Multimedia materials for chemical engineering: Module development and lessons learned

Abstract

In this article we summarize the multimedia materials for chemical engineering instruction developed in our laboratory during the last 3 years. We also share what we have learned about the presentation of materials and the development process itself. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Development of a CD‐ROM in Thin Film Technologies: Design, Usability Assessment, and Challenges

“…13 The effects of learning styles on the effectiveness of traditional and hypermedia-based chemical engineering education have also been explored. 3,14,15 Analyzing student performance on specific quiz questions during the first assessment phase revealed a problem. Overall, students improved significantly on questions that were directly related to an animation, where the answer was given either in the accompanying audio description or a pop-up window.…”

“…Hence, it was decided that an extensive, if redundant, array of self-contained nonlinear pathways and other navigational aids will be made an integral part of the CD-ROM package. [2][3][4] In other words, a hypermedia document will be created. It was also decided that the contents be broken up into independent modules, each describing a specific topic at some length in a relatively self-contained manner.…”

“…Although much of the early multimedia and hypermedia development involved social science and the humanities, some instructional material has also been recently developed for chemical engineering curricula. [1][2][3] Furthermore, CD-ROM modules, with well-designed animations, simulations and other graphic descriptions, can also provide a safe and inexpensive method for training students and, perhaps, new employees in the operation of the laboratory equipment associated with thin film technologies. Invariably, these experimental systems are hazardous and very expensive.…”

World-Wide-Web-Based Soil and Water Quality Modeling in Undergraduate Education

“…These often consist of lecture materials presented in a different form, such as text supplemented by pictures, video, and audio. Multimedia modules have proven to be effective in many recent cases (Montgomery, 1996;Oakley, 1996;Keyvan, 1997). The use of these multimedia and Internet-based learning modules range from limited class web pages to classes that are taught entirely online.…”

“…Educators are now using computer-assisted technology to cater to the various learning styles of their students and to encompass all types of learning styles within their curriculum. Since the entire range of learning styles is not covered in a typical lecture, multimedia modules have been developed for a variety of classes at various universities (Oakley, 1996;Keyvan et al, 1997;Montgomery, 1996). Oakley (1996) showed that using multimedia and Internet technologies in lower level classes, such as freshman and sophomore, which are usually very large in size, increased grades and retention.…”