1. Presented by Chris Inman AIL 604 Benson
The Design and Sequencing of e-Learning Interactions: A Grounded Approach by Atsusi Hirumi
Presented by Chris Inman
AIL 604
Benson

2. Overview: Key Questions
Hirumi considers three questions in this article:
1. How does e-Learning differ from other modes of instruction?
2. What are meaningful e-Learning interactions?
3. How do you design and sequence meaningful e-Learning interactions? (p.19)

3. How does e-Learning differ?
Traditional Classroom
Key interactions occur spontaneously
In real-time
Good instructors can make up for unclear material or flaws in design
Good instructors interpret verbal and non-verbal cues
Instructor charisma (p.20)
e-Learning Classroom
Communication is mostly asynchronous
Mediated by technology
Interaction must be carefully designed and sequenced properly
Time must be spent visualizing how technology can enhance learning and performance (p.20)

4. Problems Instructors Face
Insufficient time, tools or training (p.20)
How do they respond?
Use traditional, instructor directed methods
Post lecture notes
Take exams online
“Might” use a discussion board or (p.20)

5. What are meaningful e-Learning Interactions?
“…interactivity can mean different things to different people.” (p.20
No universal definition of “meaningful interaction”
Simple definition of “meaningful interaction”:
Interactivity may consist of a learner accessing a page of text via a web interface and reading some content (p.20)

6. Different Interpretations of “Meaningful Interactions”
Borsook (1991)-programs should have these characteristics:
Immediacy of response
Non-sequential access of information
Adaptability
Feedback
Options
Bi-directional
interruptability
Merrill, Li, and Jones (1990) and Weller (1988) emphasize:
The nature of the interaction
Requirement of the learner and the technology to adapt to each other (p.20)

7. Three Key Interactions (Moore, 1998)
Student-Student
Interactions between learners, with or without instructors
Student-Teacher
Teacher attempts to motivate learner, and clarify any misunderstandings
Student-Content
How students interact with content to increase learning (p.21)
Student-Interface (proposed by Hillman, Willis and Gunawardena, 1994)

8. “Purpose-based” Interaction Frameworks
Hannifin (1989):
a) confirmation b) pacing c) inquiry d) navigation e) elaboration
American Society for Training and Development (2001):
a) synchronous communication b) asynchronous communication c) browsing and clicking d) branching e) tracking f) help g) practice h) feedback i) coaching
Northrup (2001):
a) to interact with content b) to collaborate c) to converse d) to help monitor and regulate learning e) to support performance

9. “Tool-based” Interactions (Bonk and King, 1998)
Five basic tool-based interactions
1. and delayed messaging
2. Remote access and delayed collaboration
3. Real-time brainstorming and conversation
4. Real-time text collaboration
5. Real-time multimedia and/or hypermedia collaboration

10. “Activity-based” Interactions
Bonk and Reynolds (1997), Harris (1994a, 1994b, 1994c)
Critical thinking
Creative thinking
Information searching
Information sharing
Collaborative problem solving

11. How do you design and sequence meaningful e-Learning interactions?
Hirumi posits a five-step process (p.22)
Step 1: Identify essential experiences that are necessary for learners to achieve specified goals and objectives
Step is optional because experienced designers tend to identify essential experiences in Step 3
Novice designers should keep Step 1 in mind

12. Steps continued…
Step 2: Select a grounded instructional strategy based on specified objectives, learner characteristics, context and epistemological beliefs.
Teacher-directed approaches?; inquiry learning?; experiential learning?; student-centered? (p.22)
Step 3: Operationalize each event, embedding experiences identified in Step 1 and describing how the selected strategy will be applied during instruction.
How will you gain and sustain learners’ attention? How will you present learners with the instructional objectives? How will you stimulate the recall prior knowledge? (p.24)

13. Steps continued…
Step 4: Define the type of interaction(s) that will be used to facilitate each event and analyze the quantity and quality of planned interactions.
Does the learner require learner-teacher interactions? Learner-learner interactions? Learner-content interactions? (p.24)
Step 5: Select the telecommunication tool(s)-chat, , bulletin board system-that will be based on the nature of the interaction
What tools will you use? Are audio, video, text and graphics needed? Is communication one to one, one to some, or one to many? (p.25)

14. Wrapping it Up
Many authors have proposed systems or models for designing training and instruction
However, all of these approaches have these five phases in common: analyze, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (A.D.D.I.E.) p.25

15. Tips for Online Course Design
Ground instructional design decisions on a combination of experience, research and theory. (p.26)
Keep in mind that with online courses you, as the professor, will not always be present
Online courses and traditional courses differ; traditional courses need proper modification to be presented online

16. Criticisms/Challenges
I do not have any criticisms or challenges, as Hirumi merely posits a five-step process for designing and sequencing e-Learning interactions that instructional designers may want to consider
If I had to point to one criticism, it would be that the proposed five-step process is rather broad; however this could also be considered a strength

17. Event Description Interaction Tool 1.Gain Attention Learner-Instructor
Description of how instruction will gain learners attention.
Learner-Instructor
BBS
2. Inform learners of objectives
Description of how instruction will inform learners of objectives.
Learner-Content
Web Page
3. Stimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge
Description of how instruction will stimulate recall.
Learner-Content; Learner-Lrner
4. Present Stimulus
Description of how instruction will present stimulus information.
5. Provide Learning Guidance
Description of how instruction will provide learning guidance.
Chat
6. Elicit Performance
Description of how instruction will elicit learner performance.
Lrner-Cntnt; Lrner-Lrner
Learner Web Page
7. Provide Feedback
Description of how instruction will provide feedback.
White-
board
8. Assessment Performance
Description of how instruction will assess learner performance.
9. Enhance Retention and Transfer
Description of how instruction will enhance retention and transfer.
Lrner-Instor; Lrner-Lrner

18. Discussion Questions
1. What do you consider to be a meaningful e-Learning interaction?
2. Would you use the five-step process? Why or why not?

19. Article Presented
Hirumi, A. (2002). The design and sequencing of elearning interactions: A grounded approach. International Journal on E-Learning, 1(1), Available at