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Multimedia Review

Sydney Gennuso

Towson University

ISTC 655
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Description of Resource

The multimedia resource that I am reviewing is Quizizz. Quizizz is a software intended

for instructors to create quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flash cards for their intended

audience, which can range from a variety of ages and learning styles. Quizizz has a free version

option where everyone can access and a super version option, which costs $60 per year and

allows the creator to include video and audio clips within the lessons and answer explanations

for students if they answer a question incorrectly.

I will be reviewing a specific lesson that was created using Quizizz. The lesson designed

using Quizizz is about the importance of protecting biodiversity in the Spanish Language. The

intended audience is for 8th grade World Languages students. The resource from Quizizz that I

am reviewing can be found at this URL:

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5fb2cfc700c9d0001d8b22d8 . I believe the learning goals are for

students to learn the importance of protecting biodiversity in the target language through text and

visuals, and in an interactive manner. There are various multiple-choice questions within the

lesson for students to answer.

How does the multimedia resource address Mayer’s Multimedia Design Principles?

I believe this specific lesson designed through Quizizz addresses at least four of Mayer’s

Multimedia Design Principles. The principles include the Coherence Principle. Signaling

Principle, Temporal Contiguity Principle, and Multimedia Principle.

The Coherence Principle is met when text and images are used together to help support

learning. More specifically, Mayer (2009) adds that the images combined with words have to be

relevant to the learning. It is important to delete words, sounds, or graphics that are irrelevant as
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they can harm the learning process. Looking at the lesson (figure 1), it seems that the text is

accompanied with images that are relevant to the learning to help students make connections and

see the cause/effect situations through the images.

Figure 1. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

The Signaling Principle addresses the importance for instructors to highlight essential

words or graphics within a presentation. Mayer (2009) believes that people learn better when

words are signaled because it helps to highlight the organization of the material. After looking at

the lesson being reviewed, it seems that the presentation is organized by specific sections (figure

2), allowing the audience to take cues on where they are in the lesson and allows them to follow

along with what they are doing. Specific text is also highlighted (figure 3) to help the learners

process the information.

Figure 2. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

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Figure 3. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

The Multimedia Principle states to present words and pictures in a presentation over

rather words alone. Mayer (2009) states that by presenting words and images that are relevant

together, learners are able to make connections between them, which helps support learning and

allows them to absorb more information. Looking at this lesson, words and images are used

together to help learners build connections between the phrases in the target language and the

images provided (figure 4). By doing this, the goal is to get the audience to use the target

language to discuss the importance of protecting biodiversity.

Figure 4. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

The Temporal Contiguity Principle states to present corresponding words and pictures

together. Mayer (2009) states that students learn better when words and images are used

simultaneously. If they are shown successively, it can prevent learners from processing the

information as they are unable to make a connection with the words and images. Looking
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through the lesson, it appears that the vocabulary phrases are next to the images for the students

so they can process the information (figure 5).

Figure 5. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

How does the multimedia resource draw on or address Intrinsic and/or Extrinsic

motivation of the learners?

Extrinsic motivation is when learners learn to earn a reward or other incentive. Though

some forms of extrinsic motivation can remove a learner’s sense of autonomy, which can prevent

them from completing a task using their own intrinsic motivation, there are some forms that are

highly autonomous (Peters, 2014). Learners may want to complete an activity or study because

it can help them reach their career goal, which is the reward.

Looking through this lesson created with Quizizz, I believe extrinsic motivation strategies

are implemented throughout the lesson. For example, there are various multiple-choice and poll

questions presented throughout the lesson (figure 6). The majority of these questions are also

paired with visuals to help learners make connections to what is being asked. The participant

that answered the most questions correctly or has the most points will be shown at the top of the

leaderboard, which the entire class can see, which helps reach a wide variety or learners as they

would want to be first on the leaderboard. From experience, most students want to be at the top

of the leaderboard because it is possible that a prize is offered. I believe if different multimedia
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were incorporated into this lesson other than text or images, even more types of learners would

be reached and allow for a more engaging lesson.

Figure 6. Proteger la biodiversidad (2020)

Conclusion

I believe this lesson created with Quizizz is a great representation of many of Mayer’s

Multimedia Design Principles. It seems to be engaging with the text, images, and built in checks

for understanding. The many uses of text and visuals together help learners make connections.

The checks for understanding also helps for the learners to be more engaged and become

extrinsically motivated as it allows for them to possibly earn a reward by the end of the lesson.
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Resources

Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning: Vol. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press.

Peters, D. (2014). Interface design for learning: Design strategies for learning experiences. Upper

Saddle River, NJ: New Riders Press.

Proteger la biodiversidad - Quiz. (2020). Retrieved November 22, 2020, from

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5fb2cfc700c9d0001d8b22d8/proteger-la-biodiversidad