From Gaming to Graduation: Trends in Multimedia Applications

By Kelly Richardson
Career Colleges Columnist

We are truly in a multimedia age. Our cell phones interact with our computers. Streaming video and audio bring the Internet to life. And our educational experiences are enhanced through distance learning opportunities, especially if you hope to enter the technology field yourself. Here are some trends in multimedia applications worth keeping tabs on.

Defining Today's Multimedia

The Web Style Guide defines the concept of multimedia as "the ability to combine text, graphics, sounds, and moving images in meaningful ways." Multimedia applications enhance the way we view the world, as well as the speed of which the world is available to us. Just take the news media as an example. World, national, regional, and local media outlets can be accessed from any Internet connection, any time. Although the newspaper has not been immediately replaced, we are quickly moving toward a paperless age. Here are some other phenomena on the horizon thanks to the development of multimedia applications.

The Future of Multimedia Applications

Edutainment. Combining the concepts of education and entertainment, edutainment multimedia applications allow learning through enjoyable activities that transform the user from passive viewer to active participant.
Bioscience. Scientists and doctors can use multimedia applications to examine existing theories and studies and strike new findings. This process will revolutionize the healthcare industry in the coming decade.
Multimedia Messaging. Although messaging systems are available on most cell phones, multimedia applications will make the video conference an everyday occurrence for those not already using this tool.

Media Business Analyst Rick Edmonds, a recognized expert in field of multimedia, applauds the direction that the industry will take us in the coming years. Edmonds was part of a study group that examined the ways new media outlets are developing their online presence to make viewers a part of the reporting.

Multimedia in the News Media

Streaming Capabilities. A growing number of broadband subscribers has increased the value of streaming audio and video to deliver news stories.
Multimedia versus Interactivity. Internet media outlets are offering users the chance to decide which components make up their personal news pages.
The Clutter Factor. At some point, experts believe the addition of a multitude of multimedia applications will clutter a web site.

While the positive and negatives of multimedia applications are being weighed, you can bet that it will make for some interesting times. What better way to launch your own technical career than with this same technology? Online trade schools put these multimedia trends to good use, and so can you.

About the Author
Kelly Richardson covers the local education and technology scenes in major cities across the country. His articles appear in a variety of respected educational journals, periodicals, and e-zines.

Email this article

All information on the Career Colleges website is copyrighted and intended for informational use only including the Career Assessment and Most Popular Career Colleges section. The school programs offered by the technical schools and trade schools represented in the online college directory are up-to-date.