Engaging students in multimedia-mediated Constructivist learning - Students' perceptions

This study was conducted in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University, Malaysia and investigated students' perceptions while working on a multimedia project that was embedded within a constructivist-based learning environment. We studied the impact of using multimedia on students who have little experience with working in a problem-solving design environment. Students worked in groups and created an interactive multimedia application with Macromedia Director. They were responsible for all project development decisions during their learning process. A survey questionnaire administered at the end of the project captured their perceptions. The students showed positive attitudes towards the project with respect to their learning motivation and understanding, skills and their teamwork abilities. By incorporating multimedia into a constructivist learning environment, students learned to design multimedia, as well as to experience critical-thinking, creative, presentation and communication skills; enhanced motivation and understanding various levels of the subject domain. These skills would all be useful in their future undertakings. Our findings provide strong support and encouragement for Malaysian educators to incorporate multimedia technology and constructivist learning into the classrooms for the enhancement of teaching and learning.