Chapter 1 Designing e-learning

Definition of e-learning E-learning is the use of electronic technologies to create learning experience.

The Range of Online Experience A course with some on-line elements A Hybrid Course A course taught entirely on line

Varieties of e-learning Standalone courses (taken by solo learner) Games and Simulations Mobile Learning Social Learning Virtual Classroom Course (online course)

What is instructional design? includes Goals Teaching strategies Content Technology choices

General Steps Identify your main goals Analyze learners’ need (what type of students?) Identify what to teach (based on your experience and #1) Set learning objectives (Goals of the lesson- more specific than goals) Identify prerequisites Pick the approach to meet each objective Decide the teaching sequence of your objectives Create objects to accomplish objectives Create tests Select learning activities Choose media

1-Identify your main goals Goals of the course- based on standards, curriculum, your institution

2-Analyze learners’ need Motivation for learning Psychomotor skills Attitude and mindset (dispositions) Mental discipline (ability to recognize and respond wisely) Communication skills Social skills Talents and intelligences Media preferences Background knowledge and experience Learning conditions Locus of control Style of prior education Digital fluency

3-Identify what to teach (Education) Identify essentials (curriculum and standards) Analyze the gap between real and ideal performance (what they need for their future job) - [Design for how People Learn (2012), by Julie Dirksen.] Analyze How people learn (learning theories) Telling Ain't Training 2nd editionBy Harold D. Stolovitch, Erica Keeps Ask “those who should know” (best practices – online resources BUT don’t blindly copy) Analyze critical incidents (academic failures) Don’t let the “content committee” decide (don’t blindly follow them. Rely on your own experience and abilities)

4- Set learning objectives Very important (from objectives we identify prerequisites, learning activities, and tests) Has 3 parts Intent (What will be learned) Learners (target learner)??? Not needed for k-12 Prerequisites (skills, knowledge, attitudes) Intent = The student will understand the concept of the Derivative. Learners = 8th grades, students who already finished their ch 6 projects. Prerequisites= Given 4 theorems that he/she has never seen, the student will formulate a proof for each theorem by drawing on elements from previous sources and will rate them together to form a pattern proof—with 80% accuracy.

Good Objectives Clear Specific Worthy

Primary and secondary objectives Create (has to be original; not from scratch; could be an object, a concept, a plan) Decide (Yes/No- Accept/Reject- How many- How much- which one - going beyond following procedures / making judgment) Do (performing a procedure without having to make decisions, procedures could be mental or physical) Secondary Know (recall, knowing how to find, knowing how things work) Believe (the learner is convinced that…) Feel (how students will feel about…)

Bloom’s Objectives

Good Bad Objectives Bad – Students have the ability to take new information and break it down into parts to differentiate between them. Good – Students will read a presidential debate and point out the passages that attack a political opponent personally rather than the opponent’s political programs.

Good Bad Objectives Bad Know how to use ZebraZapps tools efficiently. Better Know how to draw basic shapes using ZebraZapps drawing tools. Good Know how to draw basic shapes (circle, rectangle, polygon..etc.) using ZebraZapps drawing tools.

Good Bad Objectives OK Uses ZebraZapps to create a multiple choice quiz. Better Uses the “state table” in ZebraZapps to create a multiple choice quiz with at least 5 question. Good Uses the “state table” in ZebraZapps to create a multiple choice quiz with at least 5 question. The quiz should be timed, have feedback, and a scoring gadget.

Identify prerequisites Identify what the learners should already know or what resources they will be given or have access to.

6- Pick the approach to meet each objective chapters 2-4 Standalone e-learning Games and simulations Virtual-classroom e-learning Physical-classroom learning Coaching (mentoring-tutoring) Referring to learning resources Searching online resources Interacting with a social network Letting learners find the solution on their own Changing external factors (in some organizations, often, the best way to meet an objective is not learning or information- Campus online security)- Blending if necessary

7- Decide the teaching sequence of your objectives Bottom up (teach basics first then show the whole picture) Top down (show the whole picture first, then teach details) Sideways (learners choose how to start and continue)

8- Create objects to accomplish objectives A learning object is a chunk of electronic content that can be accessed individually and that completely accomplishes a single learning objective and can prove it.

A- Create Tests Tests clarify the objectives You can use tests to pre-test learners Test is the best guide to design learning activities Tests can serve as learning activity Tests can guide you in the development of content

B- Select learning activities To accomplish learning objectives, we typically require 3 types of learning activities: Absorb Do Connect

Types “Absorb” activities Reading text Watching animation Listening to narration Learner is physically passive but mentally active

Examples of Absorb Presentations Readings Stories by the teacher Field trips

“Do” activities Practice a procedure Play a game Answer questions The learner practices, explores, and discovers

“Connect” activities Connect what they are learning to their work, their lives, and their prior knowledge

Examples of Connect Ponder (stop and think about the subject more broadly and deeply) Questioning (let learners ask questions and obtain answers to their individual questions) Stories told by students (requires learners to share their experiences) Job aids (checklists, manuals, glossaries, calculators, templates, models) Research (identify learning resources on their own)

C- Choose Media Each object may require a different mix of text, graphics, sound, voice, music, animation, and video. What medium is essential to accomplish my objective? What medium could you not do without?