This entry looks at the role of student-generated multimedia (SGM) in helping students more effectively achieve meaningful outcomes. The entry first looks at the theory and research behind multimedia learning and then goes on to address the specific case of student-generated multimedia. Mayer (2001) defined multimedia as the presentation of material using both words and images, and then subsequently defined multimedia instruction as a “presentation involving words and pictures that is intended to foster learning” (p. 3). The implications of these definitions are important because they delineate two key aspects to thinking about multimedia. First, multimedia products do not need to use video, animation, or interactivity. More importantly, Mayer’s definitions focus on multimedia’s potential benefits as a learning tool rather than as a technological device.
Cognitive principles of multimedia learning: The role of modality and contiguity.
