BALANCING ENGAGEMENT AND DIGITAL WELL-BEING IN INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA LEARNING: A USER EXPERIENCE PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.831085Keywords:
Interactive Multimedia, Student Engagement, User Experience, Digital Well-Being, Higher EducationAbstract
Interactive multimedia is increasingly integrated into higher education to support student engagement, creativity, and meaningful learning. However, engagement-oriented interface features may encourage prolonged screen interaction, highlighting the importance of balancing usability, purposeful engagement, and digital well-being. This study examined the experiences of 58 undergraduate students enrolled in an Interactive Multimedia Design course, focusing on their perceptions of multimedia features, usability, visual design, engagement, and screen-related concerns. Data were collected using a 26-item questionnaire comprising five-point Likert-scale and open-ended questions and were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative responses. The findings revealed that animation was the most frequently used multimedia feature (82%), followed by interactive buttons (65%) and video integration (48%). Students reported moderately positive ease of use (3.5/5), favourable visual design (4.2/5), and high perceptions of innovation and confidence (4.4/5). Although 76% of respondents perceived their designs as encouraging prolonged engagement, approximately one-third expressed concerns about extended screen exposure, while 45% remained uncertain about its potential longer-term effects. These findings illustrate the coexistence of positive engagement and concerns about sustained screen-based interaction rather than establishing a causal relationship between multimedia use and screen fatigue. The study contributes to multimedia design education by identifying the need to integrate responsible UI/UX principles into course-based learning. It recommends incorporating purposeful multimedia interaction, intuitive navigation, learner control, manageable cognitive demand, and digital well-being into multimedia design curricula to support meaningful and sustainable digital learning experiences.
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