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Podcast for the Digital Literacies and 21st Century Skills course at Adelphi University's Educational Technology program.
April
Hi, this is April Meyer, and I am a digital media arts teacher for seventh graders.
Courtney
Hi, this is Courtney. I'm a math teacher currently teaching algebra for 10th and 11th graders.
April
So on our podcast today, we're talking about an old buzzword: multimedia. We're discussing the new educational implications of that, and Courtney had watched some videos in regards to this. Can you tell us a little bit more about one of those videos?
Courtney
Yeah, so first I'll start off with multimedia learning. Basically, multimedia involves the presentation of content using a combination of words and pictures. You can have printed words, spoken narration, or illustrations. For me specifically, since I teach math, I might use graphs. So, the combination of words and pictures is a great way to teach with multimedia.
April
I noticed that in our reading this week and just in general as a teacher, students learn better when they see words and pictures together, not just one or the other. This ties into another buzzword: multimodal learning, where we engage multiple senses. Incorporating different types of media addresses the diverse learners in every class.
Courtney
Yeah, I agree with that. One thing I remember from one of the videos I watched is the importance of not choosing overly complex pictures that can distract students. For example, if you're teaching about the heart, you don’t want to use a picture that’s too complicated. An animation that's too detailed might distract students from what you're actually trying to teach.
April
That reminds me of early literacy. When students are learning sight words like "cat" and see a simple image of a cat, you don’t want to show the cat playing with a toy because that's confusing. Or if they see a picture of a bat, they need to know which "bat" you're referring to. That totally makes sense. Another principle I found interesting is the coherence principle: learning is more effective when extraneous, irrelevant content is excluded. I think that's what you're referring to. When I read that, I thought of SpongeBob clips—they’re so fast, the images and backgrounds are constantly changing. The *Christian Science Monitor* had an article comparing PBS shows to SpongeBob, tracking children’s standardized test scores. The study showed students who watched PBS, which changes every 34 seconds, scored higher than those watching SpongeBob, which changes every 11 seconds. So, the coherence principle makes perfect sense.
Courtney
That’s very interesting. I never thought of that or knew about it. I’ve also seen comparisons where students scored higher when a combination of content was used, but it wasn’t too complex. If there were too many visuals, they might have scored lower. So, students score differently based on how the material is presented, even if it's the same content. Another thing to note is that just because students seem to be paying attention doesn’t mean they’re absorbing the information. We have to find a balance between using multimedia to engage students without overwhelming them.
April
Another interesting point from the article I read is that students are currently consuming content like YouTube videos, TikToks, and their attention spans are so short. When we ask them for full attention in a 42-minute classroom setting, we're essentially fighting against their instinct to tune out. By changing the modality of our lessons—switching from a video to a worksheet, or from group work to manipulatives—we can capture their attention again.
Courtney
I agree. With high schoolers, I’ve noticed that sometimes I’ll start class with a short video, thinking it’ll engage them, but instead, I lose their attention. They’ll pull out their phones and stop paying attention, even if it's just a two-minute video. It’s interesting because you’d think they’d enjoy watching a video, but they often find it boring.
April
Yeah, they can’t scroll us away, even if they wish they could. There's a new buzzword in multimedia education: flipped classrooms. It mimics the college experience where students learn the material on their own before class, and in class, they engage in activities based on that pre-learning. Do you think this would work in K-12?
Courtney
I’ve never taught like that, but in one of the schools I used to work at, a math teacher used the flipped classroom method for upper-level courses like pre-calculus. It seemed to work well because those students chose to be in the class and were more motivated. But for other classes where students are less engaged, I’m not sure it would work as well.
April
If we apply multimedia learning in a general ed classroom with students who have IEPs, 504s, or learning differences, I wonder how we can differentiate and scaffold effectively. For instance, for students who are hearing or sight-impaired, I might turn on captions or use manipulatives. Have you used different media to scaffold or differentiate in your math classes?
Courtney
Since I’m still a new teacher, I’m figuring things out. But sometimes, when I have a co-teacher, we break students into groups. For one lesson, I had a group at the smart board, a group at the whiteboard, and an independent group doing a coloring activity. That was one way to incorporate different learning methods in a single period.
April
I’m really into the idea of gamification right now. Not just digital games, but incorporating any type of game to get students engaged. Even the course we’re taking has elements of gamification with power-ups and badges. Could you see yourself using gamification in math?
Courtney
Yes, actually! I’ve done something similar. Instead of a regular review sheet, I created a Jeopardy game for review. The students were excited and engaged, which is a big contrast to how they usually feel about review sheets.
April
That ties into active learning and how multimedia tools, like interactive videos, encourage students to engage with content rather than just passively consuming it. You need their buy-in, and presenting the same information in different ways helps with that. Do you use any online tools, like iReady or IXL, to assess your students in math?
Courtney
It depends on the school district. Most schools I’ve been in use Delta Math. It’s a great tool because it offers example videos that show students how to solve problems step by step. I think it’s a valuable resource, especially for homework. I wouldn’t use the example option during tests, but it’s excellent for learning.
April
Is it hard for students to adapt to Delta Math if they’re unfamiliar with it?
Courtney
No, I don’t think so. It’s pretty straightforward. The only challenge might be typing in more complex answers, but otherwise, it’s easy to use, and students can access it without needing to remember usernames or passwords.
April
When planning lessons, I try to include multimedia from the start—videos, articles, hands-on activities, and labs where students can watch me demonstrate before trying it themselves. I think that’s part of a multimedia approach. How do you plan your lessons in math? Do you have freedom to create your own lessons, or is there a set curriculum?
Courtney
It depends on the school. In some places, teachers plan together, while in others, you have more freedom. Right now, I’m the only algebra teacher, so I’m using shared materials from past years but adapting them into my own lessons. I try to incorporate different teaching methods, but the beginning of the year is tough. You have to learn what works for your students and what distracts them.
April
That goes back to the coherence principle—finding the right balance. You don’t want to overwhelm students with too much content or give them too much free time, but you also want to keep them engaged. I don’t think students today would even be interested in learning from someone who wasn’t using different methods to hold their attention. Do you think students expect a kind of "entertainment" aspect in education now?
Courtney
Definitely. Students expect more than just being lectured to for 42 minutes. You have to keep them engaged. At my grade level, kids have their phones, and even though I constantly tell them to put their phones away, you really need to switch things up during the lesson to keep their focus.
April
My school went phone-free. Students lock their phones in a pouch at the beginning of the day and don’t unlock them until the end. I haven’t seen a phone all year.
Courtney
That’s great. At the school I taught at last year, they did the same thing, but by the end of the year, students figured out how to unlock the pouches. It was a challenge.
April
Phones are valuable tools, though, and as a parent, I want my kids to learn how to use them responsibly. I feel like we’re missing an opportunity by banning them, especially in my digital media arts class. But I can see how they could be distracting in a math class. However, phones have scientific calculators and apps like PhotoMath, where students can check their answers step by step without needing to wait for help.
Courtney
That’s true, but it's a tricky balance. I think that’s a conversation for another day.
April
I agree. We’ve covered a lot of ground today—old buzzwords, new buzzwords, and how today’s students really require a multimedia approach to learning.
Courtney
Yeah, I think we can all agree on that.
April
Alright, I guess that's it for us!