Chapter 5 refers to analyzing learners and contexts. At this phase, the designer will determine the characteristics of the learners, the contexts of instruction and skills. This means a designer identifies a set of variables that affect learning and thus be able to modify instructional strategy to enhance learning. Let's look at Dick and Carey model in Analyzing Learners and Contexts:
CONCEPTS
Learner Analysis
This chapter referred to the learners as the target population. A designer must go beyond general descriptions and be more specific about the skills required of learners. Dick and Carey list these 8 categories as follows:
1. Entry skills
What are the specific skills associated with learning the goal? These skills (specific or general) relate to learner's knowledge, experience and attitudes. These skills need to defined clearly and verified accordingly because these characteristics may influence the outcome of the instruction.
2. Prior knowledge of topic area
This category deals with prior learning. Thus, new knowledge is built on prior understanding. As a designer, it is critical to know the range and nature of prior knowledge.
3. Attitudes toward Content and Potential Delivery Systems
This category is about learner's impressions and attitudes about the topic. It involves learner's expectations regarding how instructions is delivered. For instance, learners might be skeptical about the training due to bad e-learning experience, ill-conceived and badly supported learning management system.
4. Academic Motivation
According to this chapter, instructors believe that the learner's level of motivation is the most important factor in successful instruction. Thus, learning becomes impossible when learners show little interest or motivation in the topic. Keller (1987) developed a model of the different types motivation. See figure below.
Perhaps, we need to ask potential learners these questions:
How motivated are learners to learn the topic, and how much is it likely to interest them?
How relevant is the instructional goal to you?
What aspects of the goal interest you most?
How confident are you that you could successfully perform the goal?
How satisfying would it be to you to be able to perform the goal?
The four components of the ARCS model are Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction, which have been found to highly influence human motivation. Let's look at the ADDIE model in terms of Keller's ARCS model of motivation:
How motivated are learners to learn the topic, and how much is it likely to interest them?
How relevant is the instructional goal to you?
What aspects of the goal interest you most?
How confident are you that you could successfully perform the goal?
How satisfying would it be to you to be able to perform the goal?
The four components of the ARCS model are Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction, which have been found to highly influence human motivation. Let's look at the ADDIE model in terms of Keller's ARCS model of motivation:
5. Educational and Ability Levels
What are the achievement and general ability levels of the learners? This helps determine the kinds of instructional experiences they may have had and their ability to cope with new and different approaches to instruction.
6. General Learning Preferences
This is about exploring new modes of learning. More importantly, this is about learning approaches that the learners prefer. For example, do learners prefer lecture, seminar, case study, small-group, or web-based?
7. Attitudes Toward Training Organization
How do the learners feel about the organization providing the training? Are they cynical about its leadership? Do they have a positive view of management and peers? With teachers, you may already know your students' attitudes about school, but keep in mind that some students actually like school, while others may hate it. It's important to know which kind of students you will be interacting with.
8. Group Characteristics
This category deals with the degree of heterogeneity of the target population. Is there heterogeneity within the target population? If so, you want to make sure to accommodate any diversity. Also, get a general overall impression of the target population based on interactions with them. As an example this chapter talks about MOOC course. How does one characterize a group of 5,000 students who is enrolled in a massively open online course MOOC? This might be an undertaking. Let's look at 2013 MOOC enrollment in order to grasp a little bit about the concept of group characteristics. See figure below.
Reference
http://www.mcny.edu/student_serv/lecblog/luminaria-rise-of-the-mooc
http://www.mcny.edu/student_serv/lecblog/luminaria-rise-of-the-mooc
Performance Context Analysis
In addition to analyzing the learners, this step of the instructional design process also deals with analyzing both the performance context and the learning context. Why is this idea of context important? Well, if we understand the setting in which new skills, knowledge, or attitudes will be used then we can do a better job of planning instructional activities. Also, if we understand the setting in which instruction will take place then we can do a better job of planning activities that will make the best use of the instructional environment.
The performance context is the setting in which the new skills and knowledge will be used by learners after the instruction is completed. Knowing this information will enable you to create a more relevant environment for learning to take place in. It should also help increase learners' motivation, and aid in the transfer of new knowledge to the work setting. Dick and Carey list four considerations/elements when analyzing the performance context:
1. Managerial or Supervisor Support
This is the organizational support that learners can expect when using new skills. It often helps to include managers, subject matter experts (SMEs), or trainers in the planning stages. It is important to have management support for the learners when the instruction is finished.
2. Physical Aspects of the Site
This is the physical context in which the new skills will be used. Is there equipment, facilities, tools, timing, or other resources will be available and necessary?
3. Social Aspects of the Site
Will workers work alone or in a team? This is an important question to as within the social context of the performance setting and other questions such as: Will they work independently in the field or as a supervisor? Will they be the first to use these skills?
4. Relevance of Skills to Workplace
This element deals with relevance skills learned by employees within the current workplace. How relevant are the new skills to the actual workplace? Are there physical, social, or motivational constraints to the use of the new skills?
Data for Performance Context Analysis
Analyzing the performance context requires that you actually visit the site in question. Information can be obtained from on-site visits using interviews and observations. The purpose is to gather information from potential learners and managers, as well as observe the work environment where learners will eventually use their new skills.
Perhaps students have a point when they ask, "Why do we need to learn this?" As Dick and Carey state, "We encourage you to think beyond the accepted textbook and curriculum guide approach to public schooling. That approach has led to the criticism that much of public education emphasizes factual recall over conceptual understanding and textbook problems over authentic applications. Constructivist theorists have been justifiable sharp in their criticism of teaching/learning activities that are abstracted from, and thus not relevant to, actual physical, social, and problem contexts" (pg. 102).
Learning Context Analysis
The other type of context is the learning context. This is the setting where the actual learning will take place. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the facilities where the learning will occur, and to identify any limitations of the setting that might affect the design of instruction.
Dick and Carey list four elements to consider when analyzing the learning context.
1. Compatibility of Site With the Instructional Requirements
Does the environment include any tools or other items that are necessary for the learning of the goal? For example, if your instruction requires computers, are they available at the site, and are they properly configured? Can the site support the desired delivery approach? Also, are there any personnel or time constraints that you can identify?
2. Adaptability to Simulate Workplace
Does the learning environment adequately simulate the eventual work environment? Is there anything that can be done to make it more like the work environment? The closer you can simulate the performance site, the easier it will be for the learners to transfer their newly acquired skills.
3. Adaptability for Delivery Approaches
What delivery approach us being used for the proposed instructional site?
4. Learning Site Constraints Affecting Design and Delivery
This element deals with compatibility issues or constraint analysis of the learning environment.
In addition to analyzing the learners, this step of the instructional design process also deals with analyzing both the performance context and the learning context. Why is this idea of context important? Well, if we understand the setting in which new skills, knowledge, or attitudes will be used then we can do a better job of planning instructional activities. Also, if we understand the setting in which instruction will take place then we can do a better job of planning activities that will make the best use of the instructional environment.
The performance context is the setting in which the new skills and knowledge will be used by learners after the instruction is completed. Knowing this information will enable you to create a more relevant environment for learning to take place in. It should also help increase learners' motivation, and aid in the transfer of new knowledge to the work setting. Dick and Carey list four considerations/elements when analyzing the performance context:
1. Managerial or Supervisor Support
This is the organizational support that learners can expect when using new skills. It often helps to include managers, subject matter experts (SMEs), or trainers in the planning stages. It is important to have management support for the learners when the instruction is finished.
2. Physical Aspects of the Site
This is the physical context in which the new skills will be used. Is there equipment, facilities, tools, timing, or other resources will be available and necessary?
3. Social Aspects of the Site
Will workers work alone or in a team? This is an important question to as within the social context of the performance setting and other questions such as: Will they work independently in the field or as a supervisor? Will they be the first to use these skills?
4. Relevance of Skills to Workplace
This element deals with relevance skills learned by employees within the current workplace. How relevant are the new skills to the actual workplace? Are there physical, social, or motivational constraints to the use of the new skills?
Data for Performance Context Analysis
Analyzing the performance context requires that you actually visit the site in question. Information can be obtained from on-site visits using interviews and observations. The purpose is to gather information from potential learners and managers, as well as observe the work environment where learners will eventually use their new skills.
Perhaps students have a point when they ask, "Why do we need to learn this?" As Dick and Carey state, "We encourage you to think beyond the accepted textbook and curriculum guide approach to public schooling. That approach has led to the criticism that much of public education emphasizes factual recall over conceptual understanding and textbook problems over authentic applications. Constructivist theorists have been justifiable sharp in their criticism of teaching/learning activities that are abstracted from, and thus not relevant to, actual physical, social, and problem contexts" (pg. 102).
Learning Context Analysis
The other type of context is the learning context. This is the setting where the actual learning will take place. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the facilities where the learning will occur, and to identify any limitations of the setting that might affect the design of instruction.
Dick and Carey list four elements to consider when analyzing the learning context.
1. Compatibility of Site With the Instructional Requirements
Does the environment include any tools or other items that are necessary for the learning of the goal? For example, if your instruction requires computers, are they available at the site, and are they properly configured? Can the site support the desired delivery approach? Also, are there any personnel or time constraints that you can identify?
2. Adaptability to Simulate Workplace
Does the learning environment adequately simulate the eventual work environment? Is there anything that can be done to make it more like the work environment? The closer you can simulate the performance site, the easier it will be for the learners to transfer their newly acquired skills.
3. Adaptability for Delivery Approaches
What delivery approach us being used for the proposed instructional site?
4. Learning Site Constraints Affecting Design and Delivery
This element deals with compatibility issues or constraint analysis of the learning environment.
REFLECTION
I can't help but think of my college experience in analyzing this chapter about learners and contexts? What are the issues and constraints in the learning environment? How did this affect my motivation to study and learn? I have contemplated these questions. I believe that overall, it's been a great school. It has top quality professors who are very passionate about their work. It is very small, but the campus is extremely culturally diverse. It offers great benefits to international students. It is represented by over 80 countries and has many clubs for each country that bring each culture to life through music, dance, food, language, and traditions. It is located in the most beautiful area on the north shore of Oahu in a safe community. It has access to beaches, games such as soccer, touch rugby, and basketball. I have been given many opportunities to network and learn about the world at this school. I would say the learning environment provided me with a good experience.
Now, how about my online experience at University of North Texas? Well, in 2004 e-learning was so popular. The hybrid classroom and online experience I had at UNT was good. I like the convenience and compatibility with my lifestyle and schedule. The technology enabled me to participate in online discussions and readings. Overall, it was a good experience. I was motivated to finish.
Aside from my online graduate program, I've taken courses online, the ever so popular Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Why take a MOOC? I have to admit, I love being in a classroom. I enjoy social interaction and real time discussion. There’s nothing quite like the looking at a white board or your clasamates speaking and their facial expressions during lectures. I had never taken a purely online course before, and, though I feared I would miss the inimitable experience of classroom learning. Although I was skeptical to join the worldwide movement of students enrolling in Massive Open Online Courses, I was intrigued to try my hand at learning in this new “classroom” in which the student is simultaneously alone and in the company of thousands. Based on this experience, what Could Be Improved? The first thing that come to mind is content. I had difficulty self-motivating and engaging with the course during the last week. I think the information presented in the final week of the course could have been condensed into one lecture or left out.
When I first started the course, I looked in the discussion forums briefly. They were hundreds of entries. I asked myself, where are these enthusiastic students come from? I was mentally overwhelmed and exhausted after spending some time scrolling through. The experience discouraged me from looking at the forums again. I suppose it might have been interesting to discuss the course material with my fellow students—to have, for example, a “dialogue” and not an “e-discussion,” even if with its diverse perspectives. Nonetheless, I value the experience of taking a MOOC course. I think a better student now and would love to take more MOOCs in the future so that I can continue flexing my self-directed learning muscles and add more professional skills to my resume. Even though online learning can’t quite replicate classroom learning, it appears that appropriately design and implemented, taking a MOOC course could be a great alternative.
I can't help but think of my college experience in analyzing this chapter about learners and contexts? What are the issues and constraints in the learning environment? How did this affect my motivation to study and learn? I have contemplated these questions. I believe that overall, it's been a great school. It has top quality professors who are very passionate about their work. It is very small, but the campus is extremely culturally diverse. It offers great benefits to international students. It is represented by over 80 countries and has many clubs for each country that bring each culture to life through music, dance, food, language, and traditions. It is located in the most beautiful area on the north shore of Oahu in a safe community. It has access to beaches, games such as soccer, touch rugby, and basketball. I have been given many opportunities to network and learn about the world at this school. I would say the learning environment provided me with a good experience.
Now, how about my online experience at University of North Texas? Well, in 2004 e-learning was so popular. The hybrid classroom and online experience I had at UNT was good. I like the convenience and compatibility with my lifestyle and schedule. The technology enabled me to participate in online discussions and readings. Overall, it was a good experience. I was motivated to finish.
Aside from my online graduate program, I've taken courses online, the ever so popular Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Why take a MOOC? I have to admit, I love being in a classroom. I enjoy social interaction and real time discussion. There’s nothing quite like the looking at a white board or your clasamates speaking and their facial expressions during lectures. I had never taken a purely online course before, and, though I feared I would miss the inimitable experience of classroom learning. Although I was skeptical to join the worldwide movement of students enrolling in Massive Open Online Courses, I was intrigued to try my hand at learning in this new “classroom” in which the student is simultaneously alone and in the company of thousands. Based on this experience, what Could Be Improved? The first thing that come to mind is content. I had difficulty self-motivating and engaging with the course during the last week. I think the information presented in the final week of the course could have been condensed into one lecture or left out.
When I first started the course, I looked in the discussion forums briefly. They were hundreds of entries. I asked myself, where are these enthusiastic students come from? I was mentally overwhelmed and exhausted after spending some time scrolling through. The experience discouraged me from looking at the forums again. I suppose it might have been interesting to discuss the course material with my fellow students—to have, for example, a “dialogue” and not an “e-discussion,” even if with its diverse perspectives. Nonetheless, I value the experience of taking a MOOC course. I think a better student now and would love to take more MOOCs in the future so that I can continue flexing my self-directed learning muscles and add more professional skills to my resume. Even though online learning can’t quite replicate classroom learning, it appears that appropriately design and implemented, taking a MOOC course could be a great alternative.
EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is used to design curriculum, lessons and instruction based on the diversity of the learners in their classroom. When a teacher understands his/her learners through the UDL lens, he/she creates a flexible learning environment and provides opportunities for learner voice and choice. When lessons are designed using the UDL model, the lesson includes goals, methods, materials, tools, and assessments to reach and support the maximum amount of learners in the classroom.
Learners can use this model to help them understand how they learn best and what learning path they can take to become an independent expert learner, leveraging their natural abilities in the process. This process helps the learner create their personal learning profile that is understood by both teacher and learner. See diagram below:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is used to design curriculum, lessons and instruction based on the diversity of the learners in their classroom. When a teacher understands his/her learners through the UDL lens, he/she creates a flexible learning environment and provides opportunities for learner voice and choice. When lessons are designed using the UDL model, the lesson includes goals, methods, materials, tools, and assessments to reach and support the maximum amount of learners in the classroom.
Learners can use this model to help them understand how they learn best and what learning path they can take to become an independent expert learner, leveraging their natural abilities in the process. This process helps the learner create their personal learning profile that is understood by both teacher and learner. See diagram below:
Reference
http://www.personalizelearning.com/2012_06_01_archive.html
http://www.personalizelearning.com/2012_06_01_archive.html
Another body of knowledge deals with capturing requirements for e-learning systems design. The model includes the modules needed to perform the learning process (Front End) and the modules required to manage the system (Back End). We have considered the Wertenbroch approach [Wertenbroch et al. 2000] to design the learning methodology. This approach assumes that people learn by the combination of three dimensions: absorbing, doing and interacting with others. By combining different amounts of these dimensions, we obtain systems matching different learning paradigms and consequently, different learner profiles.
Reference
http://cerpie.upc.edu/Publicaciones/CAES2001/paperNuria.htm
http://cerpie.upc.edu/Publicaciones/CAES2001/paperNuria.htm