Students’ perceptions about use of multimedia projectors for information transfer in class room - A single center experience.

Abstract

Use of modern tools like multimedia has revolutionized the mode of information transfer. The current study, is therefore, aimed to know about the use of multimedia as tool for contents to be taught. Students’ perceptions were noted about three possible situations (lecturing without multimedia, lecturing with multimedia and use of multimedia only for lecturing) for information transfer with support of multimedia tools. Of the total 12 teachers, 17% were using lecturing without multimedia, 33% were using lecturing with multimedia and 50% used only multimedia to transfer information. Interestingly, of the total 56 respondents, only 20% preferred lecturing without use of multimedia with claims that it gives students time to digest the information.  More participants (80%) preferred the use of multimedia during lecturing as it helped them to get a clear picture and concept mapping of contents being taught in this modality. Learners’ key reasons for liking of lecturing with multimedia were gaining full attention, concept mapping, correlating the use of white board with multimedia slides (more clearly explaining) that ultimately motivates learners perhaps for self-directed learning. However, use of pure multimedia without use of white board is not liked by learners with key reasons boring, only reading, superficial knowledge and pushy habit of teacher to finish the course.  It is therefore, recommended that teacher should present the contents through lecturing with use of multimedia and white board to promote deep learning through concept mapping.