With the current state of web technology, multimedia materials are readily accessible by students. This paper reports on the design and evaluation of three online courses from a university in Hong Kong which incorporate media‐enhanced learning materials. These cases are at different positions with respect to the types of knowledge and levels of cognitive reasoning outlined in the revised Bloom's taxonomy. Evaluation data give qualified support for media‐enhanced aspects of the courses being beneficial to student learning. The study has also highlighted factors that influence the success of the learning experience: attention to the quality and design of the media, considering student motivation and focusing on feedback on learning during the course. Media and learning design, thus, are inextricably intertwined in a complex relationship.[Copyright of Educational Media International is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09523980600641403]
