Over the past few decades, teachers have become accustomed to using overhead projectors, VCRs, filmstrips, cassette players, and slide projectors to supplement the traditional methods of instructional delivery such as textbooks, chalkboards, and lectures. Computer the Internet and other technological advances offer teachers challenging new ways to deliver instruction. These new media provide a variety of learning strategies which may help teachers meet the needs of their students. However, teachers will need to adjust their teaching methodologies and make careful decisions about which media will be the most effective. Select methods, media, and materials to meet the needs of the audience and to address course objectives.
Media differ in their characteristics and in their suitability for different purposes.
Computers and lectures are interactive. Video or audio and presentations are not interactive and not only require learners to be passive but to proceed at a predetermined pace. Media may demonstrate either visual or audio characteristics, or both. Whenever possible, both characteristics of media and learner characteristics should be considered and accomodated. Generally, instructional designers feel that instructional products should be adaptable to individual learning styles and that different learning styles should be considered when selecting media.