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510 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
1. Use relevant graphics to accompany text for novices.These guidelines are introduced in chapters 4 through 17 and summarized in chapter 18. Each chapter 4 through 17 is structured in exactly the same way:
8. Place text near the corresponding graphic on the scene.
13. Write in a conversational style using first and second person.
17, 28 Teach important concepts and facts prior to procedure or process.
23. Avoid irrelevant irrelevant videos, animations, music, sounds, stories, and lengthy narrations.
42. Provide explanatory feedback in text for correct and incorrect answers.
46. Avoid praise or negative comments in feedback that direct attention to the self rather than to the task.
53. Use facilitation techniques that optimize social presencein online collaborative environments.
57. Always give learners options to progress at their own pace, replay audio or animation, review prior topics/lessons, and quit the program.
61. Provide worked examples of experts’ problem-solving actions and thoughts.
65. Align the goals, rules, activities, feedback, and consequences of [an educational] game to desired learning outcomes.
- A chapter summary.This structure is very useful, especially when you use the book as a handbook or reference. It does tend to become a little boring if you are reading through the book in order to get a feel for the area, but then all you need to do when you start feeling bored is finish the chapter, stop for a couple of hours or a day at most and then resume reading at the next chapter.
- The presentation of a “design dilemma” scenario in which the reader is invited to decide on one of three to four options on how to design a particular multimedia lesson. Typically the options represent different positions on the dilemma taken by different development team members. These design dilemmas are well written and provide motivation for reading the chapter in more detail.
- The presentation of one or more “principles”. Each principle is explained, the psychological reasons for the principle are described, the guidelines teased out and research evidence for the guidelines are marshalled. These sections provide the key core of each one of these chapters.
- A section setting out what has yet to yield research evidence (What We Don’t Know About...) -which I particularly liked.
- The (explained) solution to the decision dilemma.
- A brief summary, followed by questions for reflection.
- Suggested readings for the chapter.