What is Multimedia ?

Multimedia

The word 'Multimedia' simply means being able to communicate in more than one way. This means that, whether you are aware of it or not, you already give multimedia presentations. For example if you rub your temples while telling someone you have a headache or when you point to a diagram on a board whilst speaking to a class of students you are using multimedia to get your point across. In this instance your are using movement in conjunction with sound. Check out the examples at the bottom of the page.

So multimedia is all about communicating in several ways.

For example the computer you are using to view this material is capable of flashing text and beeping when there is a problem. It is already a multimedia computer - anything else is a matter of degree. In other words the more capable your computer is at handling sound, video and graphics the better your multimedia packages will look.
Originally the term multimedia was used by institutions who run distance learning courses in which they deliver content via a combination of text, TV, telephone, audio cassette and the radio. So the idea of using multimedia for education is not new. What is new is the way in which we now use computers to bring these things together. The advent of high resolution screens and sound and video playback facilities for computers has resulted in the increased use of multimedia applications for education.

A typical multimedia application is charactorised by the following features:

The different media it possesses and makes use of
The use of digital technology
The interaction it demands of the user and the integration of sound, images, text and data into seamless applications

What are the main elements of a Multimedia program?
There are six main elements which make up a typical multimedia program:

Text: This is the base to most applications - the on-screen display of words. The use of different styles, fonts and colours can be used to emphasise specific points.
Images: Seeing a picture of an object has more impact than merely reading about it. Examples include conventional artwork, computer-generated artwork, photographs or captured video frames.
Movies: You can present information which is normally outside the scope of the ordinary classroom, such as medical operations or archaeological excavations.
Animation: Animations can render a procedure more accurately than that of a movie. For instance objects which appear blurred within a movie can be represented more clearly.
Sound: Sound can be used in strategic parts of the program or during a movie to emphasise certain points. This may include speech, audio effects (e.g. applause), ambient sound (e.g. the background sound of the sea etc.) and music.
User Control: There has to be some degree of user control so as to provide students with the option to leave certain parts of the application and thus prevent boredom. On-screen options should exist for them to visit other areas of the program.

All of the above aspects are combined to produce a seamless application. Typical examples of which might include:

Linking of animation to static in-text diagrams
Linking a video clip to a descriptive paragraph
Audio recordings of foreign language pronunciation towards words of pictures

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