Learning Reflection Report
Throughout this course, I have gained a deeper understanding of how learning and multimedia design connect to our educational experiences. When I first began, I didn’t think much about how people process information or how cognitive load plays a role in understanding. I mostly focused on content, not how the delivery of that content affects the learner. But revisiting the course objectives now, I can see how much my thinking has shifted with more overall recognition.
Before this course, I didn’t think much about how people process information or how cognitive load plays a role in understanding. Now I pay attention to how design choices help my learning process. As a psychology major, I am constantly learning how the brain works and how information is processed. It’s funny how in my class about how we learn, the slides are plain and boring and don’t show any acknowledgement of cognitive load. After this course, I think about that a lot. I have learned that the benefits of the different kinds of media you intake when learning truly affect your overall knowledge retention. I am excited to start implementing the tools I have learned in this class into my own learning.
As I worked through this course, I began to understand how learning informs interactive and multimedia experiences. I noticed how certain choices, like simplifying visuals, pacing content, or limiting distractions, made a difference in whether something felt understandable or overwhelming. I also learned how storytelling principles support learning by giving structure, context, and emotional engagement. Even something as small as how I framed an explanation in my comic changed the way the content was received.
Planning educational resources using multimedia design principles became easier for me as the course went on and I read more and more about it. I paid attention to layouts, clarity, accessibility, and the overall ease of information. Even when I struggled with the technical side, I understood why certain design decisions mattered and did my best at implementing them.
This class was quite difficult for me. As someone who struggles with figuring out simple laptop functions, a fully online class was a hard concept for me to fully grasp. The purpose of this course was to introduce multimedia learning theory and show how different types of media can be used in teaching and learning. The course focused on looking at how to design and evaluate media-rich educational experiences, whether they are textual, audio, visual, interactive, immersive, or augmented. This course was very out of my comfort zone because I have always found it difficult to do anything that requires online design.
For Challenge A I chose to make my comic strip on paper and draw everything out. While I think I did a good job at understanding the concept, my turbulence stemmed from my inability to use different types of media effectively. I didn’t really push myself by using different kinds of media, which is the whole point of this course! It was frustrating to feel limited not by creativity but by my own discomfort with digital tools. I needed to push myself out of this technology barrier and show some growth!
By the time I reached Challenge C, video making, I expected this to go horribly. Although I definitely didn’t create a cinematic masterpiece by any means, I got out of my comfort zone in a way I hadn’t earlier in the semester. I used my drawing skills and made a stop-motion video to the best of my ability. This is where I felt I showed my learning the most. I represented my understanding through my simple video style and engaging drawings, and I finally pushed myself to combine multiple types of media instead of avoiding them.
Looking back at my discussion posts, challenges, and peer feedback, I can see how my awareness of multimedia design principles strengthened over time. My early work was safe and familiar, but by the end, I was more confident in my technological abilities and felt good about the work I was producing.
Looking ahead, I see a lot of potential for multimedia in education. Multimedia can simplify difficult ideas, engage learners who struggle with reading, and make learning feel more interactive and personal. I can imagine using these skills not only in future psychology courses but also when creating presentations, study materials, or my possible teaching career