Using New Media
by Clara Chung-wai Shih and David E. Weekly
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction (Home)
Preface
1) Distribute print media electronically
2) Use CD/DVD
3) Use Internet media
4) Encourage reading on computer monitors
5) Select appropriate materials using proven methods
6) If possible, teach computer use
7) The trend is in technology's favor
8) Conclusions
Glossary
References
About the International Academy of Education
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Encourage Reading on Computer Monitors
Digital formats including hypertext and multimedia support contextual learning.
Research findings
Digital media, either online (Internet-based)
or offline (from floppy disks or CDs), that enable reading on
computer monitors have the advantage of being multimedia and thereby
the potential to be highly engaging. For example, hypertext
facilitates nonlinear learning, which can have special appeal to
nontraditional learners. As another example, chat rooms or instant
messaging with teachers or peers provide yet another communications
medium for students. Limited availability of computers, however, may
provide a challenge in offering all children in an area the ability
to use such on-screen tools.
Practical applications
Having both high-quality content and efficient
dissemination of that content is important in any education program.
While freely available websites like Google and Wikipedia have their
merits, students may learn best when using software and content
developed for their respective age groups.
Computer-based reading can offer automated
evaluation and progress-tracking of reading comprehension, better
accommodation for the diverse starting points and paces of different
learners, and rapid, consistent feedback. Moreover, younger people
may more readily and comfortably read on screens than adults who may
have been trained to read books.
With digital media, it is possible to include
images, diagrams, sound and even video alongside text; but there may
be some disadvantages to doing so. Audio and visual elements require
much more digital storage space than text; adding such elements to
text increases download times and can limit the number of works that
can be put on a CD. A single photograph can consume as much digital
storage as a book!
In most cases, however, adding a small number
of graphics or sounds is not only acceptable, but desirable, as
images and sounds can quickly explain difficult concepts and make
material more appealing to students. But between the added
complexity of editing documents with graphics and the increased cost
of distributing "media-rich" files, we recommend that graphics and
sound be used in moderation and only where they significantly
enhance the understanding and appearance of the text they accompany.
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