Category: edci335

Learning Pod: Learning Pod 2

Peers’ Names: Alyssa, Amelie, Caitlin, Sujean, Sarah

ILR Topic: Developing healthy strategies helps us feel connected, supported, and valued

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K53Muqk5lFmamBjRMtYGbjDoRHNPwNHHJoo3_uvohVw/edit

1. Identify components of the Interactive Learning Resource that might be missing (e.g., appropriate outcomes, alignment, interactivity, inclusivity, technology use and rationale, presentation, grammar, spelling, citations, etc.).

· The introduction should be shorter. There should be a brief introduction at the beginning of the article. I think we can save a lot of unnecessary words in the introduction so that learners can have a clearer understanding of the content of the course. In addition, important information should be at the beginning of the article, such as what level of learners and multimedia platform to use.

· Add a more detailed description of the multimedia site. At the end of the article, I saw several presentations on multimedia applications that will be used in the course. I think it is excellent that you are considering some learners who are not very computer-literate. One of my suggestions is to attach the instructional videos and links to the official websites below the introduction so learners can become more familiar with the sites and applications.

· Lack citation in the text. In the instructional design, I did not see the marks of rLack of citations in the text. I did not see the marks of references in the instructional design in the article. In my opinion, it is essential to add references to respect the original author and prevent you from being judged for plagiarism.

· Lack of final testing of learning outcomes. At the end of every class, I see a Padlet interaction with the learners, that is a good idea! But from my point of view, you can design a big project with students working together or give a test at the end of all classes to check their learning results. Just having students upload their ideas to Padlet is not a good test of whether they are learning what is taught in class.

· Lacks the study described the design and basic principle (exploration, based on the project, direct guidance, etc.). I only saw very little in the introduction about direct instruction, and I think you should have a section dedicated to it and the theory of learning. Remember to align with the content of the learning theory.

2. Provide a summary of The Interactive Learning Resource’s strengths and weaknesses. Draw out specific examples from your peers’ work to justify your feedback.

Advantages:
Diversified multimedia teaching.
The curriculum is reasonably designed, and the understanding of growth thinking and fixed thinking is progressive.
Each class has a different interaction, as well as homework assessment after class.

Weakness:
Not a clear introduction at the beginning
Lack of specific evaluation criteria
Lack of learning design description and rationale

I think most of the significant essential components are contained in Google Docs, and a variety of multimedia can make the learning environment much richer for learners. Each class has a different interaction, which our group does not have. For learning outcomes, we only have a quiz at the end of the class. I love the way that students Padlet their ideas and homework onto Zoom for class discussion. For the growth mindset, everyone needs to hear different people’s ideas and get timely feedback. Padlet and Zoom can tap into learners’ inner thoughts and develop the courage to speak in front of a crowd. I noticed that H5P in class 4 would have multiple choice, matching problems, true/false problems, and drag-and-drop problems, but they will all be placed in Google Slides. I suggest turning Google Slides into Zoom class (Zoom has a multiple-choice function) to examine the entire class’s learning outcomes. Then use Google slides to answer questions for the students. Such an approach can really engage each student in the class and may help students retain the lesson content in their long-term memory.

3. Provide general, specific, and practical recommendations to your peers on how to improve their Interactive Learning Resource.

Overall, I think your ILR is excellent. I would also like to mention a few personal thoughts. If your instructional design is for 10/11 year old, I think the synchronized curriculum needs to include more teaching methods that children enjoy more, such as completing games in class or giving rewards. Monotonous theoretical knowledge will make children feel bored. Can we add some animation for dubbing to teach theoretical knowledge? When interacting with peers, as teachers, we should also mention respect for other students in teaching, listen to others quietly when they speak, and build an inclusive teaching environment, which is not only about the content of learners but also the interaction between learners and others. And in adolescence, children are most likely to appear rebellious thoughts, and effective benign guidance is very important.

1. What activity could you suggest that they do, after they have watched the video (designed)? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop? What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?

I would recommend group discussions between learners, such as an evaluative workshop. Teachers should encourage learners to participate, share knowledge points and reflect. In addition, the group can complete some projects together, and the project also serves as a feedback interaction. Feedback is an essential aspect of interaction, and timely and appropriate feedback on learner activities is often essential for effective learning. While students may suddenly feel a sense of empathy during the learning process, such as “I know this, I feel the same way!” But we can’t ensure that the students are absorbing the knowledge, so we need to use another medium to provide feedback. Face-to-face workshops are a great alternative; students can do them on Zoom. At the same time, I think the forum is also a good choice, and the Mattermost we use in class is also a good tool.

2. How could the video have been designed to generate more or better activity from viewers or students?

In my opinion, first of all, the teacher’s attitude in the video must be attractive. It will be boring if a teacher is not interested in class and only teaches knowledge points to the students. It is very important whether face-to-face teaching or online teaching. Secondly, it is essential to add video subtitles to the video. I did not have subtitles in the video learning of many courses, so I could not understand and missed the knowledge points due to the lisp of the teachers or my English proficiency. Then I need to spend a lot of time looking for the same knowledge in textbooks, which disgusts me. Finally, add interaction to the video. Some multiple choice questions can be added to the video for students to choose and consolidate their knowledge. Now many video sites can do the video insert multiple choice. With computer-based learning, once a student has answered a multiple-choice question, the computer can mark the question and provide almost instant feedback. This consolidation of knowledge is impressive.

3. How would students get feedback on the activity that you set? What medium or technology would they and/or you use for getting and giving feedback on their activity?

As I mentioned, when students are asked to do multiple choice questions in the video, they can get the correct answer in time and memorize it quickly. In addition, we can use some external websites. For example, Quizlet is my favourite website, and it can do multiple choice questions or recite words and then quizzes. It is a good self-study tool. Another way to do this, which I mentioned earlier, is to work in groups. Group work allows learners to communicate with each other with different ideas and areas of expertise. Through communication, everyone can learn new understandings. After completing the Group Project, the teacher can give the group feedback on the ratings and suggestions. Finally, I will use Google Forms to anonymously collect students’ feedback on my teaching content to improve the teaching design.

4. How will you address any potential barriers for your learners in the use of this video to ensure an inclusive design?

In my opinion, it is very important to add subtitles to videos, as I mentioned in the previous question. Subtitles can effectively help students from different native language countries and some disabled people to learn knowledge. Among today’s video sites, Youtube has had automatic subtitles for a long time, which can be automatically translated into other languages, eliminating the language barrier.

Peer’s Feedback:

Blog 4 – Designing for Interaction

Hi Zhihao,

Thanks for sharing! I finished watching this video, and I think we can use this video well in our teaching design. Your video interaction is great, and it is necessary to consolidate the theoretical knowledge for learners at the end of the video. I think we can design the questions for the test to be more difficult. Some theoretical knowledge can be omitted from the test. Because in practice, our learners need to ask to apply and judge the six principles. Therefore, I think we can design real questions and let the learners decide which principle it is. Our group’s interactions have always been in google Docs, and I was wondering if we could use more in Google Docs, which requires a lot of thinking.

Reference:

Bates, A. W. (T. (2015, April 5). 8.6 interaction. Teaching in a Digital Age. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/pedagogical-roles-for-text-audio-and-video/

Inclusiveness and diversity are key to social media, so I will focus on these two points in the instructional design. Designers of inclusive learning experiences recognize that every learner is different. Therefore, the diversity of design will be inclusive of people of different abilities, languages, cultures, genders, and ages.

If I am a learner, the most important thing I will pay attention to in PLN is to listen to others’ ideas to learn what others understand, and at the same time to express all my opinions honestly and make progress in mutual communication. I think we can get better learning results by communicating with different people.

When I learn some theoretical knowledge, I can only apply this knowledge to my homework and test paper. In practical teamwork and cooperation, if I do not have When I learn some theoretical knowledge, I can only apply this knowledge to my homework and test paper. In practical teamwork and cooperation, if I do not have mutual communication and cooperation between my peers, I cannot achieve an excellent level. Everyone is good at different areas, just like the blueprint design this time, the title of my group is personal finance. To be honest, I know more about personal finance in theory, but I don’t have any experience in practical operation. In this group cooperation, I will be mainly responsible for the risk part of personal finance, and my team members will be responsible for the part that I am not good at. In our group cooperation, each of us will think and analyze problems from more angles, which I think is the best embodiment of inclusiveness and diversity.

There are three principles of inclusive design:

1. Understand Your Learners and Organizational Culture

Before designing a learning program, it is necessary to know what kind of people the audience is. The main issues to consider are:

• Who are your learners?
• What is their experience with workplace learning?
• What knowledge and skills do they already have?
• How, when, and where do they access learning programs?
• What initiatives, tools, and approaches have been successful in the past? (Kenny, 2021)

Designers’ understanding of learners can be learned from their self-introduction, and I even think we can use a questionnaire mode to understand them. These problems can directly understand their differences in different perspectives, to better adjust the teaching design inclusively.

2. Design Authentically

Three steps: Content Design → Design Evaluation → Determine if Differentiated experiences are needed
In terms of content, it is important to consider whether ready-made resources can meet the needs of learners and support the goals of the organization. When you’re designing or selecting content, be conscious of the situations, faces, and cultures depicted throughout your learning experience. Use images that portray diverse people in authentic work environments, and incorporate names from a variety of cultures. (Kenny, 2021) To promote sustainable changes in thinking styles and behavior, the learning experience should allow for practice and application, where learners can engage with the material in both the learning environment and the work environment. Add tutors, or instructional videos on the web to address the content for different groups and reinforce the organization’s key message.

3. Leverage Technology

Today’s technology allows us to stay connected while working from home, such as Zoom, which we use for our online classes, or WordPress, which we are using to build our blog. But we also need to be careful how long we use these techniques.

Prolonged video conferencing can fatigue learners and prevent engagement, and inevitable technical glitches can disrupt the flow of learning. To create a genuinely inclusive learning experience, learners must feel both seen and heard, without the disruptions of background noise and shifting camera focus, awkward pauses, or poor connections. (Kenny, 2021)

Inclusive learning experiences should facilitate connections between learners and the organization. The program must feel collaborative and engaging––however, this requirement does not depend on a simultaneous video conference or an in-person experience. Asynchronous learning can provide flexible learning experiences that are accessible regardless of time or location, and can promote reflection and engagement, all without the pressure of a live event. (Kenny, 2021)

Peer’s Feedback:

Blog 3

Elijah talks about the three dimensions of inclusive design, which are different from my blog, but I think they all fit together. After learning about inclusiveness, my understanding of inclusive learning design is that the goal of inclusive design is to build adaptive one-size-fits-all learning experiences that leverage human diversity in the design process so that each learner can accomplish their learning outcomes. Inclusive learning design is more like a way of thinking. Flexible teaching should give students more personal responsibility and expectations for their learning, and I agree with Elijah. Inclusion is good for everyone and gives everyone a place to stand.

Reference:

Kenny, T. (2021, January 4). Three principles for inclusive learning design: ATD. Main. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.td.org/insights/three-principles-for-inclusive-learning-design

Inquiry-based learning

Inquiry-based learning is a learning process that builds real-world connections through exploration and high-level questioning. It is a learning method that encourages students to engage in problem-solving and experiential learning. In addition to learning through play, mentorship, and self-directed learning, inquiry-based learning happens whether we plan for it or not. When anyone is curious or confused and then uses that curiosity or confusion to drive their own learning, they’re ‘doing’ inquiry-based learning. (TeachtoughtStaff, 2022)

Specific learning processes that people engage in during inquiry-based learning include:

1. Create your problems
2. Obtain supporting evidence to answer the question
3. Explain the evidence gathered
4. Relate explanations to knowledge gained from the investigation process
5. Create arguments and reasons for the explanation

Add a personalization element when choosing an inquiry-based learning project, which includes the following questions:

The four stages of inquiry-based learning:

Interacting

Because the inquiry is open-ended and based on curiosity, traditional research methods may not be the most effective or exciting way to investigate. Students are encouraged to interact with unique materials and sources such as peers, experts, or formal and informal media in exciting and exploratory ways. Students should be involved in finding a research method that interests them and is available to them.

Clarifying

Clarification occurs as students delve into the material and gain a better understanding of their chosen topic, their thoughts on it, and what steps might be required to address the project. Students should be concerned with possibilities and the credibility of sources and be fully aware of relevant facts and opinions and their potential impact on their work.

Questioning

A more critical stage of inquiry-based learning is asking questions. As students begin to formulate questions to drive self-directed inquiry, any weaknesses in their thinking or understanding should become clear to help them realize the limits of the scope of their work or begin to understand what information is lacking and move forward to address any gaps in knowledge.

Designing

The final stage of the inquiry-based learning process focuses on designing or being able to create an informative and curiosity-driven product that creatively satisfies the initial inquiry. This result is the answer or solution and should demonstrate the process – although this is what the student will inevitably focus on, real learning comes along the way.

Six important aspects of inquiry-based learning:

1. Students should be able to realize that science is more than memorizing and knowing facts.
2. Students should be able to develop new knowledge that builds on their previous knowledge and scientific ideas.
3. Students will develop new knowledge by reorganizing their previous understanding of scientific concepts and adding further information to their learning.
4. Students’ social environment influences learning, and they have opportunities to learn from each other.
5. Students will control their learning.
6. The degree to which students can learn with deep comprehension will affect the transferability of their new knowledge in real life.

Learning focuses around a meaningful, ill-structured problem that demands consideration of diverse perspectives. (Terry 2022)One of the ultimate goals of education is to instill in students the ability to identify problems, brainstorm ideas, and implement solutions. Inquiry-based learning provides an opportunity to think about the world, our place, and how we can improve it while providing an essential framework for critical thinking and curiosity.

Comment:

Blog 2 – Passive & Active (Cooperative) Learning

Thank you for sorting out the Passive & Active Learning points! I also think group learning is a good choice for me to learn because it allows me to take responsibility. In addition, I don’t have to complete a task with a lot of work by myself, which reduces my pressure. In addition, traditional teaching through teacher teaching is passive learning, long hours of teaching often make me unable to concentrate, so I prefer active learning! Thanks for sharing!

Reference:

TeachThought Staff. (2022, January 21). Students Can Use These Questions To Guide Their Inquiry-Based Learning. TeachThought. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/questions-students-can-use-guide-inquiry-based-learning/

Terry Heick. (2022, January 20). What Are The Phases Of Inquiry-Based Learning? A Guide For Teachers. TeachThought. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/phases-inquiry-learning/

1. What concept did you find difficult to understand? How did you approach learning the concept?

I don’t think there is a clear distinction between intrinsic and external motivation in the article, which makes it difficult for me to distinguish between the two. To learn this concept, I summarized the two sections of the paper separately and used a search engine to query related materials.

2. Share a story about how you overcame a learning challenge. Why was it a challenge? What strategies did you use?  Use the language you learned in this unit.

Learning another language is a massive challenge for many people, but memorising many new words is the most painful thing for me. At the very beginning, I set the Goal setting. Secondly, my intrinsic and external motivations are sufficient because I will live in a place with a new language in the future, which makes me have to learn a new language, which is my extrinsic motivation. My intrinsic motivation is my strong desire to learn the language. In the learning process, I also chose the motivation strategy of motivation theory, reciting words through educational games so that I could have a goal at the beginning and achieve satisfaction after the completion.

3. Share a story about your best learning experience (could be a formal course or something more personal). Why did you enjoy it?

I took EDCI337 last semester, which was my favourite online course. This course and EDCI335 focus on instructional design, unlike 337, which focuses on video whiteboards. I also like making videos very much, but I don’t have much time to make videos because I am busy with courses. This course gives me an opportunity which satisfies my intrinsic motivation. After submitting the first assignment, the teacher gave me a high score, which greatly satisfied my vanity and made my external motivation also have power. Second, all projects must be group, and team cooperation is essential. After my entire interaction with classmates, I also got a lot of advice on video production and the ability to teach design. I think the improvement meets my self-determination theory of three psychological needs – autonomy, ability and correlation. I experienced a lot of autonomy in learning, and this is a great help for me in producing high-quality assignments.

4. How would the learning be designed differently by a behaviorist, a cognitivist, and a constructivist? Scenario: A high school social study teacher is planning a class on climate change.

Behaviorism: Create several scenarios of climate change and use them to answer similar questions

First, I will apply learning theory. Learning theories and research often provide information about relationships among instructional components and the design of instruction, indicating how specific techniques/strategies might best fit within a given context and with specific learners.（Keller，1979） The goal of instruction for the behaviorist is to elicit the desired response from the learner who is presented with a target stimulus.(Ertmer, et al., 2013) The first thing is to design the situation and generate the stimulus. These stimuli have no priming power initially, but elicit conditioned responses after repeated training.

Cognitivism: Ask students to think about climate change in their own lives, look for highly similar cases to guide them, and gradually add new knowledge.

Cognitive theories emphasize making knowledge meaningful and helping learners organize and relate new information to existing knowledge in memory.Techniques used by both camps in achieving this effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge transfer are simplification and standardization. That is, knowledge can be analyzed, decomposed, and simplified into basic building blocks.(Ertmer, et al., 2013) Unfamiliar information can be placed in a familiar environment, so that learners can effectively learn new knowledge from past learning experience.

Constructivism: Get guidance on modelling by interacting with climate experts who participate in real cases, attend climate conferences and seminars, discuss issues with other students, and express your views and opinions.

5. Based on your reading, would you consider your current instruction style more behavioralist, cognitivist, or constructivist? Elaborate with your specific mindset and examples.

I think the current teaching style is more similar to cognitivism.

The philosophical assumptions underlying both the behavioral and cognitive theories are primarily objectivistic. (Jonassen, 1991b)Both learner and environmental factors are critical to the constructivist, as it is the specific interaction between these two variables that creates knowledge. (Jonassen, 1991a)

Here the tasks of the designer are two-fold:

• to instruct the student on how to construct meaning, as well as how to effectively monitor, evaluate, and update those constructions; and
•  to align and design experiences for the learner so that authentic, relevant contexts can be experienced.(Ertmer, et al., 2013)

For the first group assignment, the teacher is more inclined to let us design our major course. Cognitivism allows students to connect with previously learned material, use recall prerequisite skills, and design and make analogies to relevant examples.

I read Harry Yan’s blog, which mainly deals with Behaviorist, Cognitivist and Constructivist. I have a clearer understanding of the knowledge points, which is of great help to me.
Here’s a link to his blog:

https://yingxuyan.opened.ca/

Another student, Caitlin’s blog
Her blog is all about her personal experiences, and she describes how she learned to succeed in three ways. Very good example. Besides, the beautification of her homepage is very special!
Here’s a link to her blog:

Blog Post #1 – Learning, Motivation, & Theory

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.