(From EDD 7005 Discussion #9)
Media, indeed, do not influence learning. Students though, could take advantage of a particular medium’s characteristics to help construct knowledge (Kozma, 2012). Medium and method are part of the design of learning. Medium and method do maintain a relationship within design, with each affecting the other in accordance (Kozma, 2012).
Likewise, media contain cognitively relevant capabilities that complement the learner’s prior knowledge and cognitive skills (Kozma, 2012). Though these such arguments make sense, media and their attributes have important influences on the cost or speed of learning, and only the use of adequate instructional methodology will ultimately influence learning (Morrison, 2012).
What is certain, is that research will continue to be concerned with media and learning, particularly as media continues to take such an integral role in the lives of humans. It cannot be understated that in thousands of media research studies over the last seventy years, we have failed to find any compelling evidence that media or media attributes influence learning in any essential and structural way (Morrison, 2012). Having said this, technology has advanced over fifty years more rapidly than the human mind can keep up with. With the growth in understanding of the mechanisms of learning with media, a number of questions remain regarding the cognitive effects of more recently developed learning environments, and research is needed to extend this understanding (Kozma, 2012). As Kozma (2012) emphasizes, “our ability to take advantage of the power of emerging technologies will depend on the creativity of designers, their ability to exploit the capabilities of the media, and our understanding of the relationship between these capabilities and learning(p.139)."
Kozma, R.B. (2012). Robert Kozma’s counterpart theory of “learning with media.” In Clark, R. E. (Ed.). Learning from media: Arguments, analysis, and evidence (2nd ed.; pp. 103-146). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.
What is certain, is that research will continue to be concerned with media and learning, particularly as media continues to take such an integral role in the lives of humans. It cannot be understated that in thousands of media research studies over the last seventy years, we have failed to find any compelling evidence that media or media attributes influence learning in any essential and structural way (Morrison, 2012). Having said this, technology has advanced over fifty years more rapidly than the human mind can keep up with. With the growth in understanding of the mechanisms of learning with media, a number of questions remain regarding the cognitive effects of more recently developed learning environments, and research is needed to extend this understanding (Kozma, 2012). As Kozma (2012) emphasizes, “our ability to take advantage of the power of emerging technologies will depend on the creativity of designers, their ability to exploit the capabilities of the media, and our understanding of the relationship between these capabilities and learning(p.139)."
Kozma, R.B. (2012). Robert Kozma’s counterpart theory of “learning with media.” In Clark, R. E. (Ed.). Learning from media: Arguments, analysis, and evidence (2nd ed.; pp. 103-146). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.