Theoretical Frameworks – Unit 3 Activity 1

My work in progress, theoretical framework brainstorm session…

  • Constructivism: throughout the MALAT program I was convinced that constructivism was the theory that I would apply to my final paper. It seemed the most relevant to the millennial learner and I felt like it resonated most with how I like to learn, so I always just assumed it would naturally fit my topic. At this point, I’m struggling to see how constructivist learning theory could tie specifically to design elements and delivery methods related to digital learning environments (DLE). On one hand, I think I there are many fundamentals I could draw from related more to the delivery methods of DLEs, but I’m not sure how fruitful it would be to build off of for specific design elements.
  • Activity Theory: I had never come across Activity Theory until this course and with the help of alphabetical order; I read that suggested reading first. I was slightly confused at first, but as I read on and began to preliminarily search ‘Activity theory’ AND ‘front-line workers’, I found a handful of articles that connected the two. My limited knowledge of Activity Theory sparked my interest because it seems to create a link between the individual and the social reality. However, my main concern is that it seems to be a framework that would better support research related to online group learning dynamics and specific interactions, and that is not necessarily something I am looking for or focusing on in my specific research.
  • Adult Learning Theory: Without fail, this seems like the most obvious choice as I’m really trying to expand on the traits of the adult learner (with a focus on Gen Y and Gen Z) and match them with design and delivery methods for DLEs. The focus on self-directed learning and motivation is a critical foundation for my research topic and it would be foolish to omit this theory. As I start to read through in more depth, I keep being drawn further and further to continue on. Knowles (1973) research includes implications of learning theories to specific program development which I feel will be important to include. I am really intrigued to dig deeper here and I think that this is where I want to go and the theory to use as the “blueprint” to my research.

Overall, I am leaning towards Adult Learning Theory as my primary theoretical framework. I would like to include Constructivism as a secondary option if I can figure out a way to not overcomplicate the research. I believe that constructivism is very important when discussing the development of pedagogy within digital learning environments so I’d love to hear your thoughts on if you think these two are a solid option 🙂 

Knowles, M. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED084368.

 

Disseminating Research

What I’m hoping to accomplish from my research, is to gain a very strong understanding of the various digital learning platforms (I’m hesitant to use the term LMS as I’m not convinced that I need to limit my options), and features within them, that are on the market today. Ideally, I’d like to use my research as a tool to help influence decision makers within my organization and showcase the options available and subsequently highlight the limitations with our current system.

In terms of dissemination, I intend to use my end product strictly within the confines of my organization. I’d like to use it as a tool to showcase my extensive knowledge on the topic and ideally to secure myself a position on the committee involved in selecting the proper digital learning platform for the future. Ideally, the work from my research could help build out a detailed RFP and provide our organization with more science behind what we are looking for. 

I am also considering taking the research and creating a summarized overview of my findings and posting the article on LinkedIn to share with my peers.

LRNT 528 – Week 8(a) AR/VR – Activity 3

I used to think that Virtual Reality was predominantly present in video games and very “high-tech” organizations. Now I think that it is becoming more mainstream where many of the functionalities can be applied to learning and educational environments.

Here’s What…

Virtual Reality seems to be completely separate interactions outside of the “real world”, whereas Augmented Reality seems to be a way to take real-life scenarios and improve or enhance through technology (Wang, Callaghan, Bernhardt, White. & Pena-Riox, 2017).

So What…

After beginning to immerse myself in a research topic I lacked familiarity in, my interpretation is that both VR and AR are becoming more accessible and available to the average person.

Now What…

In the world of education, my prediction is that as online learning communities and institutions grow, more fields of study will be accessible remotely with the help of VR and AR. I can see areas like medicine, firefighting, or many trades benefiting from the improvements in technology that allow for simulations and real-world training environments.

Wang, M., Callaghan, V., Bernhardt, J., White, K., & Pena-Rios, A. (2018). Augmented reality in education and training: Pedagogical approaches and illustrative case studies. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 9(5), 1391-1402. doi:10.1007/s12652-017-0547-8

LRNT 528 – Assignment 1 – Effective Facilitation Infographic

When evaluating the various elements related to successful online facilitation through various online resources (Boettcher, 2013; Bull, 2013 & Salmon, 2018), I felt myself being drawn to the elements related to communication and human interaction over anything else.

To narrow down the top five facilitation tips that resonated most with me, I started with what I deemed as the most important tip, which is:

  • To be present and constantly check in and be accessible. This creates a strong understanding of the expectations and comfort level between learners and their facilitator.

The narrative of the infographic continues on in sequence from that point to cover the remaining key points that include:

  • Creating an environment where learners can connect and learn from each other. This allows the expertise of others to be incorporated in the learning environment.
  • Curate content, that way the overwhelming information available is presented in a way that is digestible and clear for learner consumption.
  • Communicate clearly so that although there is not a physical way to draw a consensus on clarity, there is still an opportunity for learners to understand exactly what they need to do.

The final tip and “must have” in my opinion is to just be human!

I think that the real difference in facilitation between face-to-face and online course delivery is that ability to have real human interaction. Great facilitators can work beyond the physical presence and incorporate elements like strong communication, personalized attention, and clear expectation delivery to set the tone for a positive experience (Bull, 2013). In my own experience, the course instructors who made a conscious effort to stimulate conversation, set clear expectations and connect on a human level, made the overall learning experience far more enjoyable and effective. If you think about all of the dialogue that can happen over a 1-hour lecture or classroom session, there are many opportunities to ask questions, probe further, and also develop a relationship with your fellow classmates and instructor.

That’s why on an ongoing sense of community and conversation is something I find extremely important in online facilitation. The more involved and present a facilitator is, the better they can influence and stimulate ongoing dialogue amongst the learners. Especially in continuing adult education where many learners come equipped with a plethora of industry knowledge, so much of the learning can be done through collaborative working environments and group discussions.

Disclosure: Apologies for the watermark on the Infographic PDF (I did not sign up for a paying subscription) 

Link to Infographic: Assignment 1_PDF

References

Boettcher, J. V. (2013). Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online.

Bull, B. (2013). Eight Roles of an Effective Online Teacher. Faculty Focus.

Salmon, G. (2018). The five-stage model. Online resource.

LRNT 527 – Unit 3 Activity 2 – The Reflect Phase

What was the most surprising thing that you learned by participating in the design thinking process and designing and developing your digital learning resource?

What I enjoyed most about the design thinking process and found most compelling was the needs assessment portion. Observing and engaging with the learners I was designing for, gave me the opportunity to understand more than just the learning-related traits, but everything from the environment, design elements, and external factors that impact the overall learning experience. After “walking in their shoes” and immersing myself in their working environment, I felt I was far better equipped to design something to meet their needs. The combination of design-based research, learning theories, and the needs assessment proved to be an effective foundation to start building something that could work. 

What suggestions and improvements did you receive? Did you get any feedback that you did not expect? What feedback needs further investigation? 

I received feedback related to the learning objectives I had set and agree that they could absolutely be more direct in terms of actionable verbs to be used, as well as proper measurable ways to evaluate whether or not they had been met. I also received some very constructive recommendations that I will absolutely be using when designing the remainder of this digital resource. Specifically, incorporating functionality to track advancement will be important to highlight the accomplishments and progress of the learners; it will also be beneficial for our succession planning tool as well. It was also suggested that I build a journey out of the various modules to help in managing the overall learning outcome while providing a clear path for the user. A recommendation was also made to keep some face-to-face training in place to allow for networking and social interaction, I will look at how to keep this interactive option open even if it can’t be done in a physical event form.

What are the next steps you would like to take to build upon your digital learning resource?

The next steps will require a rebuild of the learning objectives, not just the module I made but for the entirety of the management training system. I will also need to dive deeper into the needs assessment when looking at the entirety of the management learning journey as opposed to the one in-class element.  

 Also, consider how you might utilize the design thinking process for the design and creation of digital learning resources in the future, or for other tasks that you may encounter within your instructional context.

After completing the design thinking process from beginning to end, I will now incorporate this model in my workplace. The biggest missing piece was the empathy phase and I believe that by introducing this in future design projects it will only continue to help our team as we elevate our course offerings. Evaluation and reflection are also steps that have been redefined for me, and rather than doing rigorous “post-mortem” evaluations that focus primarily on saturation numbers, a deeper dive in areas related to learning objectives will allow us to evaluate more areas of effectiveness.

LRNT 527 – Unit 3 Activity 1 – The Test Phase

The framework our team used was a blend of both the LORI Model (Leacock & Nesbit, 2007) and the conceptual framework outlined by Hadjerrouit (2010). Both of these models offered great elements to pull from that we felt relevant to evaluating digital learning resources.

When considering aspects of learning theories, the presentation design and interactivity criteria seemed to encapsulate the most important aspects of effective digital learning resources in my opinion.

From what we know about the implications for online learning outlined by Ally (2008), most of the key aspects can be evaluated through the presentation design and the interactivity criteria. Some examples include:

Behaviourist:

  • Sequencing should begin a simple moving to complex (Design)
  • Learners should be able to receive feedback from the resource (Interactivity)

Cognitivism:

  • Proper location of information on the screen and minimal overload of sensations (Design)
  • Critical information should be highlighted for focused attention (Design)
  • Learners should have the opportunity to complete assignments and use in real life contexts (Interactivity)

Constructivism:

  • Learners interpret and process information through senses to create knowledge (Design)
  • Learners should have control of the learning process and navigate the resource accordingly (Interactivity)

Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (pp.15-44). Edmonton, AB: AU Press.

Hadjerrouit, S. (2010). A conceptual framework for using and evaluating web-based learning resources in school education. Journal of Information Technology Education, 9, 53-79.

Leacock, T. L., & Nesbit, J. C. (2007). A framework for evaluating the quality of multimedia learning resources. Educational Technology & Society, 10(2) 44-59.

 

 

LRNT 527 – Unit 2 Activity 3 – Design Plan

Description: 

The digital learning resource will be a short video segment that will live as a module amongst 15 others in our management learning program. The module is meant to take the 2-hour instructor-led content and consolidate it into one 5 minute video outlining all of the key information related to that specific module topic. The 15 modules that make up the management learning program consist of topics like loss prevention, scheduling, business analytics, and people development. For the sake of this assignment, I will focus on the people development module when creating my digital learning resource.

Learning Goals: 

The goal of the module is to provide an introduction to the people development model and to prepare the learner for the subsequent modules that will dive deeper into coaching techniques and accessing resources. 

Upon completion of the module the learner will be able to:

  • Understand the basic training resources and coaching methods for each stage of the people development model.
  • Determine how their role as the “coach” fits into the learning journey for their staff.
  • Understand how people development fits within the employee experience.
  • List all stages of the retail employee learning journey at FGL Sports.

Intended Audience: 

The intended audience in the past for all content related to management training was specific to and only made accessible to, new store managers or high potential assistant managers who would be invited to the instructor-led summit once a year. With the digital delivery option, the content will be made accessible to:

  • All new managers as part of their onboarding process
  • Existing or tenured managers looking to refresh themselves on key role responsibilities
  • High potential Assistant or Department Managers looking to expand their knowledge base and take on their own development
  • Any retail associate who is interested in learning more about the organization and the role of the Store Manager.

My hope is that this can ultimately improve our talent pipeline and succession planning strategy by introducing more people who are motivated to develop within our company.

Rationale: 

I am confident that the delivery of a clear, concise, and informative video can meet the learning needs to highlight the training resources and coaching methods available for developing our people.  Typically the in-person sessions are filled with various facilitators with different presentation styles and communication skills. By streamlining all of the modules in a format that is consistent, we can control the process and message that is getting out to our field (store-level) teams.

Tools: 

The tool that I have chosen to use is the animated program “Powtoon”. The reason being is:

  • Cartoons can ensure consistency with the look and feel of the design and specifically the facilitator. As personnel come and go, the avatar will remain the same, promoting uniformity and sustainability.
  • The program is somewhat easy to learn and I am familiar with it from a previous course assignment.
  • The tool has the ability to add voiceover, text, and video media for optimized design delivery.

Assessment Plan: 

The Assessment plan will be two-fold for this digital learning resource as there are potentially different learners who might access the video.

Primary Audience – Store Manager being onboarded:

  • No assessment or checkpoints during video
  • After module completion, there is a “Show Me Step” which consists of a number of follow up reflection questions to be led by the mentor (the district manager or training manager).
  • Upon completing all 15 modules there will be a formal assessment on the LMS to ensure tracking and completion. For the sake of this assignment, this will not be included as the remaining modules are yet to be completed.

Secondary Audience – all other managers or associates:

  • Access to the “Show Me Step” will be available and conducted with their store manager if they would like further support or development
  • No formal assessment

Learning Theories & Instructional Design Principles Used: 

  • Elements from Behaviourist and Cognitivism will be used most when building this learning video. It will not be interactive and will act as a stand-alone video with a focus on delivering the what and how when it comes to our People Development process.
  • Design Framework elements outlined in Bates SECTIONS model (2015) helped inform the design and delivery methods for the animated module.
    • Interaction is one of the most important principles when developing the tool as the concern related to the learning outcome is present when trying to condense content length, replace facilitator presence, and change the method of delivery.
      • Interaction with learning materials (video)
      • Interaction with the facilitator (post video show me step to demonstrate critical thinking)

Cognitive Learning Theory:

  • Although elements related to the assessments and program learning objectives for the entirety of the management learning program does draw on components from both behaviourist and constructivist learning theories, the digital resource design however was heavily influenced by the cognitivism school of thinking.

Based on the research synthesized by Ally (2008), the following elements were included based on the various learning theories:

  • Cognitive learning was considered when choosing animated video design delivery, allowing the learner to observe the learning materials and promote memory retention.
  • Initial storyboarding supports a design of content being delivered in an organized fashion with clear sequencing moving at a manageable pace. It is believed that by giving the learner a variety of text and graphic content, they will better be able to internalize and remember the content.
  • The graphics will be simple and not take away from the content being delivered while the text and important information will be highlighted and bucketed to remain categorized and clear for each section.

Instructions for Use: 

  • The learner is meant to access this content as either a personal development opportunity or in the case where a new manager has been hired and they require knowledge on each of the 15 modules upon completing their onboarding.
  • An overview PDF of the management program will be provided as well as the “Show Me Step” with instructions on how to leverage this coaching tool to support the digital training resource.

Plan for Use: 

  • Due to corporate security constraints, this resource will not be made open on the world wide web. When it comes to proprietary corporate learning programs, the organization takes this seriously  so in terms of “open” it will be at an organizational level by living in our Operations Portal> Training Tile > Management Training Program.

Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (pp.15-44). Edmonton, AB: AU Press.

Bates, A. W. (2015). Chapters 6-8. In Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Vancouver BC: Tony Bates Associates Ltd.

LRNT 527 – Unit 2 Activity 2 – Selecting Promising Ideas

After reviewing the various frameworks associated with selecting and creating a digital resource, each model seemed to help bring some sort of insight as I work through my decision-making process. The SECTIONS Model (Bates, 2015) seemed to be the most focused with a clear outline on how and what to consider when introducing technology with pedagogy. Specifically, the evaluation of learner demographics, access to technology, ease of use, as well as the deeper dive related to multimedia and the effects on the learning outcome.

This framework aligns well with my current practice as I am constantly trying to adapt existing training tools to meet the needs of various learner preferences and manage multiple stakeholders. I am also faced with budget management constraints while still trying to correlate the learning outcome with the content being curated and produced by my team. The SECTIONS Model (Bates, 2015) considers all of these elements and then some, ultimately impacting my choice to move forward with it.

The most important component of the framework is the section related to interaction with learning materials. Elements of this point are connected to my desire to create a digital solution that eliminates user times, and specifically the interactive characteristics of media and technologies to enhance the ability for my learners to remain engaged and actually learn from the resource I create.

Although I am still fresh in the ideate stage and feel confident to move forward with the SECTIONS Model as my framework, I do feel like the SAMR and TPACK Models were helpful in narrowing down my thoughts and ideas and remaining focused on augmentation and considering the connection between pedagogy, content, and technology knowledge.

In terms of learning theories, although much of my focus has seemed to be around constructivism so far in this program, I think I will be leaning more on elements from the behaviourist and cognitive schools of learning. The intention of the module I will be making will be one aspect that lives within an ecosystem that contains constructivist friendly activities and design, but for my learning objectives, I’m really focusing on the “what” and the “how”. I will leverage the implications for learning (Ally, 2008) to help when designing in the prototype phase.

Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (pp.15-44). Edmonton, AB: AU Press.

Bates, A. W. (2015). Chapters 6-8. In Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Vancouver BC: Tony Bates Associates Ltd.

LRNT 527 – Activity 4 – The Define Phase

After exploring the various Define method options listed throughout the Bootcamp Bootleg (2016) and Design Kit (2015), I believe that first and foremost, downloading my learnings will be the most important step in synthesizing my data. For my design challenge, I am focusing on immersion and observation through two separate instances (shadowing a manager on duty as well as attending a training event as an onlooker) and I can anticipate that the information I will gather will be immense. Although downloading your learnings is suggested for group design formats, I think it will still be beneficial for me as I sit and observe all of the interactions, emotional responses, and challenges that my learners will face. I will take brief notes throughout the training event and shadow shift and then detach myself from the environment during the same day and reflect on all of my observations while writing my learnings in further detail. I want to ensure I am focused on immersing myself in the environment rather than feverishly taking notes so it will be important for me to take the time while my memory is fresh and gather all of my thoughts in a clear and organized way.  

I then considered “Sharing Inspiring Stories” but figured as a sole designer in this process that I would benefit more from finding themes directly after I download my learning. I plan to group the core similarities and focus on the significant insight that kept presenting itself. I believe this will be beneficial as I will be gathering data in two separate instances so consistent issues, challenges, and themes will help as I begin my ideation and prototyping phase.

Lastly, I will leverage the “How Might We” tools to redefine my problem as it seems to clearly articulate how to bring together the synthesized information gathered and develop a compelling challenge.

IDEO. (2015). Design Kit – Methods. Retrieved from http://www.designkit.org/methods

Stanford University Institute of Design. (2016). Bootcamp Bootleg.  Retrieved from http://dschool-old.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/METHODCARDS-v3-slim.pdf

LRNT 527 – Activity 3 – Empathy Methods

After reviewing the empathy methods within the Bootcamp Bootleg (2016) and Design Kit  (2015) resources, there are a few approaches that interest me and I’m finding it challenging to narrow down how I might apply only one to my needs assessment process through my design challenge, so I think I will take a blended approach. First and foremost, the method that I will choose to gain empathy for my end users will be through immersion. This method truly allows you to walk the walk and experience a day in the life of your user. The Design Kit suggests that shadowing the person (people) you are designing for is one of the greatest ways to interpret their needs and gain sufficient insight to begin creating something that would work well for them.

In my context particularly, I am going to immerse myself in two different ways to complete my needs assessment and gain empathy. I am fortunate that our yearly leadership and management training event is happening this week here in Calgary and I will be able to attend as a spectator and observe the content, case study assignments, and presentations in person. This will give me the ability to see how the users interact with the content specifically related to management training and which aspects they resonate with, gloss over, or when they become passive listeners. This will also give me some insight from an “extreme users” point of view as this group of people represent the highest performing, aspiring leaders within the organization who are actively involved in all operational aspects of the business and are the most connected to the needs and demonstrate inherent leadership skills and business acumen.

I will then shift my observation to in store, where managers work day in and day out. I will simply shadow the manager and observe what his/her daily struggles, schedules, and situations that come up that not only impact her ability to get her training and development in but to simply get her job done each day. I also hope to gather more information related to what type of training content would truly impact our managers by understanding their role at a deeper level.

Although I will be executing my empathic method through immersion and observation, I do think that applying the Empathy Mapping process will help me collect and make sense of the data I accumulate.

IDEO. (2015). Design Kit – Methods. Retrieved from http://www.designkit.org/methods

Stanford University Institute of Design. (2016). Bootcamp Bootleg.  Retrieved from http://dschool-old.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/METHODCARDS-v3-slim.pdf