Mixed-Media Learning Environments

We discuss “mixed-media” learning environments, in which students combine “high-” and “low-” tech in designing and creating artifacts. We describe the rationale and implementation of three projects in diverse domains, in which students immersed in media-rich learning environments demonstrated high engagement in completing challenging construction tasks. We articulate advantages of a “mixed-media” approach to the design of learning environments: relaxed media specificity, multiple entry points, and residual artifacts.