Assignments

Part 1: Personal Introductions

Send a photo and a brief introduction to your instructor. The photo can be an image (JPEG) from a digital camera or scanner. If you don't have a camera or scanner, find a character on the web that depicts your personality.

Include the following in your Introduction:

• Email address
• School and position
• Your objectives in taking this class
• A short summary of a particularly humorous, frustrating, or motivating experience you have had with multimedia
  

Part 2: Research Synopsis

Reporters, parents, and teachers may be disappointed when they discover that measuring the effectiveness of the new, diverse technologies in education is often more complicated than administering standardized tests. Multimedia activities are often designed in an open-ended, constructivist format, and assessment of these activities through multiple-choice tests does not provide adequate answers about their effectiveness. Also, the number of variables present with the integration of multimedia can complicate the research process.

However, several research studies have been completed recently that lend empirical evidence to the effectiveness of using technology in the classroom. Examine a synopsis of several major research studies that focus on The Impact of Education Technology on Student Achievement. After you have read the report, answer the following questions. Then send your answers to your instructor.

1. Which studies found a positive impact on students' attitudes?
2. Which studies found a positive impact on students' achievement?
3. Why do you think the Wenglinsky study found a negative impact from drill and practice technologies?
4. Sivin-Kachala's review concluded: "The level of effectiveness of educational technology is influenced by the specific student population, the software design, the educator's role, and the level of student access to the technology." How and why do you think the student population influences the effectiveness?
   

Part 3: Multimedia Review

Review the following Pulse Rates lesson plan then download a DDD-E exercise template. When you have finished filling in the template, send it to your instructor.

Activity	Not Included	Included
1. Personal Introduction	0	5
2. Research Synopsis	0	5
3. DDD-E Exercise	0	10
Total	0	20