The Future of Rich Media, Learning Management Systems, and Content Management Systems

In a world of increasing bandwidth it is no surprise that the content of the Web is changing. A trend away from text richness towards media richness is evident. The rise and popularity of video sites such as YouTube and media–rich, social software are further examples of this trend and it is reasonable to expect a future that will be rich in online media. When rich media are integral components of online social and leisure experiences, it is reasonable that students will expect video and other examples of media richness in their online learning experiences rather than a preponderance of text as is the current experience in many institutions. Rich media have for years played the role of adjuncts to teaching and learning. For example, for many years assessment by video, in some classes, has been an option although one that has been slow to be adopted. Perhaps the time is now ripe for this and other online uses of video and audio as the tools for production are becoming simpler and cheaper. In the past, sharing video was limited to the physical distribution of the tape or disc. Today one preferred method of sharing of video is by uploading to purpose-built, public Web sites.