What is Multimedia?

Multimedia

Multimedia can be defined as the use of technology to present information through texts, graphics, audio, and video.


Text, still images, sound, and video are often thought to be separate media.  The word multimedia results from the combination of those entities to present information.  There is a misconception that multimedia requires a computer to present said information, but there are plenty of examples from a pre-computer age to contradict this notion.  Illustrated texts in books and magazines, tv news bulletins, and even live theater performances could all be considered multimedia.  Additionally, smartphones and tablets have the ability to play multimedia, completely separate from a computer.  

One of the benefits of using multimedia in instruction is that users can interact with it in new ways, allowing for greater understanding.  Multimedia can either be time-based or static, with things like video recordings and audio presentations being time-based and things like a collection of images or clickable text being static.  Both have their merits, but for successful instruction you need to make smart choices about which medium to use when.  

  

Sources:Chapman, N. P., & Chapman, J. (2013). Digital multimedia. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.
Craig, N. [NatalieCraig]. (2016, 10, 5). What is Multimedia? Retrieved from URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS4go60EJEI. 

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