Successful learning about physical systems is thought to depend on the development of a mental representation of the system's dynamic behavior, which constitutes a mental model, rather than only its static structure (e.g., Schnotz, 2005). Because dynamic mental models must be generated by learners from static diagrams, learning might be promoted by encouraging learners to visualize motion in static diagrams. However, mental models represent dynamic spatial information that might be difficult to construct for learners with lower spatial ability; they might benefit from instructional designs that support spatial reasoning, such as phase diagrams and depictive arrows. In Experiment 1, participants learned about air pumps, carburetors, and toilet tanks from single phase diagrams, multiphase diagrams, or multiphase diagrams followed by a prediction activity in which they predicted system behavior in novel situations. This prediction activity was expected to implicitly prompt mental visualization of motion. Learning in the latter condition (i.e., with the prediction activity) was significantly better than learning in the single phase condition. In the prediction condition, the enhancing effect of spatial ability on learning outcome was partially mediated by performance in the prediction activity. The mediation suggested that high spatial ability helped participants to accurately visualize the systems as they made predictions, which contributed to better performance on the learning assessment. Experiment 1 assessed visualizations during the prediction activity, whereas Experiment 2 assessed visualizations during the lessons. In two conditions in Experiment 2, participants were explicitly prompted to visualize motion in the system while viewing the lessons. Because learners with lower spatial ability were expected to have difficulty visualizing motion, arrows depicting motion were added in one condition. A baseline condition excluded the arrows and the prompt to visualize motion. In all three conditions, participants viewed multiphase diagrams followed by the prediction activity. Learning outcomes among the three conditions did not differ significantly: Depictive arrows and prompts to visualize motion were not significantly effective. Also, spatial ability did not interact with instructional condition. However, both spatial ability and subjective ratings of attempts to visualize motion were predictive of learning outcome. Overall, results from the two experiments indicated that participants with higher spatial ability were better able than participants with lower spatial ability to generate dynamic mental models from static instructions, particularly when they were implicitly prompted to reason about the system as they made predictions. Learners with lower spatial ability might need other forms of assistance for mental model generation, such as animated instructions.

This play, Weaving Worlds, and the accompanying case study of its use of multimedia examine how multimedia can complexify space in theatre. The case study explores the process of writing a play that has multimedia elements scripted into it. Space in theatre can be defined in terms of its function as well as its location, its representational ideas and as an area used to present an argument, otherwise known as the fictional space. This is achieved through the narrative (that is presented traditionally in theatre through movement, gesture, and text). Multimedia has complexified this fictional space by expanding its location and being able to deliver multiple narratives within it. Multimedia has complexified the time and the space continuum of the narrative through its ability to present mediated images from the stage to the audience at the same time as traditional live performance. This challenges the definition of live performance. The multimedia elements in the play are soundscapes, virtual characters composed of multimedia animations captured on pre-recorded digital video, and live video displays of performance. The world of the play exists in an augmented reality of the memories of the two main characters, Bev and Ben. The addition of multimedia assisted me as a playwright to present my idea of augmented reality in the world of the play, as well as a means of presenting the underpinning themes of the play being disassociation and recorded memory, violence as a means of control, and issues on change. Twentieth century theatre theorists, including Erwin Piscator and Bertolt Brecht, pioneered the use of multimedia in the theatre. In some way they contributed to a contemporary theatre that has evolved in tandem with multimedia. Correspondingly, multimedia requires its own skill sets and equipment and brings with it new aesthetic possibilities as well as becoming an agent of narrative. Multimedia creates opportunities for improvisation. This means that despite the pre-recorded nature of multimedia elements each presentation of multimedia that involves live actors can still create a unique performance experience. The exchange of touch is removed between virtual characters created by multimedia technology and live actors. At the same time the idea of live performance is challenged by the inclusion of multimedia elements. New audiences understand the narrative presented by multimedia because their world is filled with technologies that contain multimedia applications. Playwrights, who are aware of the spatial implications of multimedia, can utilise these new elements to create narratives to alter the structure of their work, and to create new ways of presenting characters, soundscapes and thematic digital displays to enhance and support the performance of their plays.

In early 2003, in a major shift in policy, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) announced that its learning materials would progressively move from a predominantly print-based mode of delivery to a new 'hybrid' mode of delivery across all discipline areas. Central to this delivery would be a resource-rich CDROM containing all study materials, supported with a range of multimedia based enhancements, online support and selective print materials. As this represented a fundamentally new approach to the delivery of materials at USQ, it was essential to ascertain a clear understanding of about the implications of this change for student learning. In implementing this policy it was necessary to establish a range of pedagogically sound, cost effective delivery guidelines, for the development of the course materials and the multimedia based enhancements. In response to this need, this study has developed a set of 10 multimodal design heuristics used to guide the development of these materials. In establishing these guidelines, this thesis contextualises important issues associated with hybrid delivery and considers how catering for a multiliterate clientele by using a combination of multimedia based enhancements in an electronic environment may improve the learning opportunities for students. Two Faculty of Business courses delivered in 2004, ECO2000 'Macroeconomics for Business and Government' and MGT2004 'People Development', were chosen to pilot the new hybrid mode of delivery. The combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to investigate how students have utilised this new environment. This approach rendered a clear indication of student views about the CD based delivery and, more particularly, an appreciation of how they utilised the multimedia based enhancements to augment their studies. Analysis of the research data indicated a strong acceptance of the CD based learning environment. This was particularly true for off-campus and international students. On the whole, students reported a preference for a CD based resource, though this acceptance was moderated by a desire to still receive some print-based materials. Importantly, from this analysis it was possible to add a further four multimodal design heuristics to the original set of ten which informed the design of the multimedia based enhancements for each course. This study demonstrates that higher levels of student engagement are possible when integrating a range of multimedia based enhancements to cater for a range of student learning modalities, whilst also maintaining a balanced environment for more traditional learners1.

This dissertation was motivated by the exponential growth in bandwidth capacity of the Internet, coupled with the immense growth of broadband adoption by the public. This has led to the development of a wide variety of new online services. Chief amongst the emerging applications is the delivery of multimedia contents to the end users via the network on-demand. It is the “on-demand” aspect that has led to problems which, despite the advances in hardware technology and network capacity, have hampered wide scale adoption of multimedia delivery. The focus of this dissertation was to address these problems, namely: scalability, cost-effectiveness, and network quality of service for timely presentation of multimedia contents. We proposed an architecture, which we referred to as “Delayed-Multicast”, to address the scalability problem. The new architecture introduced buffers within the network to reduce demands on core network bandwidth and server load. A feasibility study of the architecture was conducted through the use of a prototype. It was found that such a system is within reach by demonstrating the prototype using cheap, common-of-the-shelf (COTS) components, and with help of freely available system software such Linux with real-time support. The introduction of buffers within the network led to the requirement of how to minimize buffer space. We developed an optimal algorithm for allocating buffer space in a single level caching layout (i.e. only one buffer in the transmission path from the server to the end user). For the case of multi-levels network caching, we thoroughly examined different optimization problems from an algorithmic perspective. These problems included how to minimize total system memory, and minimize the maximum memory used per node. We proved that determining the optimal buffer allocation in many of these iv v cases is an NP-complete problem. Consequently, we developed heuristics to handle multi-level caching and showed through simulations that the heuristics greatly help in minimizing buffer space and network bandwidth requirement. An important aspect of the heuristics was how to handle the case when the arrival times of client requests were not known a priori. For these “online” problems we also proposed heuristics that can significantly reduce overall system resource requirements. If the cost of buffer space was also taken into account along with the cost of network bandwidth, a different optimization problem was how to minimize the total system cost. Here, we also proposed heuristics, which in simulations show that the total system cost can be significantly reduced. Besides the problems associated with resource allocation, in terms of buffer space and bandwidth, we also examined the problem of how to provision the necessary network quality of service on-demand. Most current networks rely on best-effort delivery which is ill suited for the delivery of multimedia traffic. We proposed a solution which relied on the use of a programmable network plane, that is present in many current routers, to dynamically alter the priority of flows within the network in real-time. We also demonstrated the effectiveness of the flow prioritization on an actual Nortel router. Finally, we examined the problem of how to admit and achieve fair bandwidth allocation for the end-users within a Differentiated Service (DiffServ) network. Diff- Serv is an IETF standard that aims to provide a “better than best-effort” network in a scalable manner, and is used widely, especially within the same autonomous domain for prioritization different classes of traffic. However, there are open problems on how to provide fair bandwidth allocation amongst competing flows. We proposed an edge-aware resource discovery loop, which as the name suggests, sent packets to gather information about the internal states of the core network. With this information, we proposed a price-based admission control algorithm for use within the DiffServ network that would allow fair admission, effective congestion control, and fair bandwidth allocation amongst different traffic flows.

No description available.

This research aims to investigate an assertion, endorsed by a range of commentators, that multimedia teaching and learning approaches encourage learners to adopt a richer, creative and deeper level of understanding and participation within the learning environment than traditional teaching and learning methods. The thesis examines this assertion by investigating one type of multimedia activity defined (for the purposes of this research) as a digital audio video assessment (DAVA). Data was collected using a constructivist epistemology, interpretative and naturalistic perspective using primarily a qualitative methodology. Three types of data collection methods were used to collect data from thirteen Diploma of Event Management students from William Angliss TAFE. Firstly, participants completed the Biggs Study Process Questionnaire (2001) which is a predictor of deep and surface learning preference. Each participant then engaged in a semi-structured interview that elicited participant's self-declared learning preferences and their approaches to completion of the DAVA. These data sources were then compared. Six factors that are critical in informing the way that the participants approached the DAVA emerged from the analysis of the data. Based on these findings it is concluded that the DAVA does not restrict, inhibit or negatively influence a participants learning preference. Learners with a pre-existing, stable learning preference are likely to adopt a learning approach that is consisten t with their preference. Participants that have a learning preference that is less stable (more flexible) may adopt either a surface or deep approach depending on the specific task, activity or assessment.

No description available.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. / Typescript. Accompanying CD-ROM contains the Online Cake Instructor module. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-45).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on February 4, 2008. Dissertation Committee: Dent M. Rhodes (chair), Ellen A. Spycher, Chandra Sommers, Kenneth F. Jerich. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-117) and abstract. Also available in print.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--Darmstadt.