The first third of Weller’s book was a fun reading journey. I was born in 1994 and going through some of the major milestones in ed-tech starting at this time was a good look into the past. I hadn’t really considered those early day technical restrictions, untested processes and lack of experience in the context of ed-tech. I agree with the sentiment that it’s easy to get stuck on the “year-zero” (Weller, 2020) mentality and staying focused on the future. It can be very powerful process to learn and incorporate history in all subject areas to avoid mistakes and potentially rediscover lost methods.
The concept of skeuomorphism came to mind when using the past in future technologies. For those unfamiliar, skeuomorphism is designing a tool that uses physical attributes or ques of another object to create familiarity. An example could be a radio app on a smart phone that is setup similarly to a car radio for the interface. With that I’ve added a new lens to my “MALAT eye” to search the past (sometimes further than expected!) for answers or context.
My personal experience with any technology only really started in the early 2000s as a K-12 student. If I were to write a similar book I think I would take the approach taking snapshots in how ed-tech has changed and impacted my educational journey. I grew up in a time frame where technology rapidly developed and was accessible to most people. I remember in Grade 1 we shared a classroom computer with no internet, high school the first smart phones were being released and now I’m taking a fully online courses through the MALAT program. Capturing my experiences could then be kept and compared to the past and into the future which would be amazing!
Peaking at some chapters ahead I’m excited to explore subjects like Learning Analystics, AI, Blockchain and the “ 2018 – Ed Tech’s Dystopian Turn”. An update to this book capturing the year of COVID would be interesting too.
References:
Weller, M. (2020). 25 Years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press.
Interesting note about skeuomorphism! I think that it is great way to transition people into the digital world but it is also highly dependent on their pre-existing experience with the real-life models. For example, if someone was never taught to read an analog clock, the analog interface on a phone clock may be meaningless to them. In this perspective, what if the person never had experience with a radio? How would radio designs transform as we move away from the real-life model? Here is an interesting read I found on the transition from skeuomorphism to minimalism: https://medium.com/design-warp/skeuomorphism-design-we-learned-to-outgrow-8a24895a80d0
Similarly, in our current online learning platforms and designs, how much skeuomorphism are we still pursuing is intended for our educators versus the learners? How would this differ with different learner age groups? As we move forward in both the design of the learning experience (platform and course design), perhaps we would transition or find balance between skeuomorphism and mental models and design patterns. You can read more about mental models and design patterns here: https://uxdesign.cc/familiarity-in-design-70df1979f80
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Good thoughts, Zac! And Jolee asks worthwhile questions to consider. Coincidentally, a friend showed me an app on their iPhone yesterday that emulated a rotary phone. I think it was this one: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vintagephone/id438179925 Perhaps its intention is to be playful, but it raises the following question for me that I might add here: In what ways might adherence to attributes of another object restrict the affordances of a new one? My example might not be the best one since it would be relatively easy to teach someone to press number rather than dial them, but I do wonder how restrictive such a design approach may be. Thoughts?
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Thanks for your comments Jolee and George. It’s a funny thought and so true that things such as an analog clock has faded familiarity amongst many. I totally agree skeuomorphism was initially popular and has lost favour with time, but there could be resurgence in different formats than we’ve seen previously.
A specific example could be VR & AR technologies are used to replicate processes and tools. I think the biggest benefits for this type of skeuomorphism would be used for learning dangerous processes to reduce learner risk (especially in early/initial stages of learning) and where cost/practicality make it challenging to replicate. A neat example is those highly realistic fighter pilot simulators that although expensive, cost less than running real jet planes and ensures the safety of learners.
Another thought on skeuomorphism is it can definitely be restrictive, but if you can allowed it as an option in an adaptable UI it may prove valuable and quicker for certain learners. Like a clock display or phone dialing app, a level of customization for the learner to choose for their preference may improve the learning and user experience for that individual. Like the readings mentioned there will always be this sense of messiness, but with that we can find value and a good balance of various formats.
Hi Zac! Thanks for your post!
When I was reading the book one thing that struck me were Wellers comments on the lack of intent in the early design of early technologies. Or, the lack of consciousness in regards to what we could do with this technology.
Like you, my first exposure to technology was in school. In fact, it was in grade 7 where we did not have a classroom computer, but we had one computer lab in the entire school. I do not think we had the internet, but we were required to take “typing classes” where they put a folded a piece of paper over our hands and told us to type simple sentences. There was no context from my teacher, nothing like “this is a life skill that you will need forever more”. I remember being confused as to why we had to do it at all. Now, like you, here we are doing entire degrees fully from our computers.
It’s been a wild ride in terms of growing up without, and then with technology in our educational environments, and Weller certainly captures that in his book.
Paula.