to acquire as many media elements as possible for the authoring stage. The media can include video clips from VHS tapes or digital videocameras, still images or photographs, animation files, sound files captured from DAT tapes or recorded on the PC, and text documents typed or scanned into the computer. Once the media has been selected and assembled, they can then be edited. Analogue materials will be converted into digital files accordingly. Third-party software such as Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia FreeHand, Adobe Premier, Macromedia SoundForge and Macromedia Flash can be used to further edit and modify these digital files to customise them for the final application.

The Authoring Stage

This is the stage where all the media are integrated and synchronised according to the application's storyboard. Here is where the developer would make a decision on the choice of authoring tool to use. Once the tool has been chosen, all the media are imported into the programme and arranged accordingly. This stage is important because it not only involved the integration of all the media elements acquired earlier, but also now, the developer can add interactivity and navigation into the final application. The addition of the interactive features and a navigational structure will allow two-way communication between the user and the application and enhance its effectiveness in the retention and recall of information. To integrate the different media types, the developer will have to use the different icons provided by Authorware and sequence them appropriately, according to the author's discretion. Authorware uses a flow line as its method of sequencing the different media. Therefore, all the developer needs to do is to select the appropriate icon from the package's icon palette and drag and drop the icon onto the flow line. These icons can then be arranged in whatever order the developer decides. Once the final application is completed, it can then be packaged as either a standalone application, or an EXE file, or as a Web-enabled application.

The Post-Authoring Stage

These packaged files can then be appropriately distributed to the end-user. Currently, the two most popular ways to distribute multimedia applications is via the CD-ROMs or the Web. Either way, the authoring tool of choice, should have the features to package the final interactive multimedia application as an EXE file for the CD-ROM or, as in Authorware's case, a Shockwave

file for Internet and Intranet distribution.

A Showcase Example of the IMML Module

As a showcase of Authorware's capability as an educational tool to enhance teaching and learning, an interactive lecture module based on a multimedia course was created and used in a class here in Multimedia University (MMU). This module was based on a class lecture entitled : "The multimedia authoring process- the MAP" which contained a combination of various media elements, creating a multi-sensory environment for teaching and learning. Interactive features such as hot spots and hot objects were also incorporated to involve the students in the navigation of the content and acquisition of the information.

Figure 3 (a) depicts the main interface of the module, and Figures 3 (b), (c) and (d) depict the various linkages in the module.

Figures 3(a), (b), (c) & (d): The IMML module structure

This multimedia courseware can be packaged on the CD-ROM and delivered in a networked classroom which leads to a teaching mode whereby the courseware is opened on the students' PCs and they follow the teacher's face-to-face lecture on their PCs. This mode of learning is biased towards a teacher-centric mode.

Another type of teaching and learning mode that can be developed from the multimedia courseware content is one where the CD-ROM, containing the multimedia content, is opened from the student's PC at home. Here, the student takes the multimedia materials stored on the

PC and goes through the lessons at his or her own time, creating a self-paced, student-centred learning mode. This can be considered as a mixed mode of learning since the content is created by the teacher (teacher-centric) whereas the access and pace of learning is controlled by the individual student (student-centric).

The multimedia courseware content can also be packaged as a Web file and delivered on the Internet and this will result in online courses where students can access the courseware from a browser on their PC. The student is then free to engage in learning on his or her own time, pace and place and access the vast source of information on the Net relating to the lecture. Consequently, the learning mode is student-centric as they are not limited to the content created by the teacher.

The various modes of teaching and learning are illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4 The various instructional delivery modes

Several different lecture modules were also constructed and used in a current research project intended to investigate the impact of the IMML modules on student learning and the learning process using the various instructional delivery modes as shown in Figure 4. Data of this study are being collected and analyses of the data are still in progress. It is hoped that results obtained will be submitted for publication in the near future.

The Electronic Quiz : Using Authorware for Framing a Multiple-Choice Quiz

In addition, Authorware was used to frame and administer a multiple-choice quiz, which was conducted electronically and synchronously over a network environment, in order to demonstrate its usefulness as an instructional tool.

This electronic quiz was created with Macromedia Authorware that was given to the students as a mid-term quiz. The quiz contained twenty multiple-choice questions based on the material that was covered in class thus far. In traditional quiz taking, students have both the question paper as well as the answer sheet. Students could arrange both sheets of paper on the table in the way they feel most comfortable. They are able to read the questions and are able to answer the questions in any order they choose. To answer the questions, all the student needs to do is blacken the appropriate choices on the answer sheet. Students can review the questions and their corresponding answers and are able to make any changes before the end of the test. At the end of the test, students will submit their answer sheets and leave the room. Then it will be up to the lecturer to grade the quiz manually, one and the time, and a mark will be given.

The e-quiz was designed to be similar to the traditional quiz. There were two modules created, one contained the questions of the quiz (The Question Module) and the other contained the multiple-choice boxes (The Answer Module) (see Figure 5). The decision to separate the questions from the answer sheet was deliberate as we wanted the students to be as comfortable with the e-quiz as the traditional quiz. By separating the questions from the answer module, a student could place the question and answer modules anywhere they feel comfortable on the computer desktop.

Figure 5 The Question and Answer Modules are created separately

The Answer Module

The Answer module was the more complex of the two modules to create. It was created using 6 different icons. These icons are very essential in Authorware as they are the icons that allow authors to create interactive applications. These six icons include the Interactive Icon, the Framework Icon, the Map Icon, the Decision Icon, the Calculation Icon and the Erase Icon. These six different icons were placed appropriately on the Flowline and together allowed the student to interact with the answer module (see Figure 6).

Figure 6 The icons arranged on the Flowline in the Design Window to create the Answer Module

Besides these icons, Functions and Variables were used to enhance the application. Functions and Variables are powerful commands that allow the author to go beyond the use of the icons. They are Authorware’s native codes just as Lingo is to Director. By using Functions and Variables properly, the author is able to enhance the module and allow for more flexibility and control over the flow of application. By using functions and variables, the module was able to track the students’ performance on the test.

Before taking the test, students had to log-in their name and ID. Each time a student enters his or her name and ID, a verification prompt will appear to allow the student to double check his or her entry. When the student is sure of the entry, he or she will hit "Enter" and it will lead to the answer sheet. By logging in, a personal text file is created inside the hard disk of the PC. With the proper use of Functions and Variables, the file created is named after each student’s ID. Within each of these files, the student's name and ID will also be stored. This will enable the lecturer to know whose answers belong to which student. Later, all of the answers as well as the final score will be recorded in that file.

Figure 7 depicts the interface of the log-in screen.

Figure 7 Students need to log-in before starting the quiz

Once the log-in process is completed, the answer module will appear (see Figure 8). The

Answer Module is linked to the Question Module by a button. The button is situated on the right hand-side of the module and will execute the Question Module when pressed. In the Answer module, there will be a list of about 20 questions in two different pages, 10 questions each. Forward and backward buttons were created to allow students to go forward and backward and review their answers. Each question has three choices, A, B and C. More choices can be added if need be but for this test, only three different choices were given to students. These choices are listed in the form of radial buttons which users can select by clicking with their mouse. Once a choice is selected, the radial button will be darkened, just like using a pencil on a multiple choice answer sheet. Students will then go through the test and answer each question appropriately.

Figure 8 The GUI of the Answer Module

It should be noted that students are able to change their answers at anytime during the examination period. This will allow them to review their answers to the appropriate questions

and change them if they wanted to. This capability adds some flexibility to the students as it caters to each student’s test-taking strategies. Once they have completed with their review of their answers, they click the Done button and all their final answer choices will be automatically recorded and stored. Figure 9 shows the text file created that will store all the answers chosen by a particular student.

The module is set to track the answers the student makes, the number of correct and wrong answers as well as the percentage of correct answers. Also, any questions that were left unanswered will also be tracked. In other words, the student’s answer choice for each question, the number of correct answers, the number of wrong answers, the number of missed questions as well as the percentage of correct answers are all stored in the text file previously created during the log-in process, together with the student’s name and ID. This will provide the lecturer later with a list of answers by each individual student. All these features are possible because of the use of Authorware’s icons and its Functions and Variables.

Figure 9 Text file containing information of the students as well as their answers and final score

The Question Module

Unlike the Answer Module, the Question module was less complicated to create. It only uses the Framework Icon and the Display Icon to create. No Functions and Variables were used as the module only displays the questions and choices. In other words, the Module only lists the questions of the test and the relevant choices in a page-based presentation whereby the student uses a next and previous button to page through the module. There is also a Quit button for the students to click when they are done with the test. Figure 10 shows the Presentation and Design screens for the Question Module.

Figure 10 Icons arranged on the Flowline for the Question Module

Lab Environment

In order to successfully carry out the e-quiz, a computer lab was used. The lab contained close to 40 fully functional networked PCs. Since there are 79 students, the class is broken up into two batches. Each batch had about 30 minutes to complete the test. Each student is given a PC of their own and they are seated separate from one another to avoid cheating. Before the test begins, instructions were given to the students on how to access the modules.

Being in a networked environment was an advantage as it allowed the lecturer to select one station and control all the computers in the lab. No additional software or hardware was

installed for this e-quiz and the computers ran on Windows NT operating system. Each of the PC consisted of a shared folder in which the text file created from the module will be stored. The Answer Module was pre-set to locate this shared folder and store the text file containing the student’s information and answer. A shared folder in a networked environment allows anyone on the network to access that shared folder. In other words, anyone on the network who knew what to look and where to look could access that folder. But of course, the name of the shared folder and the location of the shared folder in the PC were not known to the students to keep them from looking at other students' answers. Only the lecturer knew where it was.

One of the stations in the lab was designated as the lecturer’s station. On the lecturer’s station, shared folders from all the PCs in the lab are displayed. It is from these shared folders that the lecturer is able to gather all the text files from each of the student’s station in the lab. The text files stored the information as well as the students' answers and final marks for the test. All the lecturer needs to do is to keep all these text files and find the students' final marks for the records. In this way, the lecturer saves time in marking each individual student as the e-quiz does it automatically. This is the biggest advantage of using an electronic quiz. The computer module itself could be designed to automatically correct the test immediately after the test is completed, saving a lot of time and effort.

Both batches of students took the e-quiz and nothing unexpected happened. The lecturer was in the room to act as a facilitator and lab technician. Since this was the first time the class or the students ever took an e-quiz in their academic career, it was surprising to know that there were no problems or unexpected technical difficulties during the e-quiz sessions.

Student Feedback on the Electronic Quiz

After the e-quiz was completed, a survey was given to the students (N=79) to gather feedback on the e-quiz. The results were very positive and encouraging. The survey administered sought to measure their attitude toward the e-quiz, students' ability to navigate and understand the module and how comfortable they were with this style of examination. The survey was a 5-point Likert scale, with 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Undecided, 4=Agree and 5=Strongly Agree.

Results showed that students enjoyed taking the electronic quiz, with means for each item

asked rating over 4.0, from a response rate of over 75% of the class. Table 11 lists the means for the items on the survey and the percentages of student responses.

Table 11 Means of survey (ranked) and percentage responses

Items Mean %

1. Interface was easy to understand and comfortable 4.48 97.5

2. Exam was innovative 4.47 76.2

3. Comfortable & able to understand exam's instruction and guidelines

4.38 94.9

4. Electronic exam was speedy & convenient 4.38 91.2

5. Comfortable with style of exam 4.34 91.1

6. Able to navigate through the exam 4.29 92.4

7. Like this method of exam-taking 4.22 83.5

8. Understand the content of e-quiz 4.14 87.4

N=79

From the results, we can see that students found that the module was easy to follow and navigate and had no trouble understanding its content. Many thought that the examination was innovative (76.2%), and the lower percentage is attributed to the fact that for the rest, this was a new way of taking exams. But for the most part, a larger majority of the class preferred this method of examination (83.5%).

Discussion

The use of Authorware in creating an IMML module via the MAP and its ability to frame and administer a multiple-choice test clearly indicates that Authorware is a powerful instructional tool and can be used to support educators in creating interactive multimedia educational content and delivering it to the learners in various teaching and learning modes such as teacher-centered and student-centered learning. This would also provide learners with a better and media-rich learning environment and enable them to interact with the computers and participate in the two-way communication in their learning process.

The e-quiz module was a showcase example to demonstrate another facet of Authorware's capability to frame a multiple-choice test, and conduct a mid-term test electronically and synchronously over a networked class using the University intranet. This proved to be well-received by the students who indicated that they liked this e-quiz test as a whole. This seems to show that present generation of undergraduate students enjoyed their lessons supported by technology in their learning process. The trend strongly indicates that digital teaching and learning will gain ground in the Malaysian institutions of higher learning and multimedia will emerge as an effective platform for teaching and learning in the classroom.

The interactive multimedia learning (IMML) module presented here displayed several characteristics that would make it a more effective way to teach and learn, such as the following:

It incorporates multimedia and interactive features which is a fundamental departure from the traditional presentation of educational content.

It establishes a two-way interaction between the computer and the user, thus enabling he/she to be an active learner instead of being a passive recipient of information as in the traditional mode of learning.

It is a visually-based module which allows the user to see the concepts and information presented in a more graphical and interesting manner.

It contains materials that allow students to view them at their own pace, time and place.

It contains features that allow students to control the flow and path of the navigation and be responsible for the information acquired.

Therefore, it can be seen that the creation of the IMML module and the e-quiz not only serves to improve the teacher's instructional delivery strategies but also to provide students with an interactive and media-rich learning environment to pursue their education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we see that learning with multimedia technology has introduced an important paradigm shift in education that will have a very important impact on our educational system and the way teachers teach and students learn. This changing role of teaching and learning is inevitable with the introduction of multimedia technologies in the educational field and the spawning of a technological savvy generation of youths. Information is being exchanged in a digital mode, and the educational curriculum is evolving to incorporate multimedia elements and interactive features that create a better teaching and learning environment for the students as well as the teachers. The future trend in educational methodology and strategy is geared towards integrating multimedia technology into the classroom.

In this context, multimedia can be used as the strategic instructional medium for teaching and learning in our institutions of higher learning and multimedia will emerge as an effective platform for teaching and learning in the Malaysian classroom. By integrating multimedia technologies into education, we will be better able to produce a workforce that can feed the K-economy (knowledge economy) of the Malaysian society. In fact, incorporating multimedia into the classroom is becoming a global trend.

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