Criteria for evaluating educational multimedia

Introduction

Well designed and appropriately used interactive multimedia can add interest and functionality to a web site. Poorly designed or inappropriately used multimedia can detract from the usability of a web site and may even deter visitors from accessing material on the site.

Hence it is important that those creating interactive multimedia for use in web sites should have a clear sense of what constitutes effective design and use of multimedia. This task is intended to encourage students to think through some of the significant issues associated with using multimedia content in web sites.

Useful sources relevant to evaluation criteria can be found in the references supplied for Module 1.6.

Task

Identify and list what you consider to be the four most important criteria to be applied in the evaluation of multimedia content to be delivered on the World Wide Web. For each criterion:

1. clearly and concisely describe the criterion,
2. justify its inclusion in your list,
3. provide a link to examples of a good and a bad application of each criterion.
   You must fully describe why these exemplify the good and bad application of the criterion.

The overall length of your completed presentation should be no more than 1000 words. Present it in a well designed web site and publish it in a suitable location.

Notes:

1. This task refers to the media (or multimedia) elements included in the site pages, NOT to the overall design, navigability etc. of the web site, except insofar as those are affected by the (multi)media elements.
2. This task relates to characteristics of the (multi)media as (multi)media NOT to the instructional design except insofar as that is affected by the (multi)media elements.

Marking guide

The following marking guide will be applied.

FET5622 Creating Interactive Multimedia © University of Southern Queensland
Last updated: 08-Jun-2007 by Peter Albion