Implementing multimedia resources in online learning and its effect on student understanding

The Engineering Materials course is one of the common subjects for first year engineering students and provided the ideal opportunity for this study due to the large class size and the presence of certain traditionally complex concepts. Based on the data collected by four international universities, most engineering students face problems in understanding complex topics in the Engineering Materials course, for example, atomic bonds, the binary phase diagram, and the microstructure of materials. It is argued here that introducing multimedia resources and visualization tools such as animations, videos, photos, inking and sketching in teaching could enhance students' understanding of both threshold concepts and complex knowledge