IMM and the WWW do not guarantee learning anymore than a library guarantees learning.

Reeves (1993) argues that IMM and the WWW have to take account of the following three ingredients to help ensure effective learning:

1. Learner characteristics
   The learner's:
   • prior knowledge;
     
   • prior experiences;
     
   • motivation;
     
   • socio-cultural-disability ;
     
   • abilities;
   
   
2. Quality of the interaction between the learner and the IMM and WWW materials requires that:
   
   • the learner puts effort into the learning;
   • the learner's interaction, that is, engagement with the material is thoughtful and critical;
   • the instructional designer "obeys" instructional design rules. We discussed these in Topic 4; and
   • the instructional designer has to put effort into creating materials that help promote this engagement
   
   
3. The pedagogical effectiveness of the IMM and WWW learning materials should:
   • promote "effortful" not passive learning by the learner;
   • provide scaffolding within the materials to cater for various learners. We discussed this in Topic 2;
   • provide navigation that allows visible access to the hypermedia nodes. How does ED1441 do this?

Examine the following diagrammatic representation of what you have just read.

Answer the question by clicking on the tick or the cross. Does the above diagram accurately reflect the inter-relationship among the three elements crucial for promoting effective and effortful learning with IMM and WWW materials?

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As you are aware, the language we use reflects our actions that confirm our language. Thus, if we are serious as teachers and learners who use the WWW and IMM as learning tools, we need to use appropriate language that reflects four crucial points:

1. that IMM and the WWW are tools that help us to learn;
2. that IMM and the WWW do not automatically and magically fill us with knowledge;
3. that we are "effortful", thoughtful, not passive, learners; and
4. that we, the learners, have to do the work to transform the information in the WWW and IMM into knowledge.

So, what is the appropriate language and way of thinking about this point - and all of this section on learning with the WWW and IMM? The solution is not to think of IMM and the WWW as educational materials to learn from, but rather to look at IMM and the WWW as a tool for constructing and learning with.

In other words, when we discuss learning with IMM and the WWW,

• we do NOT say:
• learning through the WWW
• learning from the WWW
• learning by the WWW

• we correctly say:
• learning WITH the WWW.

Using WITH more accurately acknowledges that instructional designers have to ensure that the WWW and IMM materials promote effortful learning, take account of the learner, support the learner through scaffolding, and that learners must put the work into learning from such materials for effective learning.