This chapter might have been titled, “What You Always Wanted to Know About Multimedia but Were Afraid to Ask.” We've found that when we talk about technology, it's generally better to err on the side of explaining too much, not too little. If you're already an experienced multimedia author and producer, feel free to skip this chapter. It's intended to provide teachers new to multimedia with enough information to have a successful first experience with project-based multimedia learning.

What does the term multimedia really mean? Though actually plural in its spelling, multimedia represents a “singular” integration of media objects, such as text, graphics, video, animation, and sound, to represent and convey information. (Don't be put off by the term “objects.” Substitute “elements” or “ingredients” or simply “stuff.”) Although not all types of media objects must be included in a given presentation, multimedia gets its name because at least several such media elements are combined in one communication.

Multimedia Is a Communication Tool