Richard Jones

EdTech 504 Summer 2014

Development and Integration of Multimedia in Cognitive-Constructivist Learning

Environments: An Annotated Bibliography

Introduction

As the implementation of Common Core approaches there is a growing movement

toward designing educational environments based on cognitive-constructivist learning theory.

This comes at a time when schools are increasingly attempting to implement a 1:1 computer-to-

student ratio in order to provide what is commonly referred to as a 21st Century education. This

shift in instructional approach and growth in computer accessibility will impact the nature of

multimedia development and its integration in the classroom. It is with this backdrop in mind

that I set out to research solutions to the complexity of designing and integrating multimedia

applications that go beyond behaviorist tendencies.

This annotated bibliography represents the first step in this process as I begin to collect

the resources needed to write an informed synthesis paper that addresses these issues. These

resources vary in scope and applicability to my focus; however, they will all play an important

role in allowing me to define multimedia, describe the nature of cognitive-constructivist learning

theory, explain the methods of implementing it in a classroom environment, discuss the

implications on teacher training, and detail the results of such changes on student learning

outcomes. These ideas along with the resources below will be the starting point as I move to

construct the synthesis paper described above.

Annotated Bibliography

Ali, M. Z. S. (2013). From objectivism to constructivism: The effect of a multimedia

constructivist learning environment on form four students achievement in science & its

impact on computer usage in learning. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education,

2(4), 32-51. http://dx.doi.org/10.9790/7388-0243251

This article details the findings of a study that compared the learning results between

science students in objectivist and constructivist learning environments built around

multimedia. The study was developed from other works in this field, most prominently

Jonassens constructivist design model and Alessis and Trollips courseware design. As

hypothesized, the constructivist approach yielded better learning results and higher levels

of productive computer use. This study was the most credible of all that I encountered

during this research due to the use of pre-tests and post-tests, the number of independent

and dependent variables that were considered, and the authors honesty about the

limitations and implications of the research. My only concern with the study is that all of

the testing questions were multiple choice. The purpose of this study was to determine

the benefits of constructivist learning environments; however, the article goes further by

suggesting several follow-up topics for future research based on these findings. This

article will provide my research focus with much needed evidence of the potential for

using multimedia in constructivist learning environments.

Deubel, P. (2003). An investigation of behaviorist and cognitive approaches to instructional

multimedia design. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 12(1), 63-90.

Deubel examines the impact of behaviorism and cognitivism on the design of

instructional multimedia. She claims that neither of these theories supports all

multimedia applications on their own and will ultimately result in a blended approach to

design. The purpose of the article is to call for a new model of multimedia design that

unifies elements from multiple learning theories. Her opinions differ from some in this

field as she believes in considering learning styles during content creation; moreover, her

recommended user-interface breaks some multimedia principles supported by Richard

Mayer. The article fits my focus because it provides background information about the

evolution of multimedia in relation to the emergence of learning theories and gives

insightful information about multimedia elements that promote cognitive learning. The

authors credibility appears sound and unbiased; however, I do not support her belief that

these theories will ultimately merge. I say this because her argument is based partly on

the type of standardized testing that was prevalent when the paper was written, which

will likely change with Common Core.

Herrington, J., & Standen, P. (2000). Moving from an instructivist to a constructivist multimedia

learning environment. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 9, 195-205.

This article reports the findings of a study involving the use of an instructivist multimedia

program within a constructivist environment. They base the need for such changes on the

shift from behaviorist to constructivist educational environments; moreover, they argue,

and I agree, that students are often not motivated to learn in didactic environments that

lack context and real-world application. One of the more powerful aspects of this piece is

the discussion about the advantages of using constructivist multimedia designs. They

admit to the difficulty associated with creating these products but emphasize the long-

term importance of such efforts. I agree that students should use multimedia to explore,

question, reflect, and collaborate in their efforts to construct meaning, but their

statements would have been more credible had they cited existing research from this

field. The purpose of the article is to detail the level of change that is needed to

implement multimedia in a constructivist environment. Their description of how to

establish such environments and the evolving role of the teacher relates closely to my

paper.

Leung, A. C. K. (2003). Contextual issues in the construction of computer-based learning

programs. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 19, 501-516.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.0266-4909.2003.00053.x

In this article, Dr. Leung describes four contextual issues that must be taken into

consideration when designing and implementing computer-based learning programs in

constructivist environments. He claims the need arises from the lack of a guiding

contextual framework for such endeavors. The article serves the purpose of calling for

researchers and instructors to use his contextual model as a springboard for further

examination and testing. A lack of prior research to back his model hinders the

credibility of the model itself; however, the individual elements within the four issues are

credible because they are backed by previous research and studies in this field. The

authors comments demonstrate a bias in favor of constructivist learning, but this does

not impact his credibility because the article is about overcoming contextual challenges

not the superiority of one theory. The components of this article that apply to my

research are the individual elements within the contextual issues as my synthesis paper

will need to address the impact of context on the success of multimedia integration in

cognitive-constructivist environments.

Mayer, R. E., Moreno, R., Boire, M., & Vagge, S. (1999). Maximizing constructivist learning

from multimedia communications by minimizing cognitive load. Journal of Educational

Psychology, 91, 638-643. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.91.4.638

This article details the findings from a study that was conducted by members of the

Department of Psychology at UC Santa Barbara. The goal of the study was to determine

the ability of multimedia design principles to foster constructivist learning given the

nature of dual-channel processing and cognitive load. The purpose of the article is to

suggest that multimedia can be most effective in constructivist environments when verbal

and visual information are allowed to simultaneously exist in working memory. This is a

break from Mayers previous work as it challenges the notion that learning occurs from

concurrent verbal and visual presentation as opposed to concurrent processing within

working memory. This willingness to challenge his principles helps establish credibility.

Those who disagree with the cognitive theory of multimedia learning would likely raise

credibility issues because the study is predicated on the dual-channel theory. This article

addresses my research because it provides evidence that multimedia can promote

constructivist learning when cognitive loads are minimized, thus allowing learners to

select information and build new meaning from it.

Neo, M., & Neo, T.-K. (2009). Engaging students in multimedia-mediated Constructivist

learning - Students perceptions. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 254-

266. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals/12_2/18.pdf

This article examines the use of multimedia in constructivist learning environments by

describing constructivism, laying out a six-step process for student multimedia

development, and providing survey results that demonstrate positive student perceptions

of multimedia projects. The apparent purpose of the article is to encourage fellow

educators to integrate multimedia projects in constructivist environments as they will

foster critical thinking and problem-solving while also increasing student motivation,

self-esteem, and ability to transfer knowledge to new situations. The focus on student

perceptions, as opposed to general integration theories, makes this article unique

compared to others that I have encountered in this arena. The article fits my research

topic because it provides data and student commentary regarding the integration of

multimedia projects in constructivist environments. The only credibility issue that I find

in this study is that it was conducted on students who were currently enrolled in

multimedia classes. Students could have already developed overt biases in favor of

multimedia based on previous experiences. This could have been avoided by conducting

a survey of students before the study began.

Sherry, A. C. (1998). Evaluation of multimedia authoring instruction based in a behaviorist-

cognitive-constructivist continuum. International Journal of Instructional Media, 25, 201-

216.

This article presents a compelling case for taking a blended learning approach to the

design of multimedia training using a behaviorist-cognitive-constructivist design matrix.

This approach is deemed necessary because teachers do not possess the requisite skills to

begin with tasks involving problem-solving and expert thinking. While I agree that

multimedia is not commonly used in conjunction with constructivism, I think the lack-of-

skills argument is not as credible as it might have been when the article was written

because computer trainings are now pushed quite frequently in undergraduate studies and

credential programs. The purpose of the article is to bring to light these issues so that

instructional designers can use the matrix in future projects. This article differs from

previous works I have encountered in this field as it focuses solely on teacher training in

multimedia development as opposed to multimedia development and classroom

integration. This article fits my research because it provides a pathway for the training of

multimedia programs in a blended learning environment as I plan to discuss in my

synthesis paper.

Wangpipatwong, T., & Papasratorn, B. (2007). The influence of constructivist e-learning system

on student learning outcomes. International Journal of Information and Communication

Technology Education, 3(4), 21-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jicte.2007100103

This article describes a study that measured the impact of a constructivist e-learning

system on student learning outcomes. The authors, who clearly favor constructivism,

reported better results for students in the constructivist environment compared to those in

a traditional setting. While I do not reject the methods or results of this study, I find the

lack of detail about the kinds of activities that occurred in both settings somewhat

troubling. I also wonder what the results would have shown if tested on individuals with

lower cognitive levels or in other disciplines as this was conducted on university students

in a technology course. The purpose of the article appears to be an effort to shift the

focus of previous work in this field that was concerned with studying e-learning objects

to one that focuses on designing e-learning for constructivist environments. In addition

to detailing the historical development of constructivism, this article fits my focus

because it enhances the credibility of efforts to integrate technology and cognitive-

constructivist learning by providing evidence of positive impacts on student learning.

Wild, M., & Quinn, C. (1998). Implications of educational theory for the design of instructional

multimedia. British Journal of Educational Technology, 29, 73-82.

In this article, the authors attempt to convince readers of the necessity to examine current

approaches to multimedia design by rethinking the role of learning theory in its

development. In essence, Wild and Quinn suggest the building of a multimedia design

framework based on widely-accepted elements within each learning theory and other

educational ideas like learning styles and situational learning. The ultimate goal is to

provide students with a way to explore and construct meaning through multimedia.

While they do an excellent job of highlighting important theoretical perspectives on

multimedia design from other theorist in this field, they fail to demonstrate their

interrelatedness. At the same time, this does not detract from the credibility of the article

from the standpoint of discussing elements that have been taken into consideration when

developing multimedia. This article is useful to my research in that it provides varying

perspectives on the development of multimedia. In addition, it reminded me of the need

to define which learning domains (cognitive, affective, or psychomotor) I plan to address

in the paper.

Yilmaz, K. (2011). The cognitive perspective on learning: Its theoretical underpinnings and

implications for classroom practices. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational

Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 84, 204-212.

In this article, Dr. Yilmaz describes cognitivism while detailing its emergence as an

alternative to behaviorism. Although a sizeable portion of the article is dedicated to

providing background information about cognitivism, the overarching purpose is to act as

reference for teachers to better understand the implications of cognitivism on classroom

instruction and to provide recommendations about teaching methods that could be used to

promote such environments. It is this blending of background information, instructional

implications, and realistic teaching strategies that makes this paper different from others I

have encountered. It is also the only resource in this bibliography that does not discuss

multimedia in relation to learning theory. This piece relates to my focus because it

defines cognitivism and provides specific instructional strategies that could be adapted to

the development and integration of multimedia. What makes this article credible is not

simply the fact that the suggestions are based on the work of individuals like Piaget and

Marzano; rather, it is because the suggestions are detailed and could be reasonably

implemented at the classroom level.