Learning with Multimedia Cases in the Information Systems Area

The entrance of interactive multimedia systems into the arena of education and training has meant that in only a couple of years, a number of multimedia case studies for educational and training purposes in the Management of Information Systems area have emerged, and the tendency seems to be increasing. Use of such Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is often claimed to be both valuable and effective for conveying the intended learning. However, because of the novelty of this area, very little is written about the role that a multimedia case study can play and how to apply such cases in a learning environment. Through the BUSINES-LINC project, sponsored by the European Commission, eighteen multimedia cases have been developed, with the objective to support innovative business solutions, especially in the e-commerce area.1 The research study presented in this paper is currently rigorously investigating possible learning scenarios for three Italian and three Danish cases through the collection of qualitative and quantitative empirical data. Our objective is to gain experience in and knowledge about how the chosen learning objectives from a multimedia case are best transferred to the users. The results of the research study will guide instructors and developers of different types of multimedia cases to better contemplate their learning objectives and course structure according to their target group. The paper first presents a short introduction to the field and the theoretical foundation of the research study. Then the methodological aspects are described, and finally, our current experiences and preliminary results are conveyed, together with a short overview of the issues, which we are currently investigating further by means of our empirical material.