Week 10 & 11 - Web Quest Lecture I

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the Web. (WebQuest.org, 2007)

It is an independent learning platform that engages the learners to initiate the learning process. The WebQuest is mainly a facilitator of the entire learning process. The main focus is on the learners to gather the information, organize them and complete the task(s) assigned to them. It is hoped that through this process, they will become active learners.

This week, we are educated on what Web Quest is for since we have to implement in for our final project CA.

You can independently design and develop a WebQuest with the following steps:

• State the definition of a WebQuest
  
• Discuss what is a WebQuest
• Give examples of WebQuest
• Recall the parts of a WebQuest
• Discuss the parts of a WebQues
• Critically evaluate what makes good WebQuests
• Create a WebQuest

I got this image from the lecture slide and it relates to the Constructivist concept of receiving inputs, transforming and producing the desired outputs.

In creating a WebQuest, it is important to take note of what to include in the content:

• Introduction
• Task
• Process
• Evaluation
• Conclusion
• Teacher’s Page

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[Introduction]
It can come in the form of a story, a scenario, a situation, a background problem or a news articles e.g. "Poverty in Third World Countries".

[Task]
In this section of the WebQuest, the learning process will be facilitated by giving learners some tasks to do. Through this tasks, learners will need to call upon their brainstorming and research abilities, as well as to gather data that is need for the given WebQuest.

[Process]
A more guided path for learners to follow as they are approaching their tasks. Resources and some references will be provided to help them along the way. Of course, the bulk of the learning process lies heavily on the learners themselves.

Resources often come in the form of web links, examples, cases, stories, templates or concept maps etc.

Week 9 - Instructional Strategies Leading to Problem-solving and Affective Learning

In this week's lecture, we will discuss Problem Solving and Affective Learning. Later, we will plan E-learning for selected problem solving objective, as well as attitude objective.

Problem solving skill involves the use of previously acquired knowledge or skill to solve new problems.

There are 2 types of problem: Well structured and Ill-structured. The main differences between these 2 types of problem lies in the amount of information available, and the variety of rules and principles needed to solve them.

There are 3 characteristics of problem - degree of structure, level of complexity and degree of abstractness.

According to Jonassen's Taxonomy of Problems, the list of problems ranging from least complex to most complex are as follows:
1. Puzzle Solving
2. Algorithm
3. Story problem
4. Rule-using problem
5. Trouble-shooting
6. Diagnosis-Solution
7. Case Method problem
8. Design
9. Issue-based

The Cognitive Processes of solving problem are given as follows:
1. Problem Identification
2. Analysis
3. Reorganization
4. Idea Generation
5. Idea Evaluation
6. Implementation planning
7. Solution appraisal

The Cognitive requirement for solving problems are "Problem representation", "Solution planning", "Solution implementation" and "Solution evaluation". We should include instructions that can help users to shift away from being novice problem solvers to expert problem solvers. There exist individual differences in problem solving - Familiarity, Prior Knowledge, High-level Mental Control and Beliefs, and Motivational Factors.

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Attitudes (Affective Learning)

Moving on to Attitudes, it can be identified as desired educational goals.

There are differences between Motivation and Attitudes - motivation can be classified as a type
of attitude and attitude is an outcome of instruction.

The 5 Outcomes of Learning (Affective) are as follows (from low to high level):
1. Receiving - considered a prerequisite to other attitudinal outcomes.
2. Responding - also can be considered as "Appreciation"
3. Valuing - acceptance/preference of a value.
4. Organization*
5. Characterization*

* development of philosophies, personal meaning, and changes in total character.

Key instructional conditions for attitude learning...
1.Demonstration of desired behavior by a respected role model.

• establish appeal and credibility of the role model
• stimulate recall of relevant knowledge and concepts
• demo of desired action
• reinforcement!!

2. Allow practice of the desired behaviour

• through role playing and acting
  

3. Provide reinforcement for the desired behaviour

• key question: what is reinforcement?
  

Other instructional conditions includes Persuasive communications, Creation of inner conflict and Group discussions.

Week 8 - Instructional Strategies leading to Procedures and Principles Knowledge

This week, we will learn about Procedures and Principles and design E-learning Instructions for them.

Procedures knowledge is knowing how things work. It involves mental and physical activities. It is characterized by a sequence of actions and/or algorithm, and may include decision points.

Key Instructional Elements for Procedural Learning:

Tell Me - this part involves learner's discernment as to when is the appropriate situation to use procedural learning and listing the steps/decision points needed to carry out the learning.

Show Me - this part involves learner's observation of how the learning process is carried out on the whole and/or part of the procedure.

Let Me Try - this part involves learners to recall the steps taken, execute them and evaluate on the performance.

For E-Learning, the 2 most difficult instructional elements are Practice and Feedback. For Practice, depending on the task and learner, Whole or Part learning may be useful. Whole learning is useful if the task has highly integrated parts and/or if the learner is highly skilled and able to remember long sequences. Part learning is useful if the task is very complex and/or if the learner is not able to concentrate for a long time. For Feedback, learners can do self check and reflection and get aid from external sources e.g. tutors, e-tutors or digital materials.

For teaching Procedures, practice is difficult if learner has bad memory or short attention span. Some of the possible solutions are, to have more videos/pictures than texts because humans are more visual creatures or to sensationalize the learning process by including interesting articles that can capture the attention of the audiences.

Principle Knowledge is a combination of Procedures, Concepts and Facts. Some examples of principle are Psychology, Marketing, Biology, Racism etc. It is characterized by variables, concepts, contexts and conditions, and the relationship between these factors.

Key Instructional Elements for Procedural Learning:
1. Stating the principle
2. Know when and where to apply the principle (context)
3. Illustrate and/or Explain the Variables/Factors
4. State the Conditions of learning and the Context of usage (whether it would be good to use real materials or E-learning methods).

As with Procedural Learning, Practice and Feedback are the 2 difficult components for teaching principles. I guess it is difficult to practice principles e.g. gravity. We can feel it, but we can't really explain it clearly or practice it. We just know it is like that. A simple demonstration of throwing an object into the sky and letting it drop would be the closest we can get.

Week 7 - Instructional Strategies for Fact and Concept Knowledge

This week we covered the "Planning E-Learning process" aspect. It focuses on verbal information, proposed by Gagné. Verbal information may lead to the formation of Facts.

The first part of the lecture covers the Instructional Strategies for Fact Learning. This can be done via ORGANIZATION, LINKING & ELABORATION.

Under the ORGANIZATION section, learning takes place when information is split up into smaller bits and pieces. This process is known as Chunking. An example would be the hotline of Pizza Hut. The number as advertised is "6-2-35-35-35, Pizza Hut Delivery!!" This allows learners to memorize the number of the delivery easily, as compared to 62353535 where everything is so cluttered.

In the LINKING section, Mnemonic aids learning through acronyms, rhymes by creating a visual image in the mind of learners. An example would be KISS (the acronym), which is the abbreviation for "Keep It Short & Simple" (may differ between people to people).

The ELABORATION section makes way for a more complex association than Mnemonics.

The 2nd part of the lecture covers the Concept learning. Concept refers to the grouping of sets of symbols, elements or objects that have basic similar characteristics. Concepts have 3 attributes - intrinsic, functional and relational.

The Instructional Learning process for Concept goes as follows:-
1. Name the concept
2. Define the concept
3. Show example(s) and non-example(s) of the concept
4. State any attributes of the concept
(i) practice how to apply the concept
(ii) evaluate the process and error checking

Week 6 - Domains of Learning

This week we move into the Design-Evaluation phase of the ADDIE model and discuss the 3 different domains of learning - Cognitive, Affective and Psycho motor.

Cognitive Learning has something to do with your thinking and knowledge. it enhances learner's knowledge.

There are 6 Outcomes in the Cognitive Learning as follows:
1. Knowledge - storing information and fact
2. Comprehension - understanding
3. Application - using what has been learnt previously
4. Analysis - recap
5. Synthesis - gathering all your knowledge
6. Evaluation - assessing what you have learnt and done so far.

Affective Learning is linked with feeling and attitudes, and it changes learner's attitudes.

There are 5 outcomes to Affective Learning.
1. Receiving - paying attention
2. Responding - participating
3. Valuing - accepting values/beliefs
4. Organization - categorize and internalize the values/beliefs
5. Characterization - adoption of values/beliefs

* the first 3 are the most practical to deal with instructions. It deals with the level of willingness of learners to accept what has been taught.

Psychomotor Learning involves doing, thereby, building learner's physical skills.

5 Outcomes to Psychomotor Learning
1. Perception - observations of behavior
2. Set - preparation for action
3. Guided Response - acting on assistance
4. Mechanism - acting without assistance
5. Complex Overt Response - auto pilot with facilitation

The next part about writing objectives involved 4 aspects - Audience, Behaviour, Condition and Degree.

Give an example:
Given the current economic situation (condition), Samsung (audience) is likely to cut down on manpower (behaviour) by up to 30% (degree) to maintain a low cost operation.

Week 5 - Needs Assessment

Today we are going through the lecture focusing on the Analysis-Evaluation aspect of the "ADDIE" model.

First of all, we need to understand the conditions under which "Need Assessment" is required.
A: There is a problem with the education system and thus, we need to find a solution
B: There may be a new technique/methodology/knowledge to pass on to the learners.
C: A re-assessment of whether the proposed goals from the learning programs are acheived.

So how do we go about carrying out "Need Assessment"?
Step 1: The 3-Face Model (Problem, Discrepency and Innovation model)
Step 2: Analyze the Goals
Step 3: Otuput of Analysis or Evaluate Step 1 & 2.

The Problem model focus on the problem itself. Whether it is due to learner's disability to learn or is it because of the environment/program he is subjected to. Determine whether solution to the problem can be applied through learning. If instruction that leads to desired outcome is given, go to Discrepancy model. Else, proceed to Innovation model.

The Discrepancy model focus on the goals to be achieved in the instructional system and whether they have been realized or not.

The Innovation model is to create new goals based on the changes to the learning system and afterward, check if the goals are appropriate in the system.

Week 4 - Learning Design Authoring and Technology Integration

Today I learnt about how to design learning for users based on the key elements of Task (square), Resources (triangle) and Support (circle).

"Task" is the work assigned to the learners. There are different types of Task:
1. Assimilative
2. Information Handling
3. Adaptive
4. Communicative
5. Productive
6. Experential

"Resources" refers to the source of supply of aids or support that can be used to help the learners understand better or it can enhance the teaching of the tutor.

"Support" can come in the form of human or computer feedback to help the learners evaluate what they have absorbed.

Also we discussed on the topic of Affordance. Here are the 3 attributes:
1. Actionable properties
2. Perceived actionable properties
3. Perceived actionable properties and the degree of perceptible information

Why do people designing learning?
- to transfer the burden of learning onto the learners themselves i.e. they learn by themselves through facilitation instead of a tradtional teacher-to-student method.
- improvement on Instructional Design (the ADDIE model)

There are 2 contrasting views on curriculum:
1. Ptolemaic - the ideas revolve around the task and activities
2. Copernican - the task and activities revolves around the idea.

Also, on the topic of Instructional Design, we have 5 stages - Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation.

Analysis - analyze needs, targets etc.
Design - design macro and micro strategies etc.
Development - develop graphics, animations, video, audio etc.
Implementation - prepare platform, trainers and learners etc.
Evaluation - evaluating the course and report.

Although Instructional Design (ID) is effective in also has its fair shortcomings, including rigidity of the structure and the length of time it takes to implement, expensive and inflexible and the integrity of the analysis hangs on the appropriateness of the methods used and their applications.