KNOWLEDGE ENGINEERING IN MULTIMEDIA DESIGN

AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEARNING FOR

SPECIAL NEEDS TRAINING: EFFECTIVENESS?

 

 

Onintra Poobrasert
University of Regina

Department of Computer Science
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada S4S 0A2
Tel. (306) 585-5492
Fax. (306) 585-4745
Email. poobrase@cs.uregina.ca

 

Brian Maguire

University of Regina

Department of Computer Science

Regina, Saskatchewan

Canada S4S0A2

Tel. (306) 585-4756

Fax. (306) 585-4745

Email. rbm@cs.uregina.ca

 

ABSTRACT

 

            Multimedia Technology is an excellent technology for training students with disabilities. Because multimedia is interactive and synthesizes sound, images, and text, it supports new methods of communication in the learning environment. Multimedia Technology, applied to education, typically involves the use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) in conjunction with visual media and is very helpful when incorporated in intelligent tutoring system (ITS). The use of computers as a teaching tool offers sufficient and personal attention to the child using them, while also allowing instruction to proceed at the child’s pace. Computer programs can provide immediate reinforcement to children, allowing them to see at once the results of their responses. The use of computer animation and color graphics may also aid in motivation and attention processes for children. Although the computer cannot replace a teacher in the classroom,

when used as supplement, multimedia use in the classroom provides undeniable benefits for both teachers and students.

            The purpose of this study, is to examine the degree of effectiveness of multimedia technology in training, in comparison to traditional print-based training methods. Testing done with the multimedia training program, was developed from Macromedia Director (an authoring tool for multimedia production). The course content is the same in the print-based training methods as in the multimedia program; it is the method of delivery that is different. In this study, we had two experiments. The first experiment, we focused on the learning which was the comparison between groups (multimedia training group and print-based methods group). The result from the first experiment has shown that there was no numerical difference between two groups of students. The students seem to enjoy learning from the CD-ROM more than from the instructor. We, then had the second experiment, this time we mainly focused on the measurement qualitative nature of learning using multimedia. The results of the second experiment have shown that the two methods of teaching and learning impacted students about the same since the average scores of both groups of students were not much different but about 67% of the students preferred to learn from CD-ROM and 80% from the groups interested in learning English Finger Spelling with the computer.

 

Keyword: Knowledge Engineering, Instructional Design, Multimedia Technology, Computer-Assisted Learning

 

1. INTRODUCTION

 

This study will discuss knowledge engineering in multimedia design for training purposes. The specific training context for testing is the training of finger spelling in eighth grade high school student at the School for the Deaf, in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

Our objective of this research was to compare multimedia training and print-based methods and our preparation for the development of effective multimedia led us to study the similar roles of knowledge engineers and instructional designers. Also, our experience in knowledge engineering led us to the realization that the formalism of usability testing into the development of the training material was necessary.

 

A knowledge engineer is one who participates in building expert systems (Poulter, Morris, and Dow 1994). Knowledge engineers are specialists in eliciting knowledge from experts rather than necessarily being experts in the domain itself. A new professional specialty has emerged from the development of expert systems. The term knowledge engineers (Heinich 1999) has been coined to describe the people who work with experts in a field to assemble and organize a body of knowledge and then design the software package that makes it possible to train someone to become skilled in the area or to enable anyone to call upon the skills of experts to solve the problem. The work of a knowledge engineering is similar to that done by instructional designers  in task analysis and module design.

 

The most important tasks of the special needs trainer is to identify what adaptations are needed for a particular student and to provide them. The following should be considered by the instructional designer and knowledge engineer (i) motivation, and (ii) communication.

 

The objectives addressed in this study are: (1) to examine the effectiveness of multimedia technology  in the training of hearing impaired students. In particular, is multimedia technology effective in training those who wish to learn finger spelling? (2) to measure qualitative nature of learning using multimedia technology.

 

2. METHODOLOGIES

 

The purposes of this study are to investigate the degree of effectiveness of multimedia technology and to measure the qualitative nature of learning using multimedia. We would like to examine the benefits of a multimedia program in comparison to traditional print-based training methods. Section 2.1 explains how this study was planned and conducted using a pretest-posttest. Section 2.2 details the qualitative questions. Section 2.3 is the multimedia training program: Life in Saskatchewan and the ten elements of instructional design plan.

 

2.1 Pretest-Posttest

 

2.1.1 Pretest

 

Pretest will be important for the following reasons: (Kemp, 1995).

·         It determines students’ readiness for the program by alerting each of them to what they do and do not know about the topic.

·         It indicates both to students and instructors the point at which to start the program, or to complete remedial course work before starting the program.

·         It informs students of what will be treated during the  study of the topic, so  that they may be aware of what will be required of them.

 

2.1.2 Posttest

 

A posttest is given after completion of the lesson and is usually selected as

a menu item ( Newby, Stepich, Lehman, Russell, 2000 ). We used a posttest to measure students’ learning.

 

2.2 The Qualitative Questions

 

In this study we also asked the students for their attitudes toward the computer. Figure 2.1 shows the results of the students' attitude.

 

 


 


Figure 2.1: Students' Attitude Toward Computer

 

2.3 The Multimedia Training Program: Life in Saskatchewan and the Ten Elements of Instructional Design Plan

 

1.       Learning Needs: Students can finger spell the specific words.

2.       Topics-Job Tasks Purposes: Knowledge engineering in multimedia design for    

      training: Effectiveness and potential benefits.

3.       Learner Characteristics: A voluntary group of hearing-impaired eighth-grade high

      school students from the School for the Deaf in Bangkok, Thailand.

4.       Subject Content: Life in Saskatchewan which was divided into five items: Library,

      Dormitory, School, Winter Activities, and Run Around.

5.   Learning Objectives: To examine the degree of effectiveness of multimedia

      technology compared to print-based training.

6.   Teaching/Learning Activities: The comparison group one uses multimedia

      technology program. The comparison group two uses print-based training.

7.   Instructional Resources: Multimedia program (CD-ROM), textbooks, and pictures.

8.   Support Services: Macromedia Director and Internet.

9.   Learning Evaluation: The posttest is provided after the training.

1.       Pretesting: Pretest is at the first meeting.

 

3. EXPERIMENTS

 

To test the effectiveness of multimedia technology compared to traditional training methods, the testing involved two comparison groups of learners from eighth grade high school students from the School for the Deaf. Group one (the first group), used the multimedia training program (CD-ROM Life in Saskatchewan). Group two (the second group), learned from print material representing traditional methods.

 

3.1 Procedure for Multimedia Training Group

 


The Macromedia program Life in Saskatchewan (figure 3.1) was installed in the personal computers that were used. During the first hour of training and after the pretests were done, we took about 20 minutes to explain to the students how to navigate through the program, after which the students were free to learn from the program by themselves. The students depended wholly on themselves to learn within the time limitation of 18 hours total. They had to learn how to finger spell 30 specific words. The instructor was available in the class to assist students in the group when needed.

 

 


Figure 3.1 Multimedia Training Program

 

3.2 Procedure for Print-based Methods Group

 

The print-based methods group (the second group)(figure 3.2) was instructed on the same content as the students in the multimedia training group (the first group). However, the instructor represents the main visual stimulation for the learners. All tests and time limitations were exactly the same as for the first group. The students were required to take the tests on print materials. The instructor was available to assist the class at all times.


 

 


Figure 3.2 Print-based Methods Group

 

4. ANALYSIS & RESULTS

 

·         Test results indicated that both the multimedia training group and the print-based methods group enabled students to improve their learning.

·         There was no significant difference in learning effectiveness between the multimedia training group and the print-based methods group. Students in both groups received similar marks.

·         Most students (eighth grade high school students at the School for the Deaf) enjoyed learning from the CD-ROM.

·         Even though the experiment#2 has shown that 67% of the students preferred using the computer, there were 22% of the students who felt more comfortable learning from the instructor and 11% who were undecided.

 

5. CONCLUSIONS

 

In this study we have been trying to examine the degree of effectiveness and potential benefits of multimedia technology and to measure the qualitative nature of learning using multimedia. The result of this study has shown that there was no difference in learning between multimedia technology and print-based methods. However, students enjoy learning from multimedia training more than from traditional methods. The students came to the computer lab before the specified time and wanted to learn the program. In addition, the results in Figure 2.1 have shown that almost 70% of the students accepted that learning with computer is excited and fun. This is consistent with our observation of the students during the training period. Our observation indicated that multimedia can be an important motivating factor.

 

6. REFERENCES

 

Dow, Julie, Alan Poulter, and Anne Morris. (1994). LIS Professionals as Knowledge Engineers. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology . 29. New York: Wiley. 1-6.

Heinich, Robert, Michael Molenda, James D. Russell, and Sharon E. Smaldino. (1999). Instructional Media and Technologies For Learning 6th edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Kemp, Jerrold E. (1995). The Instructional Design Process. New York: Harper & Row.

Newby, Timothy J., Donald A. Stepich, James D. Lehman, and James D. Russell. (2000). Instructional Technology for Teaching and Learning, Designing Instruction, Integrating Computers, and Using Media. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.