LearnerCentered Online Information Design and Development

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Learner-CenteredOnline Information Design and
Development

• Dr. Brad Mehlenbacher
• Training Development, NC State University
• brad_m_at_unity.ncsu.edu
• http//www4.ncsu.edu/brad_m

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Documentation Genres (1)
Adopted from
Barker, T. T. (1998). Writing Software
Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach. Needham
Heights, MA Allyn Bacon, 158.
3
Documentation Genres (2)
Adopted from
Barker, T. T. (1998). Writing Software
Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach. Needham
Heights, MA Allyn Bacon, 158.
4
Documentation Genres (3)
Adopted from
Barker, T. T. (1998). Writing Software
Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach. Needham
Heights, MA Allyn Bacon, 158.
5
Documentation Genres (4)
Adopted from
Barker, T. T. (1998). Writing Software
Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach. Needham
Heights, MA Allyn Bacon, 158.
6
Information Goals (1)
Adopted from
Tomasi, M. D., Mehlenbacher, B. (1999).
Re-engineering online documentation Designing
examples-based online support systems. Technical
Communication, 46 (1), 55-66.
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Information Goals (2)
Adopted from
Barker, T. T. (1998). Writing Software
Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach. Needham
Heights, MA Allyn Bacon, p. 158.
8
User Tasks (1)
Adopted from
Norman, D. A. (1984). Stages and levels in
human-computer interaction. International Journal
of Man-Machine Studies, 21, 364-375.
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User Tasks (2)
Adopted from
Norman, D. A. (1984). Stages and levels in
human-computer interaction. International Journal
of Man-Machine Studies, 21, 364-375.
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Online Information as Instruction

• Instruction involves the transmission of
• Declarative or conceptual knowledge (facts,
  concepts, principles)
• Procedural knowledge (tasks, actions)
• From an instructor or instructional text
• Video, audio, simulation, or multimedia objects
• To a learner
• Biological, cognitive, affective, and social
  attributes.

Adopted from
Mehlenbacher, B. (2002). Assessing the usability
of online instructional materials. In R. S.
Anderson, J. F. Bauer, and B. W. Speck (Eds.).
Assessment Strategies for the Online Class From
Theory to Practice (pp. 91-98). San Francisco,
CA Jossey-Bass.
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About Learning

• Learning has been systematically studied and
  explicated by cognitive psychologists for
  decades information-processing models of
  learning involve
• Comprehension
• Integration with existing knowledge structures
• Active development of new connections between the
  new information and existing state of
  understanding, and
• Elaboration toward a richer understanding of the
  subject matter in question.

Adopted from
Anderson, J. A. (1995). Learning and Memory An
Integrated Approach. NY, NY Wiley. Simon, H. A.
(1979). Models of Thought. New Haven, CT Yale UP.
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About Learners

• Studies of learners teach us that they
• Come with preconceptions about how the world
  works. If their initial understanding is not
  engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts
  and information that are taught
• Must (a) have a deep foundation of factual
  knowledge, (b) understand facts and ideas in the
  context of a conceptual framework, and (c)
  organize knowledge in ways that facilitate
  retrieval and application
• Must learn to take control of their own learning
  by defining learning goals and monitoring their
  progress in achieving them.

Adopted from
Bransford, J. Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R.,
National Research Council (2000). How People
Learn Brain, Mind, Experience, and School.
Washington, DC National Academics P.
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Learning Problems

• Research on learning has shown us that learners
  often
• Oversimplify new concept understandings
• Compound earlier oversimplifications with larger
  networks of consequential misconception
• Have difficulty applying knowledge to new cases
• Work well with some forms of information and not
  with others (e.g., visual versus textual versus
  auditory)
• Are often rewarded for limited-duration learning
  that is tested in context and immediately.

Adopted from
Spiro, R. J., Feltovich, P. J., Jacobson, M. J.,
Coulson, R. L. (1991). Cognitive Flexibility,
Constructivism, and Hypertext Random Access
Instruction for Advanced Knowledge Acquisition in
Ill-Structured Domains. http//phoenix.sce.fct.unl
.pt/simposio/Rand_Spiro.htm
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Learner Attributes (1)

• Biological
• Age children, adults, seniors
• Gender male, female, masculine, feminine
• Race Caucasian, African-American, Asian,
  ethnicity, cultural heritage
• Abilities
• Cognitive intelligence scores, testing ability,
  educational level, metacognitive abilities
• Physical ambulatory, haptic, visual, auditory.

Adopted from
Mehlenbacher, B., Bennett, L., Bird, T., Ivey,
M., Lucas, J., Morton, J., Whitman, L. (in
press). Usable E-Learning A conceptual model for
evaluation and design. Proceedings of HCII 2005
11th International Conference on Human-Computer
Interaction. Las Vegas, NV.
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Learner Attributes (2)

• Literacies
• Computer training or education with technology,
  platform- and application-specific familiarity,
  adaptability, problem solving, task experience,
  novice or expert
• Domain knowledge of application area, education,
  testing capability, accredited expertise
• Textual ESL/international, reading level, verbal
  ability
• Visual experience with scientific and technical
  data visualization, spatial systems, simulation,
  and virtual reality environments.

Adopted from
Mehlenbacher, B., Bennett, L., Bird, T., Ivey,
M., Lucas, J., Morton, J., Whitman, L. (in
press). Usable E-Learning A conceptual model for
evaluation and design. Proceedings of HCII 2005
11th International Conference on Human-Computer
Interaction. Las Vegas, NV.
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Learner Attributes (3)

• Socioeconomic Context
• Income high, low, lifestyle, purchasing power
• Organizational large or small, private, public,
  educational or production
• Geographic rural, urban, low or concentrated
  populations
• Personal Attributes
• Learning style reflective, sequential,
  deductive, inductive
• Attitude orientation towards task, affective
  expectations
• Motivation self definition, esteem levels
• Self-monitoring strategies for assessing own
  learning process.

Adopted from
Mehlenbacher, B., Bennett, L., Bird, T., Ivey,
M., Lucas, J., Morton, J., Whitman, L. (in
press). Usable E-Learning A conceptual model for
evaluation and design. Proceedings of HCII 2005
11th International Conference on Human-Computer
Interaction. Las Vegas, NV.
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Constructivist Learning Spaces (1)
Adopted from
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to
online college learning. Internet and Higher
Education, 7, 79-93.
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Constructivist Learning Spaces (2)
Adopted from
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to
online college learning. Internet and Higher
Education, 7, 79-93.
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Constructivist Learning Spaces (3)
Adopted from
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to
online college learning. Internet and Higher
Education, 7, 79-93.
20
Constructivist Learning Spaces (4)
Adopted from
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to
online college learning. Internet and Higher
Education, 7, 79-93.
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Misconceptions about Situated Learning

• Claim 1 Action is grounded in concrete
  situations
• Exaggerated to assert that all knowledge is
  specific to the situation in which the task is
  performed
• Claim 2 Knowledge doesnt transfer between tasks
• Looking for transfer from little practice in one
  domain to initial performance in another domain
• Claim 3 Real learning requires authentic
  situations
• Learning-by-doing requires balance of abstract
  with illustrations
• Claim 4 Instruction requires a highly social
  environment
• All skills required for work neednt be trained
  in a social context.

Adopted from
Anderson, J. R., Reder, L. M., Simon, H. A.
(unpublished). Applications and misapplications
of cognitive psychology to mathematics education.
Pittsburgh, PA http//act-r.psy.cmu/papers/misapp
lied.html
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Misconceptions about Constructivism

• Claim 1 Knowledge cant be instructed by teacher
  but must be constructed by learner
• Discovery learning not supported in research
• Claim 2 Knowledge cant be represented
  symbolically
• Mistaking inadequacies of external
  representations as inadequacies of notion of
  active internal representation
• Claim 3 Knowledge only communicated in complex
  learning situations
• Presumes situations cant be broken into
  subtasks, that practice of subtasks wont improve
  performance in complex situations
• Claim 4 Impossible to assess learning
• If learners are supposed to move from a lower to
  a higher level of competence, why are the their
  judgments of acceptability of solutions
  particularly valid

Adopted from
Anderson, J. R., Reder, L. M., Simon, H. A.
(unpublished). Applications and misapplications
of cognitive psychology to mathematics education.
Pittsburgh, PA http//act-r.psy.cmu/papers/misapp
lied.html
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Against Learner Centricity

• In terms of media exposure, by 21, average person
  will have spent
• 10,000 hours playing video games and 200,000
  e-mails
• 20,000 hours TV and 10,000 hours cell phone
• Under 5,000 hours reading
• Concerns
• Short attention spaces
• Resistance to reflection and practice
• Limited textual literacy
• Qualities
• Visual-spatial skills and fast response time
• Parallel processing and multitasking.

Adopted from
Prensky, M. (2004). Digital Game-Based Learning.
NY, NY McGraw-Hill.
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Mapping Learners to Technologies

• Teenager Web use
• 100 use the Internet to seek information on
  colleges, careers, and jobs
• 74 use IM as a major communication vehicle
  versus 44 of online adults
• 54 of students (grades 7-12) know more IM screen
  names than home phone numbers
• Internet primary communication tool
• 81 e-mail friends and relatives
• 70 use instant messaging to keep in touch
• 56 prefer Internet to telephone.

Adopted from
NetDay (2004). Voices and Views of Todays
Tech-Savvy Students National Report on NetDay
Speak Up Day for Students, 2003.
http//www.netday.org/speakupday2003_report.htm
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Informal Learning to Formal Learning

• In learner-centered environments, learners
• Are challenged
• Are given explanations of what is expected
• Are given choice and control
• Are encouraged to work cooperatively
• Work with material that is personally interesting
  and relevant
• Believe they have personal competence to succeed
• Have individualized attention to personal
  learning preferences
• Have input into standards applied for evaluation.

Adopted from
McCombs, B. L., Whisler, J. S. (1997). The
Learner-Centered Classroom and School Strategies
for Increasing Student Motivation and
Achievement. San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass.
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Mapping Learners to Learners

• Facilitating collaboration
• Chats two or more participants same-time
• Message boards number of participants at
  different times
• Threaded discussion boards running discussion
  maintained over time
• Online conferencing number of participants with
  moderator
• E-mail two or more participants communicating at
  different times
• Listservs group e-mail where participants can
  choose digest form.

Adopted from
Clark, R. C., Mayer, R. E. (2003). E-Learning
and the Science of Instruction Proven Guidelines
for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia
Learning. San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
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Learning Management Systems (LMS)
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Community Blogospheres
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Shared Learning Objects
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Gaming Environments
RuneScape multiplayer quest
Mimesis World informal science education (Center
for Digital Entertainment, NC State)
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Returning to Learners
Adopted from
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to
online college learning. Internet and Higher
Education, 7, 79-93.
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Helping Learners Engage

• Human-with-Human Technologies
• My own private fantasy is that much of standard
  teaching even at the University level could be
  left to the machines, and students could then
  explore the human side of it all history,
  literature, philosophy, whatever either with
  multimedia equipment or even with a teacher
  (Ravetz, p. 54).

Adopted from
Ravetz, J. R. (1996). The microcybernetic
revolution and the dialectics of ignorance. In Z.
Sardar J. R. Ravetz (Eds.), Cyberfutures
Culture and Politics on the Information
Superhighway (pp. 42-60). NY, NY New York UP.
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Engaging Active Learners

• Balancing learning with action
• Activity and reflection should ideally
  complement and support each other. Action by
  itself is blind, reflection impotent. Before
  investing great amounts of energy in a goal, it
  pays to raise the fundamental questions Is this
  something I really want to do? Is this something
  I enjoy doing? Am I likely to enjoy it in the
  foreseeable future? Is the price that I and
  others will have to pay worth it? Will I be
  able to live with myself if I accomplish it?
  (Csikszentmihalyi, p. 226).

Adopted from
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow The Psychology
of Optimal Experience. NY, NY HarpersCollins.