Learning Reflection Report
Revisit the Plan
Throughout this course, I discovered how learning theories directly inform the design of interactive and multimedia experiences. One of the things I have enjoyed the most this semester was the opportunity to engage in creative work. Being given Challenges A, B, and C with gradual, structured steps helped me bring my projects to life in a way that felt manageable and motivating. When I look back at the beginning of the semester, when I first read the multimedia learning principles, I wasn’t really able to apply them meaningfully to my own thinking. Now, after repeatedly using them in my projects, I recognize how deeply they shaped my learning experience. Principles such as dual coding, coherence, active processing, and segmenting were not just ideas we learned, but they were embedded into the course design itself.
Another area where I saw my learning develop was in reflective learning. Coming from a BSc Psychology program, I rarely have opportunities to write reflectively. Most of my writing involves summarizing studies or interpreting data. At first, being asked to connect multimedia design principles to peer feedback and creative choices felt difficult and unnatural. As I engaged with the principles repeatedly, I found it increasingly easy to connect theory to practice. The feedback I received from Adrian made a significant impact on this progress. I learn best through clear, specific critique, and the detailed comments on each assignment helped me understand precisely where and how to improve. This process pushed me to write more thoughtfully and intentionally than I am used to, and successfully navigate applying a descriptive interactive multimedia design.
I additionally discovered how to use GenAI as a creative tool, particularly in my comic project. I used ChatGPT to generate a character based on a detailed description I wrote. This took many trials before I achieved the result I wanted, and through that process, I learned that detail and precision are essential when working with AI. From this experience, I was able to use AI as a support for this specific creative activity.
Altogether, revisiting the objectives now, I believe I not only met them but also developed a deeper, more practical understanding of multimedia learning and design.
Identify the Turbulence
My most challenging concept to master was using unfamiliar multimedia formats, especially in the comic and video projects. At first, I was frustrated trying to create a final comic product because the AI tools I experimented with couldn’t generate the cartoon style I envisioned. Eventually, I problem-solved by using ChatGPT only to generate a character with three expressions, and then used my iPad to design the remaining elements myself. Overcoming this frustration on my own gave me confidence that I could handle technical challenges in future assignments. When I reached the video project, I ran into more technical issues, but because I had already navigated similar problems during the comic project, I approached them with much more confidence. This process rekindled a type of creative problem-solving skill I hadn’t used in years, so much so that I actually wanted to take the lead in designing my group’s final project for Challenge C.
Evidence of Growth
My perspective shifted in a meaningful way over the course of the semester. At the beginning, my reflections felt short and not very in-depth. However, through each project, assignment, and post, I became more engaged and active in the course. A strong example of this growth emerged in my substantive post responses. Initially, I would read a post and reply quickly without using depth in my thinking. After the first challenge, I found myself wanting to engage more intentionally. I began taking the time to seek out classmates’ posts that genuinely interested me and respond thoughtfully.
This not only helped me form more meaningful interpretations of their ideas but also gave me a deeper understanding of many of the concepts discussed in the course. Although this type of growth is difficult to show on paper, it significantly shifted my personal trajectory, from feeling like a student passively receiving content to someone actively engaging with and making sense of the material.
Next Destination
Multimedia in education is incredibly important because it opens up a wider range of learning opportunities and makes content more accessible. This course feels especially relevant to me because I am going into elementary education. I can already imagine implementing many of the skills I learned. A major theme for me throughout this course has been how I can use multimedia learning principles to create the best learning environments for my future students. The theories we studied taught me how to design instructional materials that reduce cognitive load and support understanding. The challenges showed me how flexible teaching can be when content is presented in different modes beyond traditional lecture and note-taking. I now feel equipped to design learning experiences that are creative and accessible for a very large range of learners.