Quizlet- Multimedia Critique Paper #2

Corey Chuhaloff

March 17, 2017

The selected multimedia tool is Quizlet. I chose Quizlet to critic as a good multimedia learning
tool because I have found the effectiveness of the websites resources, multi-learning student
components, and the reading and comprehension scores with informational text which includes
content vocabulary to improve greatly when this tool is in use. Quizlet is a website that can aid
in the creation of a vocabulary list which includes: a definition for each vocabulary term, and a
picture that matches the definition. In addition to the vocabulary list Quizlet can digitally create
a quiz (test) from that vocabulary list to assess students on content vocabulary.

There are several functions of this multimedia tool that aids in its effectiveness as a free
vocabulary resource. The first function that is used frequently is the Learn function. The virtual
flashcards which are created by the teacher or student can be shuffled and flipped in different
ways to assist in the learning of the content vocabulary. Following the Learn function, the Test
function is used as an assessment tool to practice vocabulary terms which matching
definitions/pictures, comparing term definitions/pictures with true and false questions, and
multiple choice questions using the definitions/pictures that matches the best term choice. The
last two functions are related to vocabulary review and recall, they are Match and Quizlet Live.
The first of the two, Match, is a review and recall game where students must click and drag
words to match definitions and vice versa in the shortest amount of time. Quizlet Live is a small
group class competition review and recall game where students must read a definition and one of
their teammates or they may have the matching term in order to continue. The team or small
groups of students work collaboratively in friendly and engaging review and recall.

The multi-learning student components that Quizlet provides allows for student to select content
vocabulary related practice that align with their individual learning styles. Learning styles refers
to the way students learn. Each student may prefer a specific mode of instruction, therefore
when assessing a learners learning style questions may relate to presentation modes they prefer.
For example, students prefer words and pictures versus just words/lecture style presentation and
exploration versus lecture. Once learning styles are established students with one learning style
achieve the best educational outcome when they receive instruction within that instructional
method (pg. 105). Learning styles arent one size fits all. Therefore, instruction that does not
appeal to all learning styles may contest when the achievement level is not continuously rising.
When selecting a multimedia learning tool, the research has shown that high-information
instruction is more beneficial for novices compared to experienced learners (pg.410). The
instruction is directly related to prior knowledge and learning experience. Learners with a
limited practice or less prior knowledge will need a more explicit instructional guidance
multimedia tool or presentation (pg. 413). When information presented to learners increases the
direct effect on the student is that they process and learn less, than if the presentation included
redundancy or extraneous material. Working memory capacity is related to the selection of
multimedia tools when providing instruction for individual differences. Therefore, Quizlet
provides multi-learning components that cater to individual learning needs.
When reading and comprehension of informational text are two of the areas where lower
achieving students struggle with, including these two pieces into the content areas are critical.
Quizlet provides words with pictures that help students make connections to content vocabulary.
The multiple options for multimedia tools are infinite because multimedia learning occurs within
any combinations of words and pictures. Yet, learner centered multimedia is more beneficial to
meaningful learning rather than rote learning (pg. 15). Therefore, any form of technology that
presents words and pictures using two or more media is multimedia. Sensory modalities view is
when the multimedia being used requires auditory and visual senses, which includes narration
and animation or simply lecture and slide decks (pg. 16). Words are presented as printed text or
spoken text, meanwhile the images are processed visually (pg. 16). Multimedia learning
involves learners building mental representations from words and pictures (pg. 16). While
multimedia instruction involves the designing of multimedia learning environments in order to
help the learners develop those mental representations (pg. 17). The two types of instruction for
teaching with multimedia are technology-centered and learner-centered. Quizlet is by far using
the learner-centered approach, which focuses on how the human mind works rather than just
giving them access to technology. The advantage to the learner-centered approach is that
multimedia designs are consistent with the way humans process information which is more
effective and engaging.

Multimedia learning is a sense-making activity which takes place when the learner seeks to build
a coherent mental representation from presented material (pg. 27). Also, the learners experience
should include making sense of the presented material, which can be affected by the teacher.
There are several factors that may contribute to selecting the proper instructional method to
accommodate multiple learning styles, reading levels, and comprehension skills they include:
differences in educational background, differences in reading level, different levels of
comprehension, and prior knowledge (pg. 108). The learning style hypothesis states that
learning will be ineffective if the learner receives instruction that does not take account of the
learners learning style (pg. 108). Therefore, if we learn in a variety of ways than so our students
and the instructional methods that we plan for and multimedia tools that we select may not be the
best way that our students learn. In conclusion, individualizing instruction to the learners style
allows for greater achievement and an increased learning outcome than by not (pg. 108).

Quizlet is also an extremely useful tool throughout an entire unit of study, as well as for end of
the year standardized test review. I use Quizlet to present the vocabulary that the students will be
using the week prior to their weekly formative assessments. I also use the Quizlet vocabulary
sets to review with students in class before a large test or just to remind them of the vocabulary
they need to know. Students use the vocabulary sets to create mini-projects throughout the unit
or even as a unit project. Quizlet has improved students understanding of science concepts
greatly. The teacher or students made sets (vocabulary words) are used in a mini project where
the students are required to use the words in ways of their choosing. The Frayer Model is a
vocabulary strategy that I assign to the students in order to get them to use the words. The model
requires word, definition, sentence, and picture which all requirements come from Quizlet except
for the sentence portion.

With learner-centered multimedia tools available to students and teachers the effectiveness of
Quizlets resources, the multi-learning student components, and the reading and comprehension
scores with informational text have resulted in improved growth on district and state
assessments. With the principles and theories backing Quizlet this multimedia tool would be a
great instructional tool for all learners. Strategies for design and planning have an advantage
when the multimedia principle is at the base of their design or plan. The multimedia principle
emphasizes that people learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone (pg.
44). There are three assumptions pertaining to how humans interpret messages found in
multimedia presentations, they are: dual channel, limited capacity, and active processing. First,
dual-channel assumption is that humans possess separate channels for processing pictorial and
auditory information (pg. 47). Each channel processes using two different modes: representation
mode and sensory mode. Within the representation mode approach the objective is to identify
the presented information as verbal or nonverbal (pg. 47). The use of this mode approach
explains that one channel processes verbal information and the other channel processes
nonverbal information, similar to Paivios dual-coding theory (pg. 47). The second approach for
multimedia learning is sensory-modality approach. This approach focuses on whether the learner
first processes the material or message through their eyes or their ears (pg. 47). All in all, the
difference in multimedia learning relies on the processing of printed words and background
sounds or narration (pg. 47).

Websites Resources and Vocabulary Lists

https://quizlet.com/_32bzlx

https://quizlet.com/_38isg2
Kalyuga, S. (2014) The expertise reversal principle in multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.),
The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. (pp. 576-597). New York: Cambridge. (e.g.
Chapter 24)

Wiley, J., Sanchez, C. A., & Jaeger, A. J. (2014). The individual differences in working memory
capacity principle in multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of
Multimedia Learning. (pp. 598-619). New York: Cambridge. (e.g. Chapter 25)

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning Styles: Concepts and
Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 10119.

McCarthy, J. (2014, August 13). How Learning Profiles Can Strengthen Your Teaching.
Retrieved March 03, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-profiles-john-mccarthy

Mayer, R. E. (2014) Introduction to multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), The

Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. (pp. 1-26). New York: Cambridge.
(e.g. Chapter 1)

Mayer, R. E. (2014) Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.),

The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. (pp. 43-71). New York:
Cambridge. (e.g. Chapter 3)