Royer

Since multimedia tools have become more user friendly and computer access has increased, more and more educators are using multimedia in their classrooms. Not only are teachers creating PowerPoint presentations that incorporate sound, video, and graphics to illustrate key concepts, they are also asking their students to create multimedia presentations. Although many believe that learning increases when students are responsible for constructing their own understandings, not all constructive activities develop understanding. Teachers should design performance tasks that ESCAPE the trappings of fact-based activities. Multimedia based performance tasks should require students to:

	Explain critical concepts through examples original to the learner
	Select appropriate content from a larger body of knowledge in a purposeful manner
	Connect ideas
	Apply knowledge to previously held knowledge to develop a new product
	Provide analysis of the importance of key concepts
	Express viewpoints from different perspectives

To learn more about developing multimedia performance tasks read:

Royer, R. & Royer J. (2002). Developing understanding with multimedia. Learning & Leading with Technology, 29 (7), 40-45. Click here to access the article in pdf format.

Click here to access a PowerPoint Presentation on Developing Understanding with Multimedia. This must viewed using the browser Internet Explorer.

Contact Information:

	Dr. Regina Royer, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland email: rdroyer@salisbury.edu
	Jeff Royer, James M. Bennett High School, Salisbury, Maryland email: jroyer@wcboe.org