Multimedia Navigation Skills

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for Year 5 and 6 students, focusing on embedding and controlling multimedia elements in presentations, creating interactive content with action buttons, and building a non-linear Contents Page for effective navigation. This aligns with the National Curriculum for Computing at Key Stages 2 (years 5 and 6), specifically within the Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs, and Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work statements (DfE, 2014). The lesson also supports Digital Competence Framework (DCF) connections pertinent to Wales, emphasising creativity, communication, and digital confidence.

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National Curriculum Links

• Key Stage 2 Computing
  • Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
  • Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals.
• Computing Programmes of Study (2014) – Years 5-6:
  • "Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output."
  • "Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work."
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) & DCF
  • Develop digital communication skills safely and respectfully.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Insert audio and video clips into a presentation and control playback settings such as start, pause, and stop.
• Create interactive action buttons that link to slides within the presentation and to external documents or websites (simulated without real URLs).
• Design and build a Contents Page slide that uses hyperlinks to enable non-linear navigation through the presentation.
• Demonstrate understanding of why non-linear presentations can improve audience engagement and usability.

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Resources

• Computers/tablets with presentation software (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides)
• Headsets for audio playback
• Pre-selected short audio and video clips (royalty-free or teacher-provided)
• Example presentation file with multimedia and hyperlinks (for demonstration)
• Printed instruction checklist for hyperlink creation and media control
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector for whole-class demonstration

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Engage & Hook

• Begin with a short demonstration of a plain linear presentation vs. a multimedia-rich interactive presentation. Show how non-linear navigation (Contents Page and hyperlinks) allows viewers to jump to key topics quickly.
• Ask pupils in pairs to discuss how hyperlinks and multimedia might make presentations more interesting or useful. Share ideas with the class.
• Relate the discussion to real-world examples such as websites, apps, or interactive storybooks.

Curriculum Focus: Understand the purpose and impact of multimedia and navigation in digital content creation.

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2. Main Activity (40 minutes)

Part A: Multimedia Insertion & Control (15 minutes)

• Teacher models inserting an audio clip (e.g., a sound effect or spoken narration) and a short video (15 seconds) into a slide.
• Demonstrate how to adjust playback: set audio to start automatically or on click; demonstrate pausing and stopping video playback.
• Pupils follow along, inserting one audio clip and one video clip into two separate slides.
• Circulate and support individual learners with software features and file management.

Curriculum Focus: Use software tools to manipulate digital content appropriately.

Part B: Action Buttons & Hyperlink Creation (15 minutes)

• Explain action buttons: shapes or icons that link to another slide or a document. Show how to create buttons and assign ‘hyperlink to slide’ or ‘hyperlink to file’ actions.
• Pupils practise creating two buttons per slide: one linking forward, one linking back to a Contents Page (to be created later).
• Emphasise good design practices for buttons: visibility, clear labels, consistent placement.

Curriculum Focus: Use action buttons and hyperlinks to add interactivity.

Part C: Contents Page for Non-Linear Navigation (10 minutes)

• Discuss the idea of a Contents Page slide serving as an index for the presentation.
• Demonstrate creating a Contents Page with links to at least 3 other slides.
• Pupils create their own Contents Page slide with hyperlinked buttons/text to navigate their multimedia slides non-linearly.
• Allow time for peer testing — pupils swap laptops/tablets and test each other’s navigation.

Curriculum Focus: Understand, design, and implement non-linear navigation to enhance user experience.

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3. Plenary (10 minutes)

• Invite 3–4 volunteers to present their interactive presentations to the class, highlighting their use of multimedia controls and hyperlinks.
• Reinforce the importance of accessibility and usability when creating digital content.
• Recap the learning objectives and ask quick-fire questions:
  • What kinds of multimedia can we add to a presentation?
  • How do action buttons help us?
  • Why is a Contents Page useful?

Assessment & Reflection:

• Use a quick digital quiz or exit ticket where pupils list 3 features they successfully added today.
• Teacher observes and notes pupil confidence and skill in working with multimedia and hyperlinks throughout the lesson.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide a step-by-step printed guide with screenshots for less confident pupils. Pair with a stronger peer or adult assistant.
• Extension: Challenge advanced pupils to add nested hyperlinks (e.g., Contents Page links leading to sub-sections) or embed quiz questions with linked answers in the presentation.

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Additional Notes for Teachers

• Prior to the lesson, ensure all multimedia files are accessible and compatible with classroom devices.
• Encourage pupils to think about copyright-friendly media or create their own voice recordings.
• Highlight online safety practices when discussing linking to external sites (use simulated links or local files for this lesson).
• This lesson can scaffold future curriculum work on coding-based multimedia projects or web design.

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References:
Department for Education (2013). National Curriculum in England: Computing Programmes of Study.
Welsh Government (2022). Digital Competence Framework – Literacy and Numeracy Areas.

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This lesson not only teaches key computing skills but also promotes creativity, logical thinking, and digital literacy—core capabilities for the 21st century learner.