Hypermedia
It's difficult to pin down exactly what "hypermedia" means; in a general sense, it is a vast array of interlinked multimedia content through which users can navigate at will. The internet is supersaturated with various hypermedia systems, and modern classrooms are beginning to catch up. And the outcome has been undeniably positive: from interactive tutorials to virtual laboratories, hypermedia content helps students develop "meta-cognitive skills, problem-solving strategies, creative freedom, and self-awareness of individual learning styles" (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg 176).
Commercial hypermedia products take many forms, such as instructional software, reference materials, or development resources (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). One reference material I believe can be very useful for students is Wolfram Alpha.
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Wolfram Alpha contains several "Easter eggs," such as this
graph of Dr. Zoidberg from the show "Futurama." It even
gives you the mathematical function that produces the graph!
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Wolfram Alpha describes itself as a computational knowledge engine; it takes input in the form of keywords or plain English, and provides the user with knowledge about whatever topic they choose. While many use it solely for its ability to interpret, solve, and rearrange complex math problems, it also serves as a top-tier reference material. Its database ranges from advanced physics to pop culture, and all of its content comes from reputable sources (rather than user additions, like Wikipedia).
Ideally, hypermedia reference resources are built with search tools that "[make] searching for information in the application both easy and efficient" ( (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pg 176). Wolfram Alpha accomplishes this with ease. For example, if a student needed to know the molar mass of carbon, she would type "molar mass of carbon" into the search box. The engine would output the value in multiple unit configurations, along with comparisons to other common substances to put the value into context.
Multimedia Authoring: Virtual Environments
Producing multimedia content requires a multimedia authoring tool (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). Authoring tools can take many shapes and produce many different types of content. As a programmer and amateur game designer, one particular authoring tool I hope to apply in my classroom is called Unity. This free software can be used (along with a knowledge of OOP coding and a 3D modeling program such as Blender) can be used to create educational, interactive environments which students can explore.
Interestingly, Unity can be used to create content for the Oculus Rift, a new and unparalleled virtual reality headset which places users inside of 3D environments. This technology can bring students to a new level of engagement with classroom material; virtual reality can be used for presentations, virtual field trips, and many other applications ( Roblyer & Doering, 2013).
The following video shows how the combination of interactive 3D environments and the Oculus Rift can be used in the classroom. In it, a child takes takes a field trip through a virtual model of our solar system, and learns about the scale and organization of stars and planets:
References:
Roblyer , M. D., & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (6th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.
Adam, with the Oculus Rift you mention, would that require the "head-mounted display (HMD)" that Roblyer & Doering refer to on page 194 to be provided for each student to experience the "field trip"? Would it be possible for multiple students to experience the same "field trip" at the same time or is it intended to be an individual experience? I have never participated in anything such as this other than outside of school, and I agree this could open up many new opportunities; but I do not feel that it would replace the experience of an actual field trip to a place that you could see, touch, smell, and hear noises from. Either way I would love to know more about it! I love reading your blogs too, they are very well written!
ReplyDeleteThe Oculus Rift (OR) actually *is* the HMD. It is absolutely possible for multiple students to share an experience on the OR; in fact, Facebook recently bought Oculus for over 2 billion dollars, and they intend for virtual reality to be the next step in social networking. Imagine, virtual classrooms!
DeleteIt's true that the experience on the Rift isn't the same as real-life, but the technology has crossed a critical threshold: the human brain can is having a hard time distinguishing between what the eyes see in the real world and what they see in the OR! If you don't believe it, check out this video of people "riding" a virtual roller coaster:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMkg5p905Sc
I think this technology has big implications for education! The consumer version of the OR will cost around $300; not that much considering many classrooms are being awarded grants to arm every student in the room with an iPad!
The changes to your blog look great, Adam! Chapter 6 was a little confusing to me regarding the differences between hypermedia and multimedia, but as you stated in your post, it is difficult to define! I think that Wolfram Alpha is AWESOME!!! I could spend hours looking up random information on sites like that. What a great resource for students and teachers to research multitudes of topics! Our textbook mentioned the increased variability of resource materials on the internet (Roblyer & Doering, 2013), and you did a great job with showing on of those examples.
ReplyDeleteI loved the use of the Oculus Rift HMD in this video as "the channel through which the wearer 'sees' the computer-generated environment." (Robyler & Doering, 2013) Students will absorb many concepts simultaneously because they are already so well prepared to learn in a VR setting because of the prevalence gaming. This is a great way to engage learners and make it fun!
ReplyDelete