Auditorium Presentation

SMIL(E)! New Authoring Environments for Web Based Multimedia Development

Sebastian Uijtdehaage
Instructional Design and Technology Unit, School of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, 
California
 
Abstract:

With escalating use of the WWW in medical education, instructors have been investigating possibilities of enhancing static web based applications with synchronized multimedia, which would represent content in an engaging and meaningful way for students. Until recently, creating such web-based multimedia presentations was cumbersome- synchronizing sound and images, for instance, required tedious editing and extensive JavaScript programming. This, however, has begun to change. During 1998 two industry standards were developed that would greatly facilitate and improve multimedia development. First, the W3C approved the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) for multimedia integration and layout on the Web. This language is XML (Extensible Markup Language) compliant. Secondly, Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) became the IETF standard for client-server transport of audio and video.

The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate an example of a multimedia application created with SMIL for a Neuroscience course. This application includes a video of a brain dissection, synchronized images and hypertext. Without becoming too technical, we will explain the structure of SMIL and how it interfaces with the G2 Real Server. Several SMIL authoring programs will be discussed. Furthermore, implementation issues, limitations, costs, and required programming expertise will be addressed. And finally, the pedagogical advantages of hyperlinked multimedia (or "hypermedia") will be highlighted. The presentation format will be informal to allow for extensive audience questions and participation, especially to generate application ideas specific to the authoring environment.

Benefit in Attending Session:

Participants will learn about a brand new technology (SMIL) to create multimedia applications for the WWW. They will be shown an example of a multimedia application for a Neuroscience course and how this application was made. After this demonstration, the participants will have a good sense what the advantages and limitation are of this new technology, how it can be implemented, and how it can be utilized to enhance the medical curriculum.

Sebastian Uijtdehaage
UCLA School of Medicine
Center for Education Development and Research
60-051 Center for the Health Sciences
Box 951722
Los Angeles, CA 900095
 
310/794-9009
Fax Number:
310/794-7465
bas@ucla.edu
www.medsch.ucla.edu