Situation:Entering Mrs. Baxter's classroom, you first notice

that every child is completely engrossed. Second, you notice the cacophony of voices, rising and falling in intense, animated discussions among small groups of 3rd graders.

You look for the teacher—she isn't conveniently located at the front of the room. Finally, you see her down among a group of students. You wait for her to notice you as she shows the group how to use the index of a book to find information about shelter for a tribe of Native Americans.

As you wait, your eyes move from group to group. At the computers, three boys are typing some text they have composed for their presentations. A group of girls paints a colorful scene of a Native American village to be scanned into the presentation software later.

Another group of boys uses a Venn diagram to show foods in their own diet, foods in “their” tribe's diet, and foods they have in common. You want to ask them about their work but can't bear to break their concentration.

Mrs. Baxter notices you and starts toward you, but each group of students she passes stops her to proudly show off their work or ask her to check something. She finally reaches you and starts to explain the various activities the children are working on to prepare their multimedia presentations—content research, art, language arts, math, and technology activities she has designed for the project.

You talk for almost 10 minutes before you notice the most amazing thing of all—the children are all still working, still engrossed, still animated and focused.

Project-based learning is an old and respected educational method. The use of multimedia is a

dynamic new form of communication. The merging of project-based learning and multimedia

represents a powerful teaching strategy that we call “project-based multimedia learning.”

Project-based Learning and Multimedia

What It Is?

Project-based learning redefines the boundaries of the classroom. No longer are students confined to learning within four walls.

It's best to start with some definitions. By project-based learning, we mean a teaching method in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing some product or performance. By multimedia, we mean the integration of media objects such as text, graphics, video, animation, and sound to represent and convey information. Thus, our definition is:

Project-based multimedia learning is a method of teaching in which students acquire new knowledge and skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing a multimedia product.

A class that effectively employs project-basedmultimedia learning is highly animated and activelyengaged.

Together with other students, every student isabsorbed in a task in line with the goals andobjectives made clear at the start.

Project-based multimedia learning is most of allanchored on the core curriculum. This means thatproject-based multimedia learning addresses thebasic knowledge and skills all students are expectedto acquire as laid down in the minimum competenciesof the basic education curriculum.

Project-based multimedia learning

It is a teaching method in which students “acquirenew knowledge and skills in the course of designing,planning, and producing multimedia product.”

(Simkins, et al, 2002)

What it is?

Project-based multimedia

learning

Core curriculum

Real-world connection

Extended time frame

Student decision makingCollaboration

Assessment

Multimedia

Seven Key Dimensions

Core curriculum

At the foundation of any unit of this type is aclear setoff learning goals drawn from whatever

curriculum or set of standards is in use.

It seeks to connect student’s work in schoolwith the wider world in which students live.

Real-world connection

A good project is not a one-shot lesson:It extends over a significant period of time.

Extended time frame

Student decision making

In project-based multimedia learning,students have a say.

Collaboration

Defines as working together jointly toaccomplish a common intellectual purposein a manner superior to what might have

been accomplished working alone.

Regardless of the teaching method used,data must be gathered on what students have

learned.

Multimedia

In multimedia projects, students do notlearn simply by “using” multimedia produced

by others; they learn by creating it themselves.

Why use project-based multimedia learning?

Because it is “value added” to your teaching.It is a powerful motivation.

What can be some limitations of the use ofproject-based

multimedia learning strategy?The need for an extended period of time.

If the basic computer courses did not teach them these skills demanded by this strategy,

there will be a problem.

There can be a tendency to lose track of thegoals and objectives of your lesson because

the technology aspect has gotten the limelight.

Your students' multimedia products will be technology-based presentations, such as a computerized slide show, a Web site, or a video. These presentations will include evidence that your students have mastered key concepts and processes you need to teach and will be a source of great pride for them and for you.

Thank you…Torrefranca, Mary Cycline;

Cua, Gimalyn