Distance education: The trend and the influence of multimedia technology in changing the whole educational environment

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to avail this chance for thanking my research instructor, family and friends, for supporting me and having their belief in me throughout the research. I would like to thank these people for the profound guidance they provided, without which, I would have never been able to conduct this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all matters discussed in this thesis reflects my individual work without any assistance. The contents of this thesis have not been submitted before for any examination at academic, as well as, professional level earlier. Through this thesis, I only reflect upon my personal views, which cannot be essentially associated with my institution.

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ABSTRACT

In this project, I tried to explore the trend and influence of multimedia technology in changing the whole educational environment. The research analyzes the previous and current trends in instructional technology, the role of multimedia technology in education and the use of multimedia technology in distance learning, and its influence on the whole educational environment. Additionally, the thesis also explores various generations in US workforce in order to understand their learning and educational behavior. Educational technology refers to as a practice and study of supporting and improving learning practices by creating, managing and using appropriate technology resources and procedures. Instructional technology is concerned with the systems and processes of instruction and learning, but, educational technology involves wide range of systems that are used to develop human abilities. Today, advanced computer systems and other technologies are being used, by the educators and instructors, as effective tools for improving human educational capabilities. The use of multimedia technology in class for changing and influencing the whole educational environment is not an old concept. However, this concept has gone through many evident changes in order to define and influence the educational and learning environment through emerging multimedia technologies. The research comprises of primary, as well as secondary research, in which, the secondary research is conducted by reviewing literature from various online resources and books. The primary research is performed by conducting an email/questionnaire survey of the various artists working in this field.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

ABSTRACTiv

LIST OF TABLESvi

LIST OF FIGURESvi

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION8

1.1Background of the Study8

1.2Purpose of the Study9

1.3Aims and Objectives9

1.4Research questions10

1.5Outline of the Thesis10

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW11

2.1Generations in US Workforce11

2.11Baby Boomers11

2.12Generation X12

2.13Millennial12

2.2Difference in Generations13

2.3Different Learning Techniques14

2.31Books14

2.32Exam Preparation Material15

2.33Online Resources16

2.34Emerging Technologies and Applications16

2.4Technologies Used in Educational Environment17

2.41Blackboard17

2.42Elluminate Live18

2.43Academic Resource Center18

2.44Library Link18

2.45SoftChalk Software18

2.5Multimedia and Distance Learning19

2.6Overview of Prior Research in Distance Learning20

CHAPTER 03: METHODOLOGY22

3. 1Research Philosophy22

3. 2Research Design23

3. 3Data Collection Method23

3. 4Qualitative and Quantitative Data24

3. 5Data Analysis25

3. 6Resources and Costs25

3. 7Validity and Reliability25

CHAPTER 04: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS27

4.1Email/Questionnaire Survey Findings and Analysis27

CHAPTER 05: CONCLUSIONS37

5.1Recommendations for Further Research39

5.2Possible Limitations of the Study40

REFERENCES41

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Gender of Questionnaire Respondents26

Table 2: Age of Questionnaire Respondents28

Table 3: Occupation of Questionnaire Respondents29

Table 4: Preferred medium of studying/working31

Table 5: Using multimedia technologies for learning.33

Table 6: Influence of multimedia in changing the whole educational environment34

LIST OF FIGURES

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