Chapter 6 discusses multimedia and hypermedia technology. Multimedia is defined as “multiple media” or “a combination of media”, while hypermedia is defined as “linked media” or “interactive media”. The two terms are often used interchangeably due to very similar definitions. There are five different types of multimedia/hypermedia resources that are used in education. The five resources include...
- Presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Video production and editing system.
- Hypermedia design and development software such as Adobe.
- Virtual reality environments.
- Web 2.0 authoring tools such as blogger.
Of the commercial multimedia resources mentioned in this chapter, interactive books and ebooks caught my attention. Interactive storybooks are typically geared towards younger students. Storybooks allow students to read various texts with the help of a narrator. Students can follow along as the story is being read and they can even select certain words or selections they need repeated. Interactive stories can also have pictures that students can click on to hear/see sounds, phrases or other interactive features. A study by Grimshaw (2007) found that students often found more enjoyment and increased levels of comprehension when using electronic books when compared to the traditional paper text. I feel that anything that will help young students enjoy reading is always helpful. Often students do not like reading, get bored reading or get frustrated when trying to read. Having the interactive features can help students enjoy reading and provide some immediate help when trying to read difficult words. Students also have the capabilities to create their own interactive storybooks. Students could turn their personal stories into stories other students can read. Multimedia/hypermedia technology can definitely enhance the learning process and increase student’s motivation and enjoyment.
I believe that interactive storybooks could be beneficial in the early childhood classroom. The popularity and positive reviews of the Leap Pad show that interactive storybooks can be an effective learning tool. Using Hypermedia authoring software to create interactive storybooks take the Leap Pad one step further by allowing the students to create their own interactive storybook. I agree that this technology could enhance the learning process because its interactivity engages students. It also gives them an opportunity to create their own story which could increase students’ motivation to learn and their enjoyment of learning.
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