Abstract:

The importance of the huge possibilities offered by Web 2.0 justifies the theoretical and practical approach emphasizing the teaching uses of blog platforms in university studies on Audiovisual Communication. These online logbooks allow implementing varied multimedia files through the knowledge of HyperText Markup Language (HTML). From a creative viewpoint, HTML is an invaluable linguistic tool for teaching innovation in Information Sciences. Numerous subjects included in degrees on Audiovisual Communication and Journalism make frequent use of text-, image-, audio- and video-edition software, as well as of specific applications for the development of interactive narratives. The subject Relato Multimedia (edición y producción) [Multimedia Tale (Edition and Production)] is presented as the learning culmination within the discipline devoted to the creation of multimedia contents at this higher-education level. However, being taught these HTML rules, behaviours and difficulties does not turn out to be much attractive, which provokes a high number of dropping-out students and future rejections.
In order to attempt to solve this constant problem and considering the possibilities offered by this markup language as essential to train future communicators within a multimedia reality, both establishing strategies to favour students’ involvement and creating a more accurate evaluation system become necessary.


During the academic year 2007-08, work-groups were created with the aim of achieving better results in learning and minimizing the negative impact from previous editions. This active and experiential methodology within an interactionist teaching/learning model is based on the following pedagogical methodologies:

1. Cooperative learning: More intense, participative and responsible work is established in collaborative writing through the formation of 5-member groups. Each member in the group is in charge of a part of multimedia development. However, in turn, each student also takes part in the whole project. Assuming responsibilities in relation to the work-group is considered as value added to this methodology, since errors committed in individual contexts lead to collective failure: non-validation of markup language and, consequently, the impossibility to concrete the hypertext’s real functioning —therefore, group success can only be achieved if all group-members achieve individual success. To sum up, cooperative learning is grounded on off-balance learning, on the socio-cognitive conflict theory and on the increase of academic performance.

2. Continuous evaluation: Better results in gradual content assimilation were obtained with this evaluation method. Furthermore, students obtain data referred to their own development and difficulties, so they feel capable of directing their knowledge. By means of continuous evaluation, continuous learning feedback is favoured as well as the verification of the objectives defined by the study program.

Obtained results support the initial hypothesis, since they prove that work-groups established through the previously-considered strategies obtain higher marks and reach more consolidated knowledge on HTML and multimedia implementations in blog settings against the control group (previous academic year). In short, these methodologies have involved benefits for both teachers and students within the premises considered and established by the new European Space for Higher Education.

Keywords:

audiovisual communication, html, cooperative learning, continuous evaluation.