Final Portfolio
Introduction
Before taking EDCI 337, I had little understanding of multimedia and interactive learning. I initially believed that multimedia involved using multiple forms of media to make learning visually appealing. Throughout this course, I learned that effective multimedia design is much more than the aesthetics. It requires an understanding of how people learn by applying design principle to reduce cognitive overload and improve learning. While lectures and guest speakers helped form a new understanding of multimedia design, my core learning came from using these principle hands on in my 5040 Peak multimedia story.
Learning Outcome #1
Contextualize how learning informs interactive and multimedia experiences.
This course taught me how multimedia design supports the way people naturally process information and not just the aesthetic of the content. From theories of multimedia learning University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025) describes dual coding theory which explains that learners process information through separate visual and auditory channels which allows learners to process information at the same time.
I applied this learning outcome in my 5040 peak hiking story. Rather than simply presenting random photos and videos from the hike. I intentionally structured the story chronologically so the viewers could follow the experience from preparation, reaching summit, descent, and post hike reflection. Understanding how learners process information helped curate my story to follow the multimedia learning principles. The principles I incorporated in my story is the Coherence Principle, Signalling Principle, Segmenting Principle, Modality Principle, Pre-training Principle, and Redundancy Principle.
Learning Outcome #2
Apply multimedia design principles in planning your educational resources.
How I incorporated multimedia learning principles in my multimedia 5040 Peak story.
Wiley. (2016) explains the multimedia learning principles using a structured table. I applied these principles by removing unnecessary images and information that did not contribute to the main story. These principles reduced distractions and allowed viewers to focus on the main stages of the hike.
To reduce extraneous load, I considered signalling principle which included text overlays, narration and visual cues to emphasize important parts of hike. The moment I highlighted was elevation gain, challenging section of trail, reaching summit, and the descent.
To manage intrinsic load, I applied the segmenting principle by breaking my story up into clear stages of my journey. Rather than presenting the hike as one continues stream, this allows viewers to process each stage of the experience at their own pace.
To reduce extraneous load, I applied the modality principle by combining visuals with spoken narration rather than rely solely on text. Throughout my project, I provided audios along with visuals to explain my journey and allowing expression to capture the journey.
To manage intrinsic load, I applied the pre-training principle by first providing viewers of background context before the journey itself. Like explaining all the gear, food and the map to the destination.
To reduce extraneous load, I applied the redundancy principle by avoiding duplicate information to prevent unnecessary cognitive overload.
Amalgamating all these principles allowed for a reduction of cognitive overload and engage learners to resonate with the information.
Learning Outcome #3
Engage in design thinking to create multimedia learning projects.
The design process of my multimedia story involved many revisions and some critiques from my original draft. Throughout the course my learning experience expanded. Therefore a multimedia creation is a process and requires deep thought, integration and revisions.
When creating my 5040 Peak multimedia story, I had many photos and videos I wanted to share. However learning about multimedia learning principles, I wanted to reduce the cognitive overload to make my story engaging for readers.
I revised my story multiple times by removing unnecessary photos and videos, I had helpful suggestions from one of my classmates, Winter. Therefore I changed my medias and added audios to prioritize the audiences understanding.
When comparing my multimedia draft to my final multimedia story. The changes and additions made are apparent.
Learning Outcome #4
Apply storytelling principles in creating effective learning opportunities.
As a learner, I understand the importance of learning and how it comes in all sort of capacities. University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025) explains that storytelling is important because you can engage by providing meaningful experiences. A collection of videos and images alone is not enough to communicate meaning. therefore, providing multimedia while following the multimedia learning principles help build emotional connection and understanding which makes and effective story.
In my multimedia story, I expressed my hike in stages so the readers can follow the journey like they are experiencing it themselves. I provided the visual journey as well as the emotions attached so readers can resonate with the story. The storytelling resources help transform the stages to show clear progression.
Learning Outcome #5
Describe and apply principles of effective interactive multimedia design.
University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025) states the cognitive load includes extraneous, intrinsic and germane load. Effective multimedia design requires balance between aesthetic appeal with cognitive efficiency to enhance learning. While designing my 5040 peak story, I organized the placement of image, text, headings to create a clear narrative flow and reduce cognitive overload. Applying these principles, my story is engaging and easy to navigate which allows the reader to feel present within the experience.
Learning Outcome #6
Generate a variety of prototype artifacts including: comics, videos, and web pages.
This blog contains my daily creates, multimedia story draft and final, and replies to classmates from engaging with their content. I followed the guidelines for the daily creates, including a variety of medias: voiceovers, videos, images and text. The daily creates helped show different types of media. These daily creates showed how you can describe something through different medias. Therefore when it came time to build my multimedia story, I had some foundation to build on. My strongest example incorporating all these tools was my multimedia story.
From designing my multimedia story I realized that it takes a lot of patience. As the course progressed, I continuously was inspired of how I could’ve made my multimedia story stronger.
Learning Outcome #7
Use GenAI appropriately as a tool to support creative activities.
Throughout this course I realized that I am a creative person but executing them was my challenge. I tried to use generative AI to help execute these ideas, unfortunately I found it not helpful. For example, in my multimedia story, I wanted to have tags on my gear and food photos where you have your cursor hovering over the item and it would describe it. I also wanted to add in a slider in my map for my multimedia story showing the journey so as you move along to each of the pin points on the map, it would have it’s own voice over. I ultimately decided not to use the suggestions because they did not align with my design goals.
That being said, this experience emphasized that generative AI is helpful in some cases for supporting workflow for creativity but learners should have there own understanding and not let AI replace your own critical thinking.
Conclusion
Although this course is not required for my statistics degree, I found it very eye opening for potential career options. This course showed me that not only are there different learning styles but there are theories on how everybody can learn effectively. I have realized that in many of my post secondary classes, most of these principles are not followed, especially in STEM departments. Once I get my masters, being a college professor is an option I would consider. I would love to teach statistics but have an engaging way to learn the material is the goal. As I progress through my degree, I gain more ideas on how I would explain certain concepts, or how I would go about a lesson, or how my notes would be delivered to enhance the learners understanding. Another way this course will benefit me is if I pursue data analytics, these multimedia designs will enhance data dashboards, reports and presentations. Communicating my findings is a very important asset to have in statistics and now i have tools to do so.
Sources
University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025). Theories of multimedia learning. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci337/2025/09/05/theories-of-multimedia-learning/
University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025). Storytelling. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci337/2025/09/14/storytelling/
University of Victoria EDCI 337. (2025). Design Process. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci337/2025/10/06/design-process/
Wiley. (2016). Multimedia principles summary [PDF]. https://web.archive.org/web/20240228064458/https://ctl.wiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/MultimediaPrinciples_Summary.pdf