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Situated Multimedia Learning for Older Adults: Exploring the Benefits of Age-Specific Instructional Design

Orth, C. & Bastiaens, T. (2008). Situated Multimedia Learning for Older Adults: Exploring the Benefits of Age-Specific Instructional Design. In J. Luca & E. Weippl (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2008 (pp. 3864-3879). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/28921.

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Conference Information

EDMEDIA

World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) 2008
Vienna, Austria
June 30, 2008
ISBN 1-880094-65-7
  Joseph Luca & Edgar R. Weippl
AACE

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Authors

Cordula Orth, Theo Bastiaens, Fernuniversitaet in Hagen, Germany

Abstract

This study explores advantages of situated multimedia learning environments with age-specific modifications for older adults. With the strong increase of the ageing population in Western societies the number of active older adults willing to learn is growing. Furthermore, due to the increase of ICT older adults will be more and more confronted with multimedia applications that are not tailored to this specific user group and might therefore not be as efficient as they could be. A design that combines adjustments towards the physical decline and adapts cognitive load theory to minimise cognitive overload embedded in an authentic context provides a fruitful basis for learning environments addressing older adults. However, situated learning approaches vary widely in the support given to the learner and the aim is to establish a framework that enables instructional designers to administer the appropriate amount of support to appropriate to special abilities and needs of older adults.

Keywords