Thank you for your informative post about Designing for Interaction. Your blog post was very well written, and I appreciate the numerous photos you included to improve comprehension. After watching the video you selected, I agree it was not designed to be interactive; therefore, I really like your idea of pausing the video to allow students to formulate an answer when the speaker asks a question. In doing so, students are given a chance to respond, and the video becomes interactive. Additionally, I like your suggestion of turning on subtitles and slowing down the video to remove potential barriers to learning. Although the video you selected is spoken in English, like you, I also have difficulty understanding some accents. As a result, I found your recommendation to slow down the video to be very effective in improving my understanding of the video’s content.
Overall, awesome post!
Xinh
Hi Mia,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. It was concise, and explained the concept of learner-generated interaction in a manner which was easy to understand. Like you mentioned, I agree this video is not inherently active, but rather prompts learner-generated interaction. As a result, I like your suggestion for making the video more interactive. By having students write down their own examples for each of the stress management techniques mentioned in the video, they are able to apply what they have learned from the video to their personal experience. Further, I appreciate your idea of providing students with a transcript of the video. Although the video you selected has the option to turn on captions, they may be inaccurate since they are auto-generated; therefore, providing a transcript will ensure learning remains inclusive for students who are hard of hearing, and whose native language is not English.
My group’s topic for our Interactive Learning Resource (ILR) is stress, and it is intended for intermediate aged children. While we have included videos in our ILR for students, watching videos is not the most interactive activity. This can be problematic, for a form of interaction is necessary in educational environments for learning to take place (James, 2022). In this blog post, I will be evaluating the interactivity of a video based on my group’s ILR topic. The video I selected can be played below, and I found this video by inputting the key words “stress” and “kids” into the YouTube search engine.
(Health Texas, 2017)
What kind of interaction does the video require from students?
Interaction occurs when students receive input from either an instructor or learning material, and formulate a response based on that input (James, 2022). Although the video above does not necessarily require interaction from students, a form of interaction is still being achieved. According to Bates, engagement with learning materials which does not produce any overt actions, such as watching a short video clip, can be considered a form of reflective interaction (2019).
In what way are students likely to respond to the video on their own?
While the video does not force students to respond by asking explicit questions, learners may voluntarily respond to the video. For example, when different strategies to manage stress are listed in the video, one suggestion is to make time for enjoyable activities (Health Texas, 2017). After this suggestion, students may respond on their own by reflecting on activities they find pleasurable. In this case, since it is not a teacher who is encouraging the learner to be active, but rather the video, user-generated interaction is achieved (Bates, 2019).
How could the video have been designed to generate more activity from viewers/students?
To generate more activity from students, the video could have been designed to include explicit questions. For example, at the beginning of the video, perhaps the narrator could have provided two different definitions of stress, and asked viewers to select the definition they think is correct. In doing so, the video becomes interactive, for learners are pushed to make a decision (Bates, 2019). Additionally, an activity could have been integrated into the video as well. In particular, when the video suggests prioritizing important tasks as a strategy to manage stress, perhaps the narrator could have asked viewers to list and rank three of their important tasks from highest to lowest priority. As a result, interaction would be be achieved: students are taking the strategy they learned from the video, and applying it to their personal experience.
Figure 1: Interaction is generated when learners are pushed to make a decision (Pixabay, n.d.).
How will potential learning barriers in this video be addressed to ensure inclusive design?
Regarding accessibility, captions should be turned on to reduce learning barriers for students who are hard of hearing, or whose native language is not English. Unfortunately, the captions for this video are auto generated, and therefore are not completely accurate. As a result, a transcript of the video can be handed out to students as needed. Further, if students are required to watch the video as a homework assignment, providing a transcript will ensure learning remains inclusive for students who do not have access to a computer or mobile device.
Health Texas. [HealthTexas Primary Care Doctors]. (2017, December 19). Stress 101 – understanding stress and how to manage it – HealthTexas Medical Group [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/9Hto1HeMrYQ
To begin, I really liked how your group decided to put your ILR on a website instead of a Google word document. I found the website to be well-designed, and the layout of the webpage is clean and user-friendly. Additionally, it was very easy to navigate through your group’s topics, and each topic’s corresponding assignments.
Regarding the content of your ILR, I will start by looking at your overview, and sequentially review the relevant aspects of the resource which will be assessed as defined in the assignment outline.
Overview
The overview of your ILR is very well-written and concise. Your group did a good job of describing all the topics which were going to be covered in your resource; however, one suggestion I have is to add a sentence in which explains why you chose the topic of “Basic Nutrition.” As covered during the “Motivation and Learning” unit of EDCI335, making the learning experience relevant and meaningful can help increase learner motivation (James, 2022a).
Description and Rationale for Learning Theory and Design
Unfortunately, I was unable to locate your group’s description and rationale for your ILR’s learning theory and design. Considering the resource is still a draft, I understand these sections may not yet be complete. I noticed your website has a link to a webpage titled “Schedule” (See Figure 1). Perhaps this will be a suitable webpage to later describe your learning theory and design.
After going through your group’s ILR, I personally think the cognitivism learning theory could be well-suited to your resource. This is because your group provided real-life examples within each topic, and organized the information in your topics into subtopics (e.g., Topic 2 has a Micronutrient subtopic, and Macronutrient subtopic). In fact, cognitive approaches emphasize the organization of information to facilitate processing, and the use of relevant examples which enables students to create connections between the material and prior knowledge (Ertmer & Newby, 2013).
In terms of learning design, it appears students can access all the information for your ILR on the website, and can complete the resource at their own pace online. As a result, I think inquiry-based learning may be appropriate for your ILR. Although I did not research this learning design myself, from what I recall during a discussion with my learning pod, it is a learning approach in which the instructor acts as a facilitator instead of a teacher. For your ILR, perhaps it is the website which acts as the facilitator.
Figure 1: The Schedule webpage may be a suitable page for learning theory and design descriptions.
Description of Learning Context
I was unable to locate your group’s description of your learning context. Again, since the resource is a draft, I understand these sections may be incomplete. In my opinion, I believe your ILR could be well-suited to a variety of learning contexts, for the language used in your resource is formal and easy to understand.
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes listed for each of your ILR’s topics are concise and well-written. As covered in the “Learning Outcomes” unit of EDCI335, each outcome should include a verb, and I think your group did a good job of accomplishing this (James, 2022b). Regarding the learning outcomes listed on the Overview webpage of your resource, I also think they are very good; however, one suggestion I have is to change the verb in your second learning outcome from “consider” to a different verb, such as “explain.” This is because it would be difficult to accurately assess whether a student can effectively consider the impact of nutrition on their everyday diet.
Commentary about Topics and Activities
Each topic of your ILR is thorough, informative, and well-written. One suggestion I have is to include citations and references to support the information provided in your resource. While I did see citations included in your Micronutrient and Macronutrient webpages, it may be beneficial to add citations throughout the rest of your resource to increase its reliability, and to avoid plagiarism. Additionally, it appears I cannot see the images provided on your “Different Diets” webpage (See Figure 2); however, if this webpage is not yet complete, that is not a problem.
Regarding your activities and assessments, I think your group did a great job at designing these, and I appreciate that you provided both graded and ungraded assessments. Further, your activities are interactive, and clearly relate to your listed learning outcomes. That being said, it appears there are no assignments listed for Topic 4, but I assume these will be provided in the final copy of your ILR. Based on the activities and assessments you came up with for Topics 1 to 3, I am sure you will develop just as great assignments for Topic 4!
Figure 2: My view of the “Different Diets” webpage.
Overview of Assessment Plan
I may have missed something, but I was unable to locate an overview of your group’s assessment plan. If you have not yet completed this section of your ILR, I think it would be beneficial if you provide a brief description and rationale for the assessments you included in each topic.
Inclusion of Diverse Learners
Unfortunately, I could not locate your plan to design for inclusion of diverse learners. Considering I do not know which contexts you selected for your group of learners, it is difficult for me to provide suggestions for this section of your ILR. However, one thing I will say is that your resource appears to be inclusive of individuals with hearing loss. This is because the information in your resource is mainly text-based, and most of the videos you included have a form of closed-captioning available.
Rationale for Technology Choices
Again, I was unable to locate your rationale for technology choices. Given your ILR is delivered online through a website, I think appropriate technologies to implement could be an internet connection, and a laptop or tablet. That being said, one of your activities for Assignment 1 requires students to take pictures of their meals; therefore, a tablet may be a more suitable technology for your resource.
Closing Remarks
Overall, I think your group has done a great job with your ILR so far! To ensure you include all the components of the resource which will be assessed, I recommend you review the assignment outline. Other than that, your group appears to be on the right track. Although not required by any means, feel free to implement any of the suggestions I have made above, and good luck!
References
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.
Thank you for writing such a great blog post this week. I really enjoyed reading your summary about the traditional educational model, and why it is not suitable for all students. Like you, I agree the current educational model fails to consider there is no such thing as an “ordinary student.” For example, in classrooms, it is usually a single style of instruction which is being used to teach several unique students. Considering this, I appreciate the suggestions you listed in your post to create an inclusive learning environment. I particularly like your idea of fostering collaboration and learning through discussion. This can help create a sense of community in the class, and promote a supportive learning environment. Additionally, I think it is great that you did not set a standard for how students choose to execute their discussion. In my experience, having students follow a standard format for discussion can make the exchange unnatural and awkward; therefore, providing students with the liberty to guide their own discussions may increase their sense of comfort and willingness to participate.
Great work!
Xinh
Hi Ariana,
You made some awesome suggestions in your blog post this week to remove barriers to learning. Personally, when I think of students who may not have equal learning opportunities, I picture students with visual or auditory impairments; therefore, I appreciate that you went into greater depth in your post by acknowledging students who have difficulty concentrating, or those with social anxiety. Although I struggle with anxiety, I never considered myself as someone with barriers to learning. However, after reading your post, I realize there have definitely been opportunities where my learning was limited by my anxiety, and I think the suggestions you made can help minimize barriers to learning for similar students. In particular, I like your idea of having an anonymous question session, for it will likely benefit all students and not just those with anxiety. Additionally, your proposal for implementing regular movement breaks will be great for students who are struggling to pay attention in class. Regarding your suggestions for students with visual and auditory impairments, I think they adequately address their needs, and will help create an environment in which learning is accessible to everyone.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework which aims to optimize learning by identifying and removing barriers in the design of instructional materials, methods, and assessments (CAST, n.d.). In other words, it is a pedagogical approach which focuses on minimizing barriers to make learning effective for everyone. Although I have not experienced many barriers to learning, I recognize there are limitations in the design of instruction which prevents learning to be maximized for everyone. While taking an ethics class at UVic, a student provided a guest lecture in which she recounted her experiences in classrooms as someone who is hard of hearing. During this lecture, the student expressed she felt her opportunity for learning was minimized due to the barriers she faced. For instance, videos shared in class without subtitles, and instructors who spoke too fast or too quietly were only a few of the problems she faced. While this student’s ability to learn was diminished, it was not because she lacked the capacity to understand the material. Rather, the design of how instruction was delivered acted as a barrier to her learning. For a quick summary of UDL, please watch the video below:
(AHEAD, 2017)
How Our Interactive Learning Resource Will Meet Learners’ Needs
There are three UDL guidelines designed to improve learning: engagement, representation, and action and expression. The engagement guideline supports learner self-efficacy by planning for several different pathways which can be taken to achieve learning (James, 2022). One way in which my group has fulfilled this guideline in our Interactive Learning Resource (ILR) is by fostering collaboration and community (CAST, 2018). In particular, we plan to encourage discussion by putting students into cooperative learning groups where they can discuss our ILR’s topic. However, to further fulfill this guideline, one area my group should consider is to “minimize threats and distractions” (CAST, 2018). This checkpoint of the engagement guideline emphasizes the importance of creating a safe space for learners (CAST, 2018). As mentioned in the feedback for our blueprint, some learners may not feel safe sharing their ideas during a class discussion; therefore, my group should consider adding alternate access points, such as journals, to ensure all students feel comfortable participating.
Figure 1: Encouraging collaboration is one way to achieve engagement (Pixabay, n.d.-a).
The representation guideline is designed to provide learners with a choice in how they access information and materials (James, 2022). Considering my group’s topic is stress and our ILR is intended for elementary/middle school students, we decided to use a simplified definition of stress. In doing so, we fulfilled the “clarify vocabulary and symbols” checkpoint of this guideline by providing a definition which considers the learner’s experience and prior knowledge (CAST, 2018). To fulfill the representation guideline further, my group should consider offering alternatives for auditory information (CAST, 2018). For instance, my group plans on using various educational YouTube videos as a learning resource for students; however, to ensure learning is accessible to all learners, we should consider using videos with closed-captioning: studies show captioning improves comprehension for people who are hard of hearing, or whose first language is not English (Gernsbacher, 2015). If videos with captions are unavailable, perhaps my group can provide students with written transcripts instead.
Figure 2: Make learning accessible by providing alternatives to auditory information (Pixabay, n.d.-b).
Lastly, the purpose of the action and expression guideline is to provide learners with different options to demonstrate their knowledge or skills (James, 2022). Upon review of my group’s blueprint, I noticed most of the activities we planned requires students to physically write out information, or speak in class discussions to participate. Given this, it may be beneficial for my group to consider offering alternative means for students to respond to different activities. For example, to “vary the methods for response and navigation,” perhaps my group can offer students the option of using technology to convey their knowledge (CAST, 2018). Regarding one way in which my group has fulfilled this guideline, we made sure to use alternative media for learners to express themselves. Although not noted in our blueprint, one exercise we planned is a “what’s on my plate” activity. During this activity, students write about their different stressors on paper plates, and using such physical manipulatives enables “learners to develop a wider range of expression in a media-rich world” (CAST, 2018).
Overall, the UDL guidelines are an effective reference to minimize barriers when designing instructional materials and methods. In reducing such barriers to education, we can ensure learning is universally accessible for everyone.
References
AHEAD. [AHEAD]. (2017, November 2). What is universal design for learning (UDL)? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/AGQ_7K35ysA
Gernsbacher, M. A. (2015). Video captions benefit everyone. Policy insights from the behavioral and brain sciences, 2(1), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215602130
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