INTRODUCTION
CD-ROMs are effective tools for multimedia presentations. However,
the pre- packaged commercial CD-ROMs available on the market are
often limited in their direct applicability for use in a particular
course. Some experts in the field of multimedia have suggested
that their use is declining in popularity as a publishing medium
in academic circles (Lynch and Horton, 1997). This is due to
several reasons, one of which is the competing provider for multimedia
presentations, the World Wide Web (WWW). The WWW provides a
method to link together numerous websites and provide the user
with virtually unlimited sources accessible from their own computer.
Both CD-ROMs and websites have advantages and disadvantages as
tools for multimedia presentations. CD-ROM multimedia presentations
require the use of expensive authoring tools such as Authorware
or Director. These software packages require a significant time
and energy commitment to learn and usually require support from
someone with technical expertise in order to use them effectively.
There is also the question of proprietary data formats and whether
these will change in the future making any current presentations
unusable in the future, (Lynch and Horton, 1997)*. The advantages
of CD-ROMs include speed of operation, control of publishing,
and dissemination of the materials. Use of websites and the
WWW avoids the proprietary data format problem since it is a
non-proprietary data standard and the software needed to use
HTML documents is available free to users on the web. The major
disadvantages of the web are that it is horribly slow and anything
placed on the WWW is available to everyone without any means
of compensating the author of the material or for controlling
its distribution.
We propose to combine these technologies by using HTML as an
authoring tool to develop CD-ROMs that will specifically target
applications in our classes. We want to combine the ease-of-use
of HTML with the speed of a CD-ROM to develop specific multimedia
packages for use by our students. Use of HTML will also allow
us to provide access to live-links on the WWW if desired, a feature
not available with commercial CD-ROMs.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEEDED SKILLS
One of us (Wayne Shew) has some experience using Authorware as an authoring tool for multimedia presentations. This software requires a great deal of effort to become proficient in its use and in addition is unfamiliar to most educators. On the other hand, HTML is a language that is much easier to learn and retain, and is familiar to a much wider audience. HTML provides the same type of ability to integrate text, graphics, animation, and sound as does Authorware. We propose to use HTML to create a multimedia CD-ROM for class use similar to the way it is used to create web pages. There are a number of people on the BSC campus that are technically very proficient using HTML and thus any questions we might have regarding its use can be quickly answered. Our CD-ROMs will enable students to take class materials with them and to review or "catch-up" on topics covered if they miss the class one day. It will also provide a means to develop tutorials for students, develop virtual lab activities, and interactive take-home examinations. We also see the development of these CD-ROMs as a method to involve our students in collaborative teaching/learning activities. Working either with individuals or with small groups, students and faculty can develop multimedia presentations that can then be exchanged with other members of the class or used in subsequent years by other classes. It also provides a hands-on method to involve students and faculty in developing technologies.
REASONS FOR A JOINT PROPOSAL
There are several advantages to having two investigators for
this project. Our experiences complement: John Strohl has experience
with digital cameras and processing, Wayne Shew has experience
with HTML and authoring languages. While the two sample projects
are in different disciplines, they are in the areas of interest
and expertise of the applicants. Two investigators should be
able to work through the inevitable frustrations of using new
technology much more quickly than one.
CD-ROMs THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED
The chemistry topics will be developed as interactive CD-ROMs
that will include instructional materials such as text and problems.
The tutorials will provide links to explanatory material if the
student answers the problems incorrectly.Two topics will be developed
initially: stoichiometry and balancing electron-exchange equations.
The students in the field botany class will collaborate with the
instructor during the spring term, 1998 to develop a dichotomous
key for the woody plants on campus. In addition, a portfolio
of pictures of the campus flora will be prepared using a digital
camera. This information will then be used during the summer
to create an interactive identification key of the campus flora
which will be stored on a CD-ROM. Additional information such
as economic and medicinal uses of the plants will be collected
and linked to the dichotomous key.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The projects require a digital camera, a CD-write drive, and
computers. We have a Kodak DC-120 camera available and the College
has agreed to purchase the CD-write drive.
INTEGRATION INTO THE CURRICULUM AND EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT
The two chemistry topics will be used in the first semester of
general chemistry. Some testing will be done this summer in the
general chemistry course offered at BSC and in a special summer
program at West Virginia University. In the Fall, the effectiveness
can be evaluated by comparing the performance of two lecture sections
in general chemistry on a common test; one section will have standard
instruction and one will use the multimedia materials developed
over the summer.
The biology CD will be used in the field botany course and by
individuals interested in the identification of the campus flora.
This CD will have to be evaluated subjectively by students because
of the relatively small enrollment in the field botany course
and because the course is not offered each term. In addition,
the interactive key to the campus flora will not be designed for
problem solving or testing. The CD will be placed on reserve
in the library and some measure of its usefulness can be deduced
by the number of times the CD is checked out from the library.
Also, specific questions regarding the CDs will be put on the
student course evaluations that are completed for each course
by the students at the end of each term the course is offered.
ENHANCEMENT OF TEACHING AND STUDENT LEARNING
The developed chemistry materials would be used for teaching
basic tools, leaving more time for the development of complex
topics in the lecture. Also, the material would be available
for review and self-tutorials.
The biology materials would give the students practice in plant
identification and development of experience and skills in the
use of HTML and the WWW.
FUTURE WORK AND DISSEMINATION OF THE PROJECT
The techniques learned during this project should apply to other courses in the sciences as well as in other disciplines; for example, development of tutorials, interactive case studies, identification keys, etc. We would plan to offer assistance to other BSC faculty as needed and offer a workshop on use of HTML as an authoring tool for CD-ROM multimedia presentations to the campus community. We could also offer a workshop on use of HTML as an authoring tool to other ACS schools if desired. The product CDs will be made available to other ACS schools upon request. In chemistry, additional lecture topics will be the focus of interactive multimedia CD-ROM development. We also envision the development of laboratory instruction via multimedia by showing laboratory set-ups and experiments. These multimedia presentations would be very useful as part of pre-lab instruction.