GEOSCIENCE MULTIMEDIA PRODUCERS: ASSESSING THE PEDAGOGICAL AND DESIGN VALUE OF MULTIMEDIA GEOSCIENCE MATERIAL

Since the early 1980's educational instructors have been trying to determine the efficacy of computer aided instruction (CAI) on student learning performance. Several different methodologies have tried to untangle the optimum instructional pedagogy used to complement CAI. Teacher assisted computer aided instruction (TA-CAI) versus student controlled computer aided instruction (SC-CAI) have been used to compare student learning differences.

More recently, multimedia design and learning studies related to CAI interface have revealed the complexity of creating effective learning environments. The quality of the CAI design and production environment can influence learning performance when measuring decision-making, judgment and problem solving. Using guidelines for CAI and multimedia learning from semiotics, information design, and multimedia production, assessment rubrics were developed to suggest the importance of cascading information, the relationship of text to graphics, and spatial and temporal display of multimedia information.

Few studies have involved assessing the pedagogical and design quality of multimedia material prior to educational research implementation. Geoscience multimedia material reveal design and production patterns that may negatively influence learning performance. This study provides assessment rubrics that identify the conditions where software user interface can be enhanced without sacrificing higher order skills as an important aspect of ensuring learning performance.