Instructional

Media
HARDEEP KAUR DARSHAN SINGH
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the topic, you should be able to:
1. Identify categories of instructional media
2. Describe the purpose of using instructional
media
3. Identify factors in selecting instructional media
 Instructional Media
Instructional media is a channel of communication that carries
information from a sender to receiver.
Media that carries messages with an instructional purpose are
considered instructional media.
2 important roles:
◦ Facilitation of student learning
◦ Evaluation
Effective instruction means that the materials have to be
carefully structured and presented to engage the learner and
highlight important content (Morrison, et al., 2011).
 Categories of Instructional Media
Physical characteristics
◦ Print
◦ Still visual
◦ Motion visual
◦ Audio
◦ Real object
Sensory channel
◦ Audio
◦ Visual
◦ Audio/Visual
◦ Tactile, kinaesthetic
 Types of Technology-based
Instructional Media
Technology-based instruction has changed the delivery mode of instruction.
 The start of individualised computer-based instruction and web-based
instruction means that there can be individual interaction with the media, and
hence a self-paced and self-directed instruction should be provided (Morrison
et al., 2011).
(a) Multimedia Learning
This is where a combination of pictures, words in the form of written text or
narration can be presented for instruction (Mayer, 2009).
(b) Hypermedia
It refers to linked media and interactive media, used in most technology-based
software (Robyler & Doering, 2013).
 Purpose of Using Instructional Media
Gagne (1970) identified educational media as an important part of
educational technology design.
Instructional media should be used to:
organise instruction effectively for interaction,
stimulate students’s activity
enable the process of learning to become easier as it enables the
acquisition of knowledge
encourage students’s independence and critical thinking
(Mazgon & Stefanc, 2012).
Functions of Educational Media
(Gagne, 1970)
 Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction

Media can be used to support one or more of the following

instructional activities in Gagne’s nine events of instruction.
(a) Gain Attention
A picture on the screen, a question on the board, or music playing as
students enter the room all serve to get student’s attention.
(b) Recall Prerequisites
Use media to help students recall what they learned in the last class, so that
new material can be attached to and built upon it.
(c) Present Objectives to Learners
Hand out or project the day’s learning objectives.
 Gagne’s Nine Events of
Instruction
(d) Present New Content
Not only can media help make new content more memorable, it can
also help deliver new content (through a text, movie or video).
(e) Support Learning Through Examples and Visual Elaboration
One of the biggest advantages of media is to bring the world into the
classroom when it is not possible to take the student out into the world.
(f) Elicit Student Response
Present information and pose questions to students, getting them
involved in answering the questions.
 Gagne’s Nine Events of
Instruction

(g) Provide Feedback

Media can be used to provide feedback on a test or class exercise.
(h) Enhance Retention and Transfer
Pictures enhance retention. Media help students visualise a lesson and
transfer abstract concepts into concrete, easier to remember objects.
(i) Assess Performance
Media is an excellent way to pose assessment questions for the class to
answer. Students can also submit mediated presentations as classroom
projects.
 Factors of Instructional
Media Selection
According to Mappin et al. (1998), the basis of media selection
models are the factors affecting the choice of media.
These factors are:

Instructional method

Type of learning task (subject matter)

Learner characteristics

Practical constraints

Teacher preference

Physical attributes of media (sensory channels)

Physical environment

Context
 Factors of Instructional Media
Selection
Smith and Ragan (1999) suggested the following factors to
consider when selecting instructional media.
4 Factors for Selecting
Instructional Media
Objectives
Instructional Objective
Exclusions
Intellectual skills Select media that provide
feedback to learner responses.
Exclude media with features
that are not interactive.
Cognitive strategies Select media that provide
feedback to learner responses.
Exclude media with features
that are not interactive.
Verbal information Select media able to present
verbal messages and
elaboration.
Exclude only real equipment
or simulators with no verbal
accompaniments.
Attitudes Select media that are able to
present a realistic picture of a
Exclude only real equipment
or simulators with no verbal
human model and the model's
accompaniments.
message.
Motor skills Select media which make it
possible for students to
directly practise a skill and
provide informative feedback.
Exclude media with no
provision for learner
responses and feedback
Selections
Select media that provide
feedback to learner responses.
Exclude media with features
that are not interactive.
Select media that provide
feedback to learner responses.
Exclude media with features
that are not interactive.
Select media able to present
verbal messages and
elaboration.
Exclude only real equipment
or simulators with no verbal
accompaniments.
Select media that are able to
present a realistic picture of a
Exclude only real equipment
or simulators with no verbal
human model and the model's
accompaniments.
message.
Select media which make it
possible for students to
directly practise a skill and
provide informative feedback.
Exclude media with no
provision for learner
responses and feedback
 Students
According to the ASSURE model, there are three important aspects
which must be included in students’s analysis. They are:
 Methods/Strategies
Categories of Teaching & Examples
Learning
Group Teaching Conservative lecturing,
expository learning, TV,
radio and film.
Traditional sender,
executive of instruction
process
Individual teaching Long-distance learning,
computer-based learning,
mediated self-instruction
Publisher and manager of
learning resources,
facilitator and tutor
Group learning Tutorial, seminar, group
assignment, projects, games
and simulation, self-help
groups
Manager and facilitator
Teachers’ Role
Conservative lecturing,
expository learning, TV,
radio and film.
Traditional sender,
executive of instruction
process
Long-distance learning,
computer-based learning,
mediated self-instruction
Publisher and manager of
learning resources,
facilitator and tutor
Tutorial, seminar, group
assignment, projects, games
and simulation, self-help
groups
Manager and facilitator
Practicality
Steps in designing Instructional Media
 Steps in designing Instructional Media
(a) Forming Ideas
Ideas could be formed through experience, reading, observation and
others. The ideas should emphasise on leading students to solve their
learning problems.
(b) State the Objectives Clearly
Write the learning outcomes clearly. We must be clear on what is the
knowledge or skill that our students will acquire at the end of a lesson.
(c) Student Analysis
Analyse students in terms of their background, prior knowledge, learning
capacity, basic skills, linguistic ability, attitude and learning style. This
analysis will help teachers in selecting the instruction explanation
methods, predicting the time frame of the instruction process, selecting
the level of vocabulary used, and identifying the methods and students
involvement level during the learning process.
 Steps in designing Instructional
Media
(d) Collect and Arrange the Materials
Identify resources through research, conduct literature review on the content
aspect, arrange the flow of main ideas, and prepare a simple synopsis.
(e) Transform Ideas into Visual Aids
Transfer ideas in abstract form into visual aids in concrete form. Visual aids in
graphic style will enhance students’ learning and help them to memorise the
learning content.
(f) Planning for Student Involvement
Students’ active involvement in the learning process will enhance the effectiveness
of an instruction. There are various methods that could be used during the
learning process like asking simple questions, allowing them to make conclusions
or give opinions, and forming groups to have discussions and make decisions.
Steps in designing Instructional
Media

(g) Revise the Planning

The planning should be revised to make sure it will assist the learning
process and lead the students towards better performance.
(h) Issuing the Media
After you are satisfied with the planning, the final step is issuing the
media.
 Summary
Instructional media can be categorised by physical characteristics and sensory
channels.
Physical characteristics of instructional media are print, still visual and motion visual.
Sensory channels of instructional media are audio, visual, audio-visual and
tactile/kinaesthetic.
Factors which should be considered in selecting instructional media are instructional
outcomes, students, methods and instructional strategies used, as well as practicality.
Designing instructional media would require the following processes: forming ideas,
state the objectives clearly, student analysis, collect and arrange the materials,
transform ideas into visual aids, planning for student involvement, revise the planning
and issuing of the media.