A little more than 10 years ago, I completed what was then one of the only certification programs in knowledge translation in North America. I was working for a leading research university in the field of health care communications. Even then, I understood the importance of disseminating research findings in ways that encouraged application and adoption. Every researcher I ever worked with would agree that having research findings sit on a shelf is not the legacy they would want their work to leave.
So, when we were asked this week to think about how we want our research to be disseminated, I appreciated the reminder that thinking of how we might translate knowledge to practice should be part of our overall research planning.
The topic I am interested in exploring is the impact of human-centered design (HCD) principles on employee engagement and innovation outcomes in workplace training programs. Since my topic touches on workplaces, organizational training, and employee engagement, I think there are potential connections here to academic, industry, member associations, government agencies, and calls for conference presentations or workshops.
If I wanted to share my findings with a professional association, I would seek out the appropriate one(s) and research any conferences that they might be hosting. For example, the Institute for Performance and Learning membership is comprised of professionals working in learning and development in the workplace. They host a national conference, and this year, Dr. Elizabeth Childs is among the speakers who are presenting. If this were an option I was interested in, I’d contact the association to inquire about future conferences, themes they want to explore, timelines for applications, topics that interest their members. I’d then have to tailor a presentation to suit their format (e.g. workshop or keynote presentation), and length of time provided.
This part of the research project process is encouraging and a bit nerve-wracking. It’s encouraging me to want to give my applied research project my best effort to produce something truly helpful and applicable to someone; it is also a bit overwhelming to think of presenting findings to people who are knowledgeable in their fields and have many years of experience. I’m excited to begin!
“We spend a lot time designing the bridge, but not enough time thinking about the people who are crossing it.”
Dr. Prabhjot Singh, Director of Systems Design at the Earth Institute
I was very excited to see that for our digital resource development, it would be a requirement to demonstrate a design thinking approach. In particular, I was very much looking forward to the opportunity to conduct user interviews to inform an empathy map. User interviews are something I am familiar with, as my role at Island Health is very concerned with how users encounter products and services that we create and design. I am very aware that there is not enough user centered design taking place in health care in general. (Anyone who has had to find a service or clinic in a hospital with only a room number as a guide can probably understand).
I recruited some users who agreed to be interviewed, and I set out to write a script with open-ended questions beginning with “How…”; “Why…”; “Tell me…”; “and What…”. All my interview subjects had recent experience with online workplace learning and provided me with ample data for my empathy map. One aspect I want to point out – and this isn’t a judgment at all, as humans can have different needs at different times and contexts – was my observation that statements I heard could be seen as contradictory. For example, one user was clear that they very much disliked group work and found no learning to be gained by working in groups. They also told me that something they value in workplace training is learning from others, and how people in similar roles have benefitted from the training in a related context. Further, the same user told me how much they wished for timely, almost instantaneous feedback and answers from a course instructor or administrator when they want to ask about assignments.
How interesting, I thought. What does a course designer do with feedback like this? I felt a bit like a consumer product designer reviewing focus group data that says: “We definitely want the backpack to be much larger. We also don’t want it to be too big to carry on our backs.”
The reflection in action that occurred as I listened to this user in the interview was this: “How can a learning resource respect learner agency, at the same time encourage that aspect of social learning theory and zone of proximal development that makes being with other learners in the moment so helpful?”
Nevertheless, all my user interviews were insightful, descriptive, honest, forthright, and informative for developing my prototype of my digital learning resource. I appreciated the users who were willing to share with me their frustrations, feelings, needs, and wants when it comes to online learning. I took the data from all my interviews and managed to apply aspects such as learner choice, format of participation (e.g. solo or small group), multiple means of engagement, and modes of interaction.
I’m truly excited about the opportunity to refine the prototype and share this with those who are designing learning modules at Island Health as an example of how more user centered design can inform workplace learning. I intend to use the Affinity Learning platform to present my prototype to my own team to get their feedback on additional topics that we could teach via this kind of digital learning.
In thinking of a persona who would benefit from this toolkit, we thought of someone working in an organizational development role as a trainer, consultant, or leader, who is considering a change.
We welcome your thoughts on our resource, especially if you think you could use this in your work.
This week were asked to provide a reflection on responses to questions we asked Dr. George Veletsianos on the topic of research.
One of the topics that Dr. Veletsianos commented on was how to participate productively and constructively in conversations about generative AI tools like Chat GPT. On this topic, he recommended that we stay away from framing this topic with a binary lens, and rather look at how AI tools are being used on the ground, in classrooms, instead of focussing too much on what they might be capable of. Predictions have always been made about how the latest technology of the time is going to influence society; sometimes predictions are wrong, and are simply best guesses.
Another topic that Dr. Veletsianos commented on was open education and open learning. While acknowledging the opportunities that open learning can bring, and the benefits therein, he emphasized how he has come to appreciate the inequities that exist when it comes to accessing open learning. I found this comment resonated with me, as I thought of the move to “Zoom School” which many parents found themselves supporting their kids with during the COVID-19 pandemic. I think about articles I have read that mention this assumption that we can have about access to things like laptops, stable Wifi, private and safe places to learn, etc. In many cases, there is a privilege here that makes it a fallacy to say that online learning is accessible to “all.”.
Research questions serve a key role in the operationalizing of the research process, and are a reminder of the purpose of the research activity that is being conducted. In this way, research questions are both practical, and serve as a “north star” of the broader purpose of the research activity.
Ideally, research questions should “flow logically and not take the research into different directions” (McCaig & Dahlberg, 2010).
The Writing Centre at Royal Roads University advises that a research question should “be clear and specific; state the focus of the investigation in the research; and not be answerable with a yes/no response” (Royal Roads University, n.d.).
References:
McCaig, C., & Dahlberg, L. (2010). Practical research and evaluation: A start-to-finish guide for practitioners. Practical Research and Evaluation, 1-272.
Royal Roads University, n.d., Developing your essay. https://libguides.royalroads.ca/developing_essay
Update June 4, 2023: The reflections in this blog post where a collaborative effort by Radhika, Chris, and me. I apologize I didn’t state this when this piece was originally posted. TT
The Pros & Cons of Digital vs. Paper Note Taking & Reading
The tools we use can have a significant impact on our success. In the era of technology, academia now heavily involves the use of electronics to teach and share information. As we learned in the course debate, Digital Learning Environments are varied, and can differ from one another.
With academia’s taking advantage of digital options and allowing students to be able to access resources more freely, there is concern that digital learning will have the consequence of newer generations losing skills to read and write without technical assistance and support.
An example of newer generational loss in seen in some countries is the ability to write cursive. Students are now being taught how to type on the keyboards. In this post we’ll examine the positive and negative nature of traditional paper and digital use for note taking and reading as it applies to educational environments.
Digital Note Taking
Digital note taking is the practice of taking notes with digital tools which can include a variety of technologies such as audio, video, photography, text, data visualization, and illustration with the assistance of electronic devices.
Benefits of Digital Note Taking
Collaboration
A key benefit of digital note taking is the ability to share information quickly between students and adapt the information immediately for those with and without learning disabilities. “Use of digital note-taking tools may allow students with learning disabilities to better use working memory, visuals, and auditory learning capacities to complement information processing during lectures and review.” (Belson et al, 2013 p.13)
Security
The ability to store digital notes electronically and collaborate with others also leads to the ability to assemble documents online and have a backup of those materials to fall back on. This can take the form of multiple copies but also multiple different versions which enables learners to branch off into alternate avenues with the knowledge they can return to earlier work.
Efficiency
Data entry with digital note taking is often faster and allows for easier input compared to traditional pen and paper approaches. While it’s impossible to predict individual learners, “the average American can type 40 words per minute but can only handwrite 13 words per minute.” (Robare, 2021).
Other Benefits of Digital: Reading & Writing
Able to customize device settings – Font, size, color, and brightness (light or dark screens)
Clear and organized writing – easy to read through
Automatic corrections of spelling, grammar, & syntax
Swiftness of predicted text completion
Linking of other documents, websites, graphics, diagrams, and tables or videos
Ease of duplication of text, images, and documents
Timesaving in editing & alleviate stress of locating words or phrases
Able to hold a large amount of data and information in one space
Easier to move, organize and sort notes
Eco-friendly
Disadvantages of Digital Note Taking
Accessibility in Learning
With digital note taking, the limits of screen size add an extra dimension of complexity for students with visual impairment or learning impairments. The simple act of redistributing notes in a meaningful way for people on the autistic spectrum, or similar non-traditional processes can become cumbersome and challenging within a locked visual environment. As the authors discuss in the article Developing a Holistic Approach for E-Learning Accessibility, “there is a need for a more sophisticated model for addressing e-learning accessibility which takes into account the usability of e-learning, pedagogic issues and student learning styles in addition to technical and resource issues.” (Phipps and Swift, 2004)
Understanding of Digital Technology
With the rapid change of digital technology, there is a need to offer training support for less technologically focussed individuals including older adults.
“Rogers and colleagues found that older adults were less likely to use automatic teller machines (ATMs) than younger adults. However, the majority of the older people in their sample indicated they would be willing to use ATMs if trained to do so.” (1996)
Digital Equity
Requiring and mandating students to use digital devices for course work can present issues with access and equity. From social class to a simple lack of access due to geography or reliability, dependency on technology by its nature can lead to inequity in a digital space.
“No matter how powerful in educational terms a particular medium or technology may be, if students cannot access it in a convenient and affordable manner they cannot learn from it” (Bates, 2019).
“[Shirley] Malcom points out that lowered cost and greater physical access to computers will not by themselves be sufficient to improve the lot of disadvantaged students.” (Nickerson, R. S., & Zodhiates, P. P, 2013)
Other Disadvantages of Digital: Reading & Writing
System and software can differ per user changing the look of notes and text
Not always straightforward to use
In a collaborative space not easy to distinguish who wrote, changed, or edited documents
Unless publicly shared there can be access and permission issues
Eye strain and fatigue
Distracting – Ads, banners, pop-ups, graphics, and design flaws in certain websites
Plagiarism and copyright issues
Can be expensive, fragile and has a limited life span
Concern about access to internet, electricity, and battery life
Impersonal & formal
Locked to the display screen of the electronic devices
Not easy to spread multiple documents, pages, text, and seamless move through them
Written Notes
Written note taking is an important skill for everyone to master, it can include written text as well as illustrations and drawings by hand.
Advantages of Written Notes
The Encoding Hypothesis
“The encoding hypothesis suggests that the processing that occurs during the act of note taking improves learning and retention.” (Mueller and Oppenheimer, 2014, p.1159) essentially theorizing that the acts of listening, processing, and summarizing during the moment of learning adds benefit in the retention of knowledge.
Learning Style Freedom
Unlike the nature of digital note taking, written notes allow for learners of different styles to quickly access shortcuts they’ve developed over a lifetime. Shortcuts such as indents, symbols, choices of inks or formatting codes that are known only to themselves. These shortcuts allow individual learners to manage information both within a single note and on a larger scale by organizing notes into formats that can’t easily be replicated within a digital environment.
For example, the placement of coloured sticky notes or highlights on text to amplify meaning or organizing large collections of notes in a graphical manner with circles of knowledge spread across a tabletop.
Simplicity
Whatever benefits students can gain from building digital skills does not translate equitably across all students due to reasons of economic, cultural, and social status. One distinct advantage of written notes is its simplicity which is often overlooked in our desire to over emphasize the power of digital skills.
“One challenge is that approaches to digital skills overemphasize the role of basic operational skills (e.g., how to install apps or use Internet browsers) despite indications that it is a combination of skills, including the social and creative (e.g., sense of self-efficacy in using social networks, capacity to create digital content) that generate positive tangible outcomes (Helsper et al., 2015).”
Flexibility for Learners
Learners should be encouraged to build literacy and critical thinking about the different information and communication technologies available. Then they can decide to choose/use/adapt the tools that support the way they learn best.
“I decide whether to adopt new devices and software/apps/services based on their value to me.” Beetham, H. (2015, Nov 10)
Other Advantages of Paper: Reading & Writing
Handwriting is more expressive of a person’s emotions, personality and is unique to the individual
Inexpensive & disposable
Tangible and portable
Easier to mark up, highlight, draw & doodle
Greater freedom to write anytime and anywhere
Larger real estate to spread papers and see the big picture
Able to switch between different writing tools – pencil, pen, marker, etc.…
Less tiring to read large amounts of text
Simpler to write formulas & math equations
Easier to work through thought process more critically
Freedom of movement and location
Better comprehension on spelling, grammar, and flow process
Awareness of each individual’s work in collaborative spaces
Disadvantages of Written Notes
Time Consuming
The primary disadvantage of written notes can be time-consuming to create, as well as laborious to search through at a later date. Additionally, the sharing of written notes is dependent on the transfer of physical content, requiring duplication and transportation, or one party to read the content to another which can introduce a variety of errors in tone, urgency, or understanding.
Document Security
Without proper care and maintenance, handwritten notes can easily be smudged, torn, damaged or become illegible through the simple passage of time. The neglect of these aspects can lead to the permanent degradation of the notes, leaving their contents inaccessible to future reference.
Accessibility to Other Readers
Handwritten notes, especially those transcribed in the hurry, can lack the formatting and structure needed to easily convey ideas to other readers in an effective manner. The shortcuts described earlier as an advantage for written notes can also compound this fault as those meaningful clues are lost without the cipher.
Other Disadvantages of Paper: Reading & Writing
It can be more difficult to correct and edit using dictionaries and thesauruses
Can become messy and disorganized
Slower & discomforting to the hand
Handwriting is not easily readable – e.g., Doctors notes
Restricting and heavy – e.g., Multiple text books back and forth to many classes
Digital and Paper Comprehension
In an article by Kazanic.Z “Results indicate that student still prefer traditional paper instead of digital screen for their reading activities” (2015, P.1), we see the use of paper and digital is not mutually exclusive, each individual has their own preference on which tool works better for them in writing and reading.
Fortunati & Vincent states “the life cycle of a document includes a close intertwining of paper and digital versions: digital for searching, paper for integrating multiple sources; paper for planning, digital for drafting; paper for editing/proofreading, digital for finalizing; mostly digital for distribution and workflow; paper for reading (especially longer documents) and digital for archiving/filing.” (2014, P.1). You can see that the use of digital and paper can work hand in hand with one another. A hybrid environment when it comes to learning has greater advantage rather than focusing on one side of the spectrum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, written and digital note taking each have advantages and disadvantages. Each method is effective for different styles of learning and brings its own unique challenges. Taking the time to evaluate each will help students find the right balance of effectiveness and usability for the individual and through trials will help each person find the perfect system for their individual needs. Learning designers, administrators, instructors, and those who will be influencing the type of tools students must use, or have access to, should consider issues of access and equity, when making these decisions in course design and delivery.
References
A Brave New World: Technology & Education. (2018). Trends Shaping Education Spotlight 15. OECD.org. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264284395-en
Belson, S. I., Hartmann, D., & Sherman, J. (2013). Digital Note Taking: The Use of Electronic Pens with Students with Specific Learning Disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 28(2), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/016264341302800202
Fortunati, L., & Vincent, J. (2014). Sociological insights on the comparison of writing/reading on paper with writing/reading digitally. Telematics and Informatics, 31(1), 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2013.02.005
Jensen, M. M., Thiel, S.-K., Hoggan, E., & Bødker, S. (2018). Physical Versus Digital Sticky Notes in Collaborative Ideation. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), 27(3-6), 609–645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10606-018-9325-1
Kazanci, Z. (2015). University Students’ Preferences of Reading from a Printed Paper or a Digital Screen ― A Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Culture and History (EJournal), 1(1), 50. https://www.academia.edu/33908699/University_Students_Preferences_of_Reading_from_a_Printed_Paper_or_a_Digital_Screen_A_longitudinal_Study
Kelly, B., Phipps, L., & Swift, E. (2004). Developing a Holistic Approach for E-Learning Accessibility. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology / La Revue Canadienne de l’Apprentissage et de La Technologie, 30(3). https://www.learntechlib.org/p/43221/
McLaughlin, R., & Kamei-Hannan, C. (2018). Paper or Digital Text: Which Reading Medium is Best for Students with Visual Impairments? Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 112(4), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482×1811200401
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581
Nickerson, R. S., & Zodhiates, P. P. (2013). Technology in Education: Looking Toward 2020. In Google Books. Routledge. https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NzmcYzz4Y0EC&oi=fnd&pg=PR3&dq=Nickerson
Robare, G. (2021, September 7). On handwriting. The Princetonian. https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2021/09/handwritten-versus-typed-class-notes#:~:text=Typing%20is%20far%20faster%20than
Rogers, W. A., Fisk, A. D., Mead, S. E., Walker, N., & Cabrera, E. F. (1996). Training Older Adults to Use Automatic Teller Machines. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 38(3), 425–433. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872096778701935
For this particular assignment, we were asked to create a visual map of our networks, informed from readings and presentations such as the video presentation from Marc Smith, founder of the Social Media Research Foundation. I had never really thought about how we lack a visual representation of an online crowd, or the significance of what these relationships can tell us. From this point of view, I enjoyed learning about the work that Marc Smith does.
In his video, Smith discusses his interest and the study of crowds. As he puts it: “Crowds matter. When crowds fill a public space, they can change history.” (Smith, 2016). Because of the nature of my full-time role at Island Health, I found the concept of being able to visualize the relationship and networks of people connected via social media very interesting and sparked my curiosity to learn more about how this can be done for inquiry and discovery.
Turning to the assignment, I chose to create a map using four major networks significant in my life: my full-time employer Island Health, my Royal Roads MALAT program, my part-time employer Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and my friends and family. Using these four networks as a starting point, I began to list out the means I use to connect with the individuals and groups within these networks.
At first I thought I would have very distinct tools and platforms in each network; upon creating the map I realized there is some overlap. For example, there is common usage of WhatsApp in my friends and family network and my Royal Roads network; and some overlap with Kwantlen and Royal Roads.
It is interesting for me to see how I didn’t even factor in social media usage that much, since my own personal use of social media has really declined in recent years, despite what I do for a living as a digital engagement leader. I will explore this more in my digital identity and digital presence plan as I unpack the question of how much engagement is still engagement? If we check Facebook twice a year, is this still a means of connection? What do others consider to be a means to stay connected even if it is something they rarely or seldom use?
The concept of a digital visitor and resident was new to me prior to coming across past week’s assigned readings.
I really enjoy the alternative that this presents to the terms “digital native” and “digital immigrants”. I have never been comfortable with either term. I usually have associated these terms with ageism, bias, and making sweeping generalizations about a person’s participation, fluency and skill with technology, just based on age. I have always found this to be a very superficial and inaccurate portrayal of capacity to learn and grow.
My map is largely modelled after the one that Dave White creates in his video. On the top left quadrant I have listed a number of social media platforms in which I consider myself a visitor, mainly for personal use. The bottom right is where I list platforms that I almost exclusively use for work, and they are communities where I create, share, and network with others. I have a large, rectangular space that occupies both personal and institutional “residency” where I have placed LinkedIn. In the last few years, LinkedIn for me has been a space where I have been creating and sharing content, but not all of it has to do with my ‘day job’. I have been sharing reflections about leadership, parenting, trauma at work, and the effects of the pandemic on relationships. It’s been the closest thing to a regular blog that I have capacity to contribute to, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the responses my posts have garnered from people I am not even first degree connections with.
The presentations from the Virtual Symposium sessions introduced me to a wide array of ideas, concepts, and applications in areas such as learning design, curriculum development, use of artificial intelligence, adaptation to change and disruption, scholarly research and writing, and online collaboration. The ideas I will reflect on for this response are from a session recorded in March 2023, whose panelists discussed the topic of “AI and Learning Design”.
In this recording, the speakers addressed current and emerging issues and opportunities presented by the use of Artificial Intelligence content generators – such as ChatGPT – in the K-12, post-secondary, corporate, and vocational training learning environments. For me, the most interesting exchange in this recording was the panelists’ views on the practice of banning AI content generators and disallowing students to use them for school work. All of the panelists shared the view that banning AI content generators from schools is not a practical or sustainable solution despite valid concerns that persist regarding plagiarism and copyright infringement (Royal Roads University, 2023). As a contract instructor at a post-secondary school in B.C., this discussion piqued my interest as I know faculty members are grappling with finding a practical way forward that balances the reality that these tools are here to stay with the need to maintain integrity in student evaluation and assessment.
Some school districts in the United States have already made the move to ban the use of AI content generators, citing concerns with cheating (Roose, 2023). However, as Clint Lalonde put it, banning AI generator tools from classrooms is “like going to carpentry school and banning the use of a saw, but when you get into the workplace you’re going to be using saws so you need to know how to use these” (Royal Roads University, 2023). Similarly, The New York Times Columnist Kevin Roose (2023) echoed this idea about the use of AI in classrooms, adding:
That’s the biggest reason not to ban it from the classroom, in fact — because today’s students will graduate into a world full of generative A.I. programs. They’ll need to know their way around these tools — their strengths and weaknesses, their hallmarks and blind spots — in order to work alongside them. To be good citizens, they’ll need hands-on experience to understand how this type of A.I. works, what types of bias it contains, and how it can be misused and weaponized.
Indeed, educators have valid concerns about inappropriate uses of AI generators in school, because of the paradigm shift that the technology brings in conventional student assessment practices. Regarding these concerns, researcher David Mhlanga (2023) notes:
It is feasible that this will result in regulations that ban its utilization; nevertheless, it is also conceivable that ChatGPT technology will become ubiquitous before institutions have the time to alter their policies. An approach that focuses on correcting the issues that have been caused by ChatGPT while also taking into account the potential benefits and drawbacks of the platform would be more effective. (p. 10)
What this panel discussion cemented for me is the reality that students will need to build fluency and digital literacy beyond the classroom; there is a strong argument for educators to not only recognize, but make attempts to adopt the use of AI in classrooms in ways that create meaningful and relevant student experiences that foster learning in a supportive and transparent way.
References
Mhlanga, D. (2023). Open AI in education, the responsible and ethical use of ChatGPT towards lifelong learning. SSRN Electronic Journal https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.4354422
Roose, K. (2023, January 12) Don’t Ban ChatGPT in Schools. Teach With It. The New YorkTimes.
