Hi Julia,

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the importance of interactive and multimedia learning. I’m looking forward to working with you throughout this course! Thank you for sharing your experience with overusing gifs, and how to use them more effectively. I, too, have a tendency to overuse gifs, images, animations, bright colours, etc. when creating digital presentations in an attempt to make them more engaging. However, it’s very true that an overabundance can be overwhelming and distracting for many students, thus taking away from their learning experience. (By the way- you totally nailed it with the “How I Met Your Mother” gif you included 😉)

Also, the video gave a very clear and straightforward explanation about UDL. I found it interesting how they compared a universally designed building to the universal design for learning. I never thought about it this way, but it is true that if you design a building for those in the margins (i.e. a ramp instead of stairs), then it will be accessible for everyone. Similarly, lessons that are designed to accommodate students with special needs, ensures that all students will have opportunities for success.

References:

https://juliafalzon.home.blog/category/multimedia/edci-337-blog/