learnability matters

I’m sure all of us have had first hand experience of attending a long, never ending class room lecture; where the audience hardly gets to speak or interact with the speaker. Such a lecture hardly makes an impact on the audience and they forget what it was all about. But do we realize whether the course/lecture, whether a face-to-face classroom lecture or an e-learning course intended for the target audience gets registered in their minds; or everything sounds hollow? And if we want to make any course engaging and enlightening, how do we do it? Well, in this post I’m going to focus on interactivity used in e-learning. I’ll deal with questions such as:

• What does interactivity mean to us?
• Is it really required?
• If so, what are the different types of interactivities used?

Let’s quickly move to the discussion.

What does Interactivity mean to me?
Interaction means exchange of ideas, a sort of a dialogue. Assume that you’ve joined a cooking class. Let’s say everyday you go to the class and jot down the ingredients of how to make a certain dish. You list down the amount required and the steps you have to follow. But you don’t find it interesting enough because the instructor does not allow you to get a first hand experience of what you learn. To sum it up I can say:

You would like to “Actively Experience” it by cooking rather than “Passively Watching” the dish being cooked. Here is where interactivity comes into play.

What does Interactivity in e-learning mean?
Interactivity is a process that will help you to actively engage with:

1. Other learners
2. Instructor
3. Material being learned

• Interactivity helps you reflect on the information and to grasp the knowledge being taught
• It is the foundation to effective learning
• It helps grab the learner’s attention
• Helps retain learner’s interest
• Helps transfer information better
• Acts as an aid to retention
• Can be used as an evaluation method - both formative and summative (View References to know more)
  

Types of Interactivity:

Interactivity can be of four types:

1. Learner to Content:
In learner-content interaction the student interacts with the course materials. The learner gains and constructs knowledge by working with the subject matter.

Example: Distance Education

2. Learner to Instructor:
It involves direct communication between the learner and the instructor. In this process the instructor assists students to understand the course content.

Example: Blended Learning (traditional + computer based learning)

3. Learner to Computer/Software/Interface:
In this process the learner merely interacts with any software just by clicking and navigating from one page to the other.

4. Learner to Learner:
In this process the interaction depends on a dialogue between two participants.

Example: In a virtual classroom/ group discussions

What is the difference between Interactivity and Instructional Interactivity?

You can achieve interactivity by asking the learner click a button or click a link. However, instructional interactivity is an activity that makes the learners interact with the course. For example, clicking next can be simple interactivity while answering a question can be an instructional interactivity.

Interactivity models used in E-learning:
Flash Cards

• This model is used when you want the learners to register facts or information.
• In this model facts are given on Flash Cards in the form of questions or hints.
• Learners flip the cards by clicking on each of them to learn more.

Example:

Roll over Text/Images

• This model helps the learner to register information.
• Here learners point the mouse cursor over text/word/images and relevant information is displayed.
• Hyperlink is one of the examples. For example when you point your mouse pointer over any software application; a tool tip describes its function which is quite useful for any new user.
• This model is extremely useful when designing a technical course, where you need to give a lot of information about various technical term.

Example:

Go to the link to view more such examples.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/dinosaurs/dinotimes/flash.htm

Drag and Drops

• This model is used when you want to test learners’ knowledge on something.
• In this model you can use a combination of images and texts. Learners drag and drop images corresponding to relevant text or vice versa. For example if you want to check if learners know how to locate different countries on a world map.
• Display the country name in text form.
• Allow the learners to drag and drop the country names on the map.

This model is used when you want to test learners’ knowledge on something.Go to the link to try it yourself.

This model is used when you want to test learners’ knowledge on something.Go to the link to try it yourself.

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html
http://www.webwasp.co.uk/tutorials/A_IntAct-02-drag-drop/index.php

Flow Diagrams

• This model is best suited when you want to teach process steps.
• The steps of a process as a flow diagram can be shown at the same time providing explanation for each step in detail. For example, you can teach the process of evaporation or say how to retrieve a phone number from a contact database.

This model is best suited when you want to teach process steps.

Show Me

This model is best suited when you want to teach process steps.

• This is an advanced interactivity model.
• It is used for product demos. For example when you are teaching learners how to use an application or product, you can capture the actions on screen take screen shots of those actions and teach the learner.
• This model proves beneficial, more effective and easy to remember as compared to plain text based manuals.

http://www.suddenlysmart.com:80/examples/Computer_ports/player.html
This is an advanced interactivity model. Go to the link to learn about the different ports in a laptop. This example does not test your knowledge rather teaches you how quickly can you take the test.
Characteristics of Good Interactivity
Stimulates the brain and helps the learner think
Example: http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/puzzles/puzzles.html

Encourages and motivates learners to learn effectively
Example: http://www.learningplanet.com/act/fl/aact/index.asp

Builds confidence by providing the necessary feedback
Characteristics of Bad Interactivity

• Allows learner to perform activities that do not aid learning.
• Too many activities in a screen; making the screen look cluttered and increasing the cognitive load.
  Example:

Sample Interactivity
Assume that all this while you were using yahoo mail but now you’ve switched to gmail. As you are new to this interface, you don’t know how to compose mail.

We will try to recall the prior knowledge of the user. Like in any other mail this one has the same field as “to”, “subject”, “content area” and a “send” button. Take a screenshot of gmail and then allow the learner to explore and learn. Highlight the required fields in order to show and then instruct the user to practice the same as shown in the figure.
Conclusion
To conclude, I would say that interactivity is required because:

• It boosts learning.
• People learn faster.
• Learners are able to apply what they learn.
• Unlike traditional instruction, which pushes information into your head interactivity pulls you into the instruction and engages you.

References
http://writersgateway.wordpress.com/2007/03/29/innovating-interactivity-models-in-e-learning/

http://www.elearning.b2bmediaco.com

Formative Assessment: It is used to check the progress of the learner in the form of questions and by providing constant feedback. Small activities are included to ensure that learning is taking place.

Summative Assessment:It kind of summarizes the whole learning. Generally a test (question bank sort of a thing) is taken by the learner at the end of the course to check its efficacy.

Motor Skills:”Motor skills” refers to movement or motion.

• It is skill that requires an organism to utilize their muscles effectively.
• An example would be to click the mouse button in order to navigate from one slide to the other.

“Motor skills” refers to movement or motion.

Cognitive Skills:

• The word “cognition” is defined as “the act of knowing” or knowledge.” It is a process of obtaining knowledge through thought, experience, and the senses.
• Cognitive skills refer to those skills that make it possible for us to know.
• All cognitive skills must be taught.

Most important cognitive skills are:

Concentration: paying attention for a prolonged period.

Perception: act of interpretation.

Memory: ability to recall stimuli.

Logical Thinking: reasoning used to solve problems and arrive at a conclusion.

Do you think games help in enhancing the learning experience? Yes, they definitely work. Games have a high presence in non-formal and informal segments of learning. Unfortunately, in formal education, games are seldom considered a serious activity. The big challenge is to make your learning objective integral to game play. Once you’ve done that, you can use games to:

• Make learning fun

• Liven up your classroom

• Motivate your students to learn outside the classroom

Why Use Games to Teach?

• Games bridge the digital generation divide by engaging people across age groups

• Games help people learn from their mistakes

What are the features of game based learning(GBL)?

Features of game-based learning (GBL):

• GBL uses competitive exercises, either pitting the students against each other or getting them to challenge themselves in order to motivate them to learn better.
• Games often have a fantasy element that engages players in a learning activity through a storyline.
• In order to create a truly educational game, the instructor needs to make sure that learning the material is essential to scoring and winning.

Categories of games that can be adapted for learning include:

Digital game-based learning

Board and card games

Let us understand more about digital game-based learning (DGBL).

DGBL is emerging as the next generation of e-learning. Digital game based learning is a medium where learners learn with the help of games through digital media.

For example The Age of Empires games are real strategic games where you can know the history and culture of various civilizations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Empires

Organizations are adopting this approach for many reasons: games provide an immersing and engaging way to learn, provide a safe environment in which to fail, and can give learners incremental challenges and control over their progress.

What makes games such a powerful platform for standards training?
Games are structured using proven and effective learning.
Take Monopoly for example - Monopoly is played for fun, but it can also be used to teach economics, accounting, or property management. The learning that comes from these games is informal or implicit. The players don’t think about how they are acquiring knowledge or skills - they simply react to the situation at hand.

What makes DGBL great for learning?

Good games are naturally designed with the principles of adult learning in mind, and DGBL is no exception.

• Adults need reasons to learn something.

• Their motivations are inter related on practical and personal basis related.

• They need to know why they are learning something, how it relates to them personally and what they will get out of it.

• Adults need to have a sense of autonomy and choice over their learning.

• They need help and support but they also need to feel respected and valued.

DGBL addresses adult learner needs in several important ways:

The interactive nature of games enables the player to actively engage with the subject matter. How many times have you sat through a video or a lecture and forgotten most of what was taught? Most people will absorb less than 5% of information presented to them if they are just passively listening. However, being actively involved in an activity or exercise increases knowledge retention significantly.

Practical examples are situated in a familiar setting

Situating the game in a realistic setting - a workplace - enables us to use practical and meaningful subject matter examples to which the player can relate.

Practice environments support the building of new knowledge

New knowledge needs to be built on previous knowledge and experience in a supported and incremental way. Just like a building needs to be supported until it can stand on its own, learners need support until they have a sufficient understanding of the subject matter.

DGBL provides incrementally increasing challenges

As we learn new skills, we crave new challenges. Once we’ve learned to break the code of ‘tic-tac-toe’, it ceases to be interesting for us. Our games are designed to offer incrementally increasing learning challenges that build on previous experience.

Learners are in control

Adult learners should feel that they have control over their choices. They should be able to play the game wherever and whenever they want to and be able to access the same information in several different modes. Careful design of the game ensures that any choice the player makes will lead to a meaningful learning outcome. This also ensures that the players’ learning experience is tailored to their learning needs.

Games make learning more fun

People play games because they are fun, and this feature of DGBL is the key to motivating learners. Adding humour and a touch of suspense and drama to serious games is what makes them come to life.

Games provide a safe environment for learning

DGBL transcends e-learning because there is no need to fear failure, which can be very intimidating for many adult learners.

Do users really learn what they are supposed to?

Users are constantly evaluated as they progress through a practice environment, and feedback tells them what they did right and where they need to improve. By using proven pedagogical principles and making the game content accessible and relevant, DGBL aligns what we learn with how we learn.

I can still vividly remember the way our teacher used to help us learn different subjects with the help of games. She was actually involving us with the subject at an emotional level.

Check this link to know more about games.

Darfur is Dying is a browser game about the crisis in Darfur, western Sudan.
The game begins with the player choosing a member of a Darfuri family that has been displaced by the conflict. The first of the two modes of the game begins with the player controlling the family member, in follow mode, from the camp to a well and back, while dodging patrols of the janjaweed militia. If captured, the player is informed what has happened to their selected character and asked to select another member of the family and try again. If the water is successfully carried back to the camp, the game switches into its second mode - a top down management view of the camp, where the character must use the water for crops and to build huts. When the water runs out the player must return to the water fetching level to progress. The goal is to keep the camp running for seven days.

The game has been the focus of debate on its nature and impact. Academics interviewed by the BBC on the game varied between those stating that anything that may spark debate on Darfur and issues surrounding it is a clear gain for the advocates, to those who thought that the game oversimplified a complex situation and thus failed to address the actual issues of the conflict.

http://www.darfurisdying.com/

Let us consider a situation. You need to teach learners about Internet Fraud. The possible two ways of doing this are:

1. You get right to the business and tell the learners about Internet Fraud. In this approach, you define the concept, then list the types of fraud, and then explain how to avoid such frauds.
2. You describe a scenario with a fraudster in action. Then you show several scenarios using the fraudster to help learners understand about Internet Fraud and the types of frauds. Using similar scenarios, you also explain how learners can avoid such frauds.

What according to you sounds more interesting? Which approach do you think will increase learner motivation to learn more? Which approach do you think will ensure effective learning? The first approach is a traditional approach to teaching a concept while the second approach is a scenario-based teaching approach. Remember, none of these approaches are a single solution to designing effective courses. Depending on the learner profile and learning objectives, you need to see which approach will be most effective. The main aim of this article is to help you understand the effectiveness of scenario-based learning. We know how traditional approach works. What is the difference between the two approaches?

So what exactly is scenario-based learning?

Scenario-based learning is learning based on situations or contexts. Scenario-based learning is based on situated cognition. This means that learning happens within a defined context. Situated cognition is the relationship between the learner and the context or the situation. Scenario-based learning aims to make eLearning as realistic as possible. This can be accomplished using a series of situations to explain the concepts, decision trees or branching stories, or simulations. It is important to understand that context is very different from content. Context is the environment or framework within which the content is taught. The context should be familiar to the learner such that he/she can make the necessary connections to aid learning.

How to design scenario-based learning?

1. It is extremely important to keep the learning objectives and learner persona in mind while designing the context.
2. Brainstorm to come up with a list of contexts that may work for the course. Keep the Bloom’s level in mind to ensure that this is met and the learner does not learn more or less.
3. Identify the context that best suits the learner persona. During brainstorming, argue out to see which contexts will hold for the entire course. Choose the context that makes the learning process easier and pleasant. Drop the contexts that will not support the course or the learning objectives.
4. After you identify the context, ensure that you have the SME’s support to ensure that the context is water-tight and realistic.

You can use analogies, associations, characters, and games that the learner will be able to relate to. Learning is most effective when the context is realistic and well-defined. Always keep in mind learner’s experience and environment. Also, be sensitive to cultural differences. Use humor wisely. This context helps establish and reinforce relationships.

Examples of scenario-based learning

Example 1:

This course was designed for supervisors and managers working in a oil and chemical based factory. We were required to help the managers spot safety performance issues, take actions to correct these, and provide corrective feedback. We designed a scenario-based learning for this course. The task was defined upfront and the learner was required to face a series of events. We provided hints, background information and expert advice. To make it a little more interesting we devised a points mechanism to give it a game element.

Tasks for the Day

1. Identify safety performance issues among team members.
2. Take actions to correct these performance issues.
3. Provide corrective feedback to check performance issues.

History