Webpages and Video & Audio
How important are video and audio for internet use? Why do we wait the extra time for these media types, but not text and images?
posted by CDK & Technology in the Classroom @ 2:50 PM
TECS 822 Hypermedia & Hypertext
About Me
- Name: CDK & Technology in the Classroom
- Location: Hays, Kansas, United States
My undergrate degree is from Florida State University, and as we all know the undergrate degree is the one that holds the most memories. I grew up in Largo, Florida. How I ended up in Hays Kansas, will forever remain a mystery.
Previous Posts
- Really Ugly Website Reflection
- Top 10 Champions
- Media Libriaries & CSS
- URL for Your Own Blog
- Post your URL
- Site Idea
- Rule Breakers Websites
- Introduce Yourself
- URL for Free Hosting
- So, where are you in the process?
10 Comments:
Unlike text and images, I believe that audio and video touches the users affective domains. People are better able to relate and connect emotionally to a website if the designer has incorporated audio and video because they are using more than just the cognitive part of the brain. Most people use the internet to find information. (Cognitive domain). But when their emotions begin to play a part in their learning, the user is more likely to remember the information they discovered. It is wise for web designers to use these aspects of web design, because I believe they will be able to reach more people in the long run. Same applies to teachers...if students are better able to make connections during the learning process through the use of audio and visual tools, we should supply our students with information in these forms.
Audio and video are extremely important for Internet use particularly in that the Internet can offer more stumuli for students/learners/surfers than just the printed page. In a textbook, nothing can be clicked on or ‘heard’ or ‘seen.’ On the Internet, in an eBook, one can listen to the story being read, see images or digital movies/clips, and look up more information on any particular topic.
We wait the extra time for these things to download because, usually, they are worth the wait and have substantial support for the information on the web page. However, the pitfall is that if the audio/video does not compliment the page, readers will be upset that they had to wait for nothing. Humans by nature are visual learners in the first place. If we can see it in action, we retain the information much longer than if someone simply describes it to us. We also wait the extra time to “cut to the chase” in today’s instant society.
Audio and video are what make things exciting for most people. Words on a page, even with a few basic graphics, are everywhere, but audio and video effects added to a page make the site unique by leaps and bounds.
Individuals are stimulated and learn in a variety of ways. By adding audio and video to a website, you will reach and entice a greater number of people. These effects touch us in a more thrilling, emotional way. For example, hearing about the Holocaust is not nearly as meaningful as seeing a movie or hearing sounds of what those people went through. We feel for them because the audio/video components grab at our emotions and brains so that we remember it much longer. The same effect can come from something you see or hear from the Internet.
Audio and video are media types that can really add to a site, but it can also make a site very annoying and hard to look at. For example, if a site has too many sound or video files, it can take forever to load. Next, sound files that are there only for sound effects can be annoying. If it is a theme song for a product, that can be entertaining. On one of my bad sites, a business used old country tunes for its opening. They were annoying and there was no way to skip the Intro. A site producer needs to remember that not all people will like the same music, so they will have to either leave it off, or try to match their main audience. When it comes to news stories, or items like that, audio and video can really add to the effect of the site. It is one thing to read the text of a story, it is another to see the actual reporter telling about the story. People with reading difficulties would find this useful as well.
Tom Winters - Plainville
I think video and audio use is important on the internet, because it adds another dimension to our visual experience. After all, there are different types of learners. Some are kinesthetic and learn by doing, others are auditory and too much visual stimulation can actually detract from their learning experience. For those of us who are primarily visual learners, me truly, the internet offers an optimum learning environment.
Yet, even visual learners can experience visual overload. Hence, the addition of video and audio offers a little something for everyone. Of course, for those who are visually impaired too many buttons and roll overs can really be annoying, as many screen readers will verbally identify “everything” on the screen and menu, unless otherwise programmed. The point is we all have our preferences and the more pathways you can connect with the more people will be drawn to what you have to offer.
I think video and audio will continue to be important as Internet connections improve. Most people do not mind waiting for these, because users generally believe that if the website designer went to the trouble of putting video and/or audio on their site, it is likely going to be worth waiting for it to load. I personally like the advances that have been made with streaming audio, but streaming video still needs to be improved a lot for it to be used on a regular basis. For me having to wait on text and graphics is frustrating, because often the same information can be found quicker somewhere else on the World-Wide-Web.
I think having some sites with audio and video is essential for students to really grasp the information. It appears much more "real" for a student to see and hear a historical event than to just read about it. If the web page designer is good, they know how to load audio and video so it won't take forever to load. I think there is a fine line between too much and not enough media available on sites. Some designers add audio and video just because they can - that's for the wrong reasons... I guess one negative to video being online is that minors may be able to access uncensored content more readily than if it wasn't available online. Audio has been very essential in medical education for the teaching of heart and lung sounds. Also applicable to learning to read music or play a guitar.
Audio and video certainly add another element to a site. It is kind of like teaching in that some people are more visual learners, others more auditory. If there are just text and graphics on a page, the user may not get the full effect as they would if there was audio and video. It helps stimulate the user and makes them want to come back. I think we wait on it to load because we as users enjoy the anticipation and want to see what it has to offer. If we like what we see, we are likely to come back to the site and utilize it again. It is kind of like the anticipation of seeing a new movie and having to wait to see it after you see the trailer, then once you see it, you may see it again.
Video and audio allows people to use another sense, hearing. This combined with the action and motion adds so much to the experience. Sadly, it is why many people choose to watch TV instead of read books.
Audio and video also can give more information much quicker than text. And often times it can inform in a more understandable way.
We are in a multimedia world, and people love video and audio. It is a quick fix for mass information.
Video and audio are what stimulate our senses. These are like dessert. Sometimes we'll skip our lunch just to eat dessert. Webpages are the same. If I'm looking for sound or video, I'll wait as long as it takes to download what it is I'm looking for. Another reason we'll wait that long is the fact that you don't have as many choices when it comes to finding audio and video. For example, if I'm looking for an article about something there's a good chance I can find many sources. If one doesn't open up quick enough for me, no problem, I'll got to a different one. If I'm lucky enough to find the exact song I'm looking for or the right video, I probably don't have much of a choice of finding another one so I'll wait, and usually it's worth the wait.
Post a Comment
<< Home