Stages of development and prospects of multimedia technology.

The English word for multimedia is Multimedia, which consists of two parts: media and multi. It is generally understood as the synthesis of multiple media.

Multimedia technology is not a simple composite of various information media, it is a combination of text (Text), graphics (Graphics), images (Images), animation (Animation) and sound (Sound) and other forms of information, and through the computer for integrated processing and control, can support the completion of a series of interactive operations of the Information technology. The development of multimedia technology has changed the use of computers in the field, so that the computer from the office, laboratory specialties into a common tool of the information society, widely used in industrial production management, school education, public **** information consulting, commercial advertising, military command and training, and even family life and entertainment and other fields.

Multimedia technology has the following main features:

(1) integration of information can be multi-channel unified access, storage, organization and synthesis.

(2) control Multimedia technology is a computer-centered, integrated processing and control of multimedia information, and according to the requirements of the people in a variety of media forms to show, at the same time, the role of a variety of human senses.

(3) Interactivity Interactivity is a multimedia application is different from the traditional information exchange media, one of the main features. Traditional information exchange media can only one-way, passive dissemination of information, while multimedia technology can realize the active selection and control of information.

(4) non-linear The non-linear characteristics of multimedia technology will change the traditional sequential reading and writing mode. In the past, people read and write most of the chapters, sections, pages of the framework, step-by-step access to knowledge, and multimedia technology will be the use of Hyper Text Link (Hyper Text Link) method, the content of a more flexible, more varied way to present to the reader.

(5) Real-time When the user gives an operation command, the corresponding multimedia information can be controlled in real time.

(6) the ease of use of information users can use the information in accordance with their own needs, interests, task requirements, preferences and cognitive characteristics, any choice of graphic, text, sound and other forms of information expression.

(7) Dynamics of the information structure "Multimedia is a never-ending book", users can re-organize the information in accordance with their own purposes and cognitive characteristics, adding, deleting or modifying the nodes, re-establishing the chain

1.2 Files

A variety of coded data representing the media are in the form of files in the computer. computers are stored in the form of files, which are collections of binary data. The naming of files follows specific rules, generally consisting of two parts: the main name and the extension, separated by "." between the main name and the extension, and the extension is used to represent the file. Separated from the extension, the extension is used to indicate the type of format of the file.

1.3 Types and Features of Multimedia Information

(1) Text Text is a form of information expressed in words and a variety of specialized symbols, which is the most used in real life, a form of information storage and transmission. Using text to express information gives people full imagination, it is mainly used for the descriptive representation of knowledge, such as the elaboration of concepts, definitions, principles and problems as well as the display of titles, menus and other content.

(2) Image Image is one of the most important forms of information expression in multimedia software, it is the key factor in determining the visual effect of a multimedia software.

(3) animation Animation is the use of human visual characteristics of the temporary, rapid playback of a series of continuous movement changes in the graphic image, including the picture of the zoom, rotate, change, fade and other special effects. Through animation can visualize the abstract content, make many difficult to understand the teaching content become vivid and interesting. Reasonable use of animation can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

(4) sound Sound is one of the most convenient and familiar ways that people use to transmit information and communicate their feelings. In the multimedia courseware, according to its form of expression, the sound can be divided into explanation, music, effects of three categories.

(5) video images Video images have a chronological and rich information content, often used to explain the development of things. Video is very similar to the familiar movie and television, sound and color, in the multimedia plays an important role.

1.4 Multimedia computer system

Multimedia computer system is not a single technology, but a variety of information technology integration, is a variety of technologies into a computer system, to achieve the information input, information processing, information output and other functions.

A complete multimedia computer system consists of multimedia computer hardware and multimedia computer software in two parts.

A multimedia computer hardware

Multimedia computer hardware in addition to conventional hardware such as the host computer, floppy disk drives, hard disk drives, monitors, network cards, in addition to audio information processing hardware, video information processing hardware and CD-ROM drives and other parts.

(1) audio card (Sound Card) used to process audio information, it can microphone, tape recorder, electronic musical instruments and other input sound information for analog-to-digital conversion (A/D), compression and other processing, but also after the computer processing of digital sound signals through the restoration (decompression), digital-to-analog conversion (D / A) after the speakers to play out, or recording equipment with the Recording.

(2) Video Card (Video Card) is used to support the input and output of video signals (such as television).

(3) capture card can be converted to digital television signals into computer signals to facilitate the use of software on the converted digital signal editing, processing and color control. Can also be processed digital signal output to video tape.

(4) scanner Photographic works, paintings or other printed materials on the text and images, and even physical, scanned into the computer for processing.

(5) Optical drive Divided into read-only optical drive (CD-ROM) and read-write optical drive (CD-R, CD-RW), read-write optical drive, also known as burner. Used to read or store large-capacity multimedia information.

Two, multimedia computer software

Multimedia computer operating system must be based on the original expansion of multimedia resource management and information processing functions.

Multimedia editing tools include word processing software, drawing software, image processing software, animation software, sound editing software and video editing software.

Multimedia application software authoring tools (Authoring Tools) used to help application developers to improve the efficiency of the development work, they are largely some application generator, it will be a variety of media materials in accordance with the form of hypertext nodes and the chain structure of the organization, the formation of a multimedia application system. Authorware, Director, Multimedia Tool Book and so on are more famous multimedia creation tools.

1.5 Basic Models of Multimedia Teaching

Teaching model refers to a paradigm of teaching and learning to accomplish the teaching task, which includes the mode of teaching and the mode of learning and related teaching strategies.

(1) Classroom acting teaching mode (classroom explanation teaching mode) This teaching mode has two main ways in classroom teaching: teaching presentation and simulation demonstration.

(2) Individualized teaching mode Individualized teaching mode of multimedia courseware generally includes: introduction part, teaching control, motivation, presentation of teaching information, response to the question, response to the diagnosis, response feedback and remediation, the end.

There are two types of multimedia courseware corresponding to the individualized teaching mode: multimedia teaching materials and teaching aids electronic reading materials.

(3) Computer simulation The issues involved in the simulation mode of teaching are: the basic model, the presentation and performance issues of the simulation, the response and feedback of the system.

(4) Exploratory Teaching Mode The exploratory teaching mode generally consists of the following components: identifying the problem, creating a teaching situation, exploring learning, feedback, and evaluation of learning effects.

Constraints are mainly: Wandering and Disorientation.

(5) Collaborative Teaching Mode

(6) Internet-based Distance Teaching Mode

1.6 Multimedia Computer Teaching System

I. Hardware Environment for Multimedia Computer Teaching

(1) Classroom Demonstration Classroom

(2) Network Classroom

(3) Modern Teaching Resource Center and Electronic Reading Room

(4) Campus Network

II. Multimedia Computer Teaching Software System

(1) Multimedia Material Production Software

Word Processing: Notepad, WritePad, Word, WPS

Graphic Image Processing: PhotoShop, CorelDraw, Freehand

Animation Production: PhotoShop, CorelDraw, Freehand

Word, WPS

Word, WPS

Word, WPS

Word, WPS

Animation: AutoDesk Animator Pro, 3DS MAX, Maya, Flash

Sound processing: Ulead Media Studio, Sound Forge, Cool Edit, Wave Edit

Video processing: Ulead Media Studio, Adobe Premiere

(2) Authoring Tools

Programming Languages: Visual Basic, Visual C, Delphi

Multimedia Authoring System: Authorware, Director, Tool Book, Flash

(3) ) Multimedia computer teaching software

A variety of teaching courseware that can be used for classroom teaching, tutoring, and presentations.

Chapter 2: Structural Design of Multimedia Courseware

2.1 The Development Process of Multimedia Courseware

I. Composition of Multimedia Courseware Development Group

(1) Project Manager

(2) Subject Teaching Experts

(3) Instructional Design Experts

(4) Software Engineers (System Architecture Design) Experts

(5) Software Engineers (System Architecture Design) Experts

(6) Software Engineers (System Architecture Design) (4) Software engineers (system architecture design) experts

(5) Multimedia material production experts

(6) Multimedia courseware production experts

Two, the basic process of multimedia courseware development

(1) Project Definition Selection of the teaching content, feasibility analysis of the courseware design, and the analysis of the courseware requirements (necessity)

(2) Teaching Design Reasonable selection and design of media, using the appropriate media and the appropriate teaching methods, to meet the teaching objectives. Selection and design of media, the use of appropriate teaching modes and teaching strategies.

(3) Structural design Arranging the display of catalog topics, establishing the hierarchical structure and browsing order of information, and determining the cross-jumping relationship between information.

(4) Preparation and production of multimedia materials

(5) Editing and synthesis of courseware

(6) Trial and testing of courseware

(7) Evaluation

(8) Molding of the courseware product

2. 2 Hypertext Hypermedia Structure

Hypertext is a mesh of nodes and chains. Nodes, chains, and networks are the three basic elements that define the structure of hypertext.

I. Nodes

It is the basic unit for storing information, also known as information block, and each node expresses a specific topic, and its size is written according to the actual need without strict limitation.

(1) Text nodes can be used to express ideas, explain concepts, describe phenomena and so on.

(2) Graphic nodes Suitable for expressing the form and structure of things.

(3) Auditory nodes

(4) Audio-visual nodes

(5) Programmatic nodes Usually used "buttons" to show that after entering such nodes, the corresponding program will be launched to complete a specific operation.

II. Chain

Chain represents the connection of information between different nodes. It is from one node to other nodes, or from other nodes to this node. Because the link between the information is ever-changing, colorful, so the chain is also complex and diverse, there is a one-way chain (→), two-way chain (← →) and so on. The strength of the function of the chain directly affects the expressive power of the node, and also affects the structure of the information network and the ability to navigate. Hypertext has a chain to have a nonlinear; with the chain, the user can "along" the chain to find the relevant information. In multimedia courseware, the chain is hidden behind the information, recorded in the system, we can not see the unidirectional or bi-directional lines, but only in the node from one node to another node, will feel the existence of the chain.

There are several basic ways of combining chains:

(1) A linear browsing path

(2) Tree structure

(3) A ringless net

(4) Chunked connections

(5) Arbitrary connections

Three: Network

Hypertextual Information Networks is a directed graph structure, similar to the associative memory structure of the human brain, which uses a nonlinear mesh structure to organize chunks of information. The linkage of information in the hypertext network reflects the pedagogical intentions and strategies of the creator of the courseware. The hypertext network structure not only provides knowledge and information, but also contains the author's analysis, reasoning and integration of information.

If the nodes in the network contain not only text, but also a variety of information such as graphics, animation, sound, and their combinations, i.e., the use of hypertext technology to manage multimedia information, such a system is called hypermedia.

2.3 The basic structure of multimedia courseware

Traditional teaching, teaching information such as textbooks, audio, video, etc., the organization of the structure is linear, which objectively restricts the ability of human free association to play, and the hypertext technology to overcome this shortcoming, the multimedia courseware in the structure of the information is to use this non-linear hypertext way.

Based on the connection relationship between nodes and chains in multimedia courseware, we can summarize the following ways of organizing the structure of teaching content in multimedia courseware: linear structure, tree structure, mesh structure, hybrid structure.

2.4 Structural design

The structural design of multimedia courseware mainly includes the following aspects: the design of nodes, the design of the chain, and the design of the resulting network and learning path.

I. Node Design

The root node is the first node encountered by the learner entering the system for learning, and also the center node to which any other node can return, so the design of the root node is very important. Some common design methods for root nodes are:

(1) General Description The root node is an overview of the entire content, which establishes a link to all major concepts in the knowledge base.

(2) Top-down Using a hierarchical analysis, the root node is the main essential concept at the top.

(3) Menu The root node is a list or table of contents of the main concepts in the knowledge base.

(4) Tutoring The root node is a demonstration of access to other node channels.

II. Design of Chains

The design of chains is mainly concerned with how nodes are linked to each other and how they are represented.

There are three types of chains:

Linear chains, which reflect the order, position, and other relationships between nodes.

Tree chains, reflecting the hierarchical, attributional, analogical and other relationships between nodes, reflecting the semantic-logical connection of the content of the nodes.

Web-like chain, i.e., any node can be linked to each other, such as background, index, examples, highlights, references, etc., reflecting the associations of the creators. The proportion of various types of chains in a hypermedia system depends on domain knowledge, system purpose, and learning characteristics.

III. Network and Learning Path Design

Nodes and chains are organized differently, resulting in different hypermedia system network structures: hierarchical, fine-grained, and dialogic.

Common learning path patterns are: sequential, cyclic, branching, indexing, and mesh.

2.5 Design of Interactive Interface of Multimedia Courseware

I. Basic Concepts of Human-Computer Interface

The design of human-computer interface mainly solves the problems related to human-computer interaction, such as user analysis, task analysis, interaction mode, and the corresponding courseware development process.

II. Design Principles of Friendly Human-Computer Interaction Interface

(1) Determination of Objects of Use

(2) User Controllability

(3) Directness

(4) Agility

(5) Consistency

(6) Feedback

(7) Clarity

(8) Aesthetics

(9) Tolerance

(10) Ease of use

(11) Symbolism

Third, interface design

(1) Window Generally consists of the following parts: title bar, menu bar, flow bar (horizontal, vertical), status bar, and control bar. operating system can be called the model of window technology.

(2) Menus Common menus are: bar menu, pop-up menu, drop-down menu, icon menu and so on. The user's operation of the menu is mainly through the mouse click, and supplemented by the keyboard or touch screen to realize.

(3) Icons Icons are commonly used as a graphical interface object, which is a small, with simple graphical symbols. Its design is based on the idea of metaphor and simulation. Icons help users to easily invoke functions through the interface.

(4) Buttons Common types of buttons include: Windows style buttons, blinking buttons, animated graphic buttons, hot zone (Hotspot) style buttons, text buttons, graphic buttons, etc.

(5) dialog box is a pop-up window, when the courseware running, in addition to a variety of options and key operations, the system can also provide a dialog box when needed to allow users to enter more detailed information, and through the dialog box to interact with the user. It is also one of the interface technologies that fully embodies the characteristics of multimedia human-computer interaction.

Four, screen design

(1) cover (title) screen

The first page of the courseware is the cover, which should make it clear to students that this is the beginning of a course. The cover screen typically includes: course name, author of the courseware, when it was created, and copyright.

(2) Main Interface Screens

The courseware is all about providing the learner with a selection of instructional content through the main interface, similar to the table of contents of our books.

(3) Teaching screen

The teaching screen is the screen image of the multimedia courseware to carry out teaching activities, but also the focus of the courseware design.

V. Design Methods of Friendly Human-Computer Interaction Interface

(1) Design of Display Colors It is necessary to correctly select the color tone and note the contrast, unity and harmony

(2) Transformation and Animation Between Screens Transformation between screens appropriately uses fade-in, fade-out, superimposed, split, shuttering, mosaics and other transition effects.

(3) Sound Processing and Narration Sound processing often adopts a sampling frequency of 44.1kHz or 22.05kHz, so as to obtain satisfactory results. The narration requires that each sentence and each word should be closely related to the picture and accurately express the content. The words should be vivid, simple, and concise, and the voice should be clear. The commentary should not exceed three words per second.

2.6 Multimedia courseware navigation design

I. Getting lost

Learners in the use of multimedia courseware, can not find the corresponding node, called lost. Common types of getting lost are: global getting lost, local getting lost, and historical getting lost.

Two, navigation design

In order to avoid learners roaming in the multimedia courseware when the phenomenon of lost, in the design of multimedia courseware must be related to the design of navigation. Common navigation methods in multimedia courseware are as follows: hierarchical navigation, jump, map, back, history list, bookmarks, find, online help.

Three, navigation interface

Common navigation interface techniques are the following: menus, buttons, fonts and colors, images, dynamic expression.

2.7 Description of the structural design of multimedia courseware - scripting

After completing the structural analysis of the multimedia courseware, an effective method must be adopted to describe the results of the structural design phase, so that the multimedia courseware producers can understand the intentions of the structural designer, and thus design a multimedia courseware that The results of the multimedia courseware design phase must be described in an effective way so that the multimedia courseware producers can understand the intention of the structural designer and design multimedia courseware that meets the requirements. The tool for describing the results of the design phase of a multimedia courseware is a script, which is the direct basis for multimedia developers to create multimedia courseware.

One, the beginning and the end of the design

The beginning of the title mainly describes the name of the multimedia courseware, the author, the copyright and so on. The end of the film mainly explains the production of multimedia courseware and information provided by the unit or person, thank you. Generally use graphics, animation, sound and other means to enhance the artistic atmosphere of the courseware and infectious.

Two, the main interface design

The main interface is generally the first screen for teaching, usually using menus, icons, hot zones, etc., to provide choices about the learning content, which is the general navigation of multimedia courseware.

Three, teaching screen design

The teaching screen is the main place for multimedia courseware to complete the teaching task, in the multimedia courseware, in addition to the cover, end credits, the main interface, the rest of the screen are teaching screen. Teaching screen reflects certain educational ideas, teaching process and teaching strategies, reflecting the logical relationship between the knowledge points.

Multimedia is a combination of computer and video technology, in fact it is two media; sound and image, or in today's terminology: audio and television. Multimedia itself has two aspects, and like all modern technology it consists of a mixture of hardware and software, or machines and ideas. It is possible to make a conceptual distinction between multimedia technologies and functions as control systems and information. Multimedia is made possible by digital technology. Multimedia represents the convergence of digital control and digital media, the computer being the digital control system and digital media being the most advanced form of storage and distribution of audio and video today. In fact some people simply think of multimedia as a combination of computers and television. Multimedia was born when computers reached a level of capability to process television and sound data streams in real time. Multimedia computers need to be more capable than mainstream computers, and multimedia computers dictate the development of mainstream computers. The main things that distinguish a regular computer from a multimedia computer are sound cards and read-only CD-ROM drives. The CD-ROM is the main storage and exchange medium for multimedia. Without this handy CD-ROM, the computer industry would not be able to sell the hundreds of megabytes of audio, visual, and textual data that make up multimedia programs, and you wouldn't be able to buy multimedia.

It is now possible to answer what multimedia is. It's not just one thing, but a complex combination of many things: hardware, software, and the interface where the two meet. No, we're also forgetting one of the most important things . Multimedia also includes you. Ahem, that is! With multimedia, you are no longer a passive audience; you can control it, you can interact with it, you can make it do what you need it to do. In a report, you can ignore the useless stuff and go straight to the important data, and you can compile a collection of reports and pictures from all over the world that are of interest. That's the power of multimedia and what separates it from traditional media such as books and television.

What can multimedia do? It presents information, communicates ideas and expresses emotions. It lets you see, hear and understand other people's thoughts. In other words, it is a form of communication. Sound, images, graphics, text, etc. are understood as media that carry information and called multimedia is actually not accurate, because it is easy to be confused with those material media (also known as media) that carry information for transmission and storage, such as electromagnetic waves, light, air waves, electric currents, and magnetic media. However, the term or term multimedia has now become almost synonymous with text, graphics, images and sound, that is, it is generally believed that multimedia is a combination of sound, images and graphics, etc., so in the general article has been used in this less accurate word. The current popular concept of multimedia, mainly refers to text, graphics, images, sound and other human organs can directly feel and understand a variety of information types, which has become a narrower understanding of multimedia.

In the field of computers and communications, we refer to the body of information, graphics, sound, images, animation, can be called media. From the point of view of computer and communications equipment to process information, we can be natural and human society original information exists in the form of - data, text, audible language, sound, painting, animation, images (static photographs and dynamic film, television and video), etc., attributed to three of the most basic media: sound, graphics, text. Traditional computers are only able to deal with single media --- "text". TV is able to disseminate sound, picture and text into information, but it is not a multimedia system. Through TV, we can only receive information passively in one direction, but cannot process information actively in two directions, without the so-called interactivity. Although the visual telephone has interactivity, but we can only hear the voice, see the image of the talker, also is not multimedia. The so-called multimedia refers to the technology that can simultaneously capture, process, edit, store and display two or more different types of information media, including text, sound, graphics, images, animation and moving images.

In daily life, there are many things called media, such as bees are the media that spread pollen, flies are the media that spread germs. But to be precise, these so-called "media" are communication media, not what we call multimedia in the "media", because these communication media are spreading some kind of material entities, and text, sound, images, graphics, these are not material entities, they are just the surface of some properties of objective things. They are only the surface characteristics of some properties of objective things, is a kind of information representation. What we call "media" in the field of computers and communications, is the carrier of information storage, dissemination and expression, and not the general medium and medium.

Conceptually accurate, multimedia in the "media" should refer to a form of expression of a certain information content, the same can be known, we refer to multimedia, should be a variety of ways of expressing information or a variety of types of information, naturally, we can use the concept of multimedia information to indicate that contain Naturally, we can use the concept of multimedia information to represent a comprehensive type of information that contains different types of information such as text information, graphic information, image information and sound information.

In short, because the most essential concept of information is the surface characteristics of the properties of objective things, its expression is a variety of ways, therefore, a more accurate and comprehensive definition of multimedia, it should refer to a variety of information types of synthesis.

These media can be graphics, images, sound, text, video, animation and other forms of information representation, but also monitors, speakers, televisions and other information display devices, transfer of information, optical fibers, cables, electromagnetic waves, and other intermediary media, but also storage of information can be stored information on disks, CD-ROMs, tapes and other storage entities.