Virtual Teaching and Learning Based on Multimedia Techniques: Experiences from a Master Program Delivered over the Internet

摘要

Providing multimedia-based courses over the Internet is a challenging task. Technological requirements are far more exacting than for simple HTML based courses as in traditional web-based teaching. Low-cost multimedia technologies, in particular technologies for video production and delivery over the Internet, have just become available. Established rules and recommendations how to use those technologies effectively are still missing. In this paper, different approaches to the production and delivery of multimedia-based courses are outlined and illustrated by examples. A specific focus is set on videos as the main instructional medium. The examples are taken from real courses that have been produced for an Internet-based study program leading to a master's degree in Business Informatics. This program is provided by a virtual organization. Experiences reported are based on course material for that program. All facets of producing lecture videos require a significantly long phase of learning and getting acquainted with the technology. A learning curve could clearly be observed.