Newbie

I have created a new page titled ‘multimedia’. This is where part 1 of module 3 will be posted. It is a report than outlines the recommended technology and multimedia options related to my chosen (cognitive) learning theory and e-Learning course for module 2.

Contrast – can be the most important and effective visual aspect of a page. The principle is to avoid elements on the page that are merely similar, if they are not the same, then make them VERY different.

Repetition – repeat visual elements throughout colour, shape etc. Develops organisation and strengthens the unity.

Alignment – nothing should be placed on your page randomly. Every element should have some visual connection with another element on the page. This creates a clean, sophisticated look.

Proximity – items relating to each other should be grouped close together. Items in close proximity become one visual unit rather than several separate, unrelated units. This reduces clutter and confusing the reader.

What is visual design?

Visual design is simply the field of developing visual materials to create an experience. It incorporates a number of different elements including colour, text, shapes, texture, balance, white space and the list goes on. The visual design process produces visual images that are able to communicate information to other people. This allows the composer to effectively correspond with the audience.

Personally, I think visual design is all about perception. This is because we “see” with our eyes but underneath that each individual view objects in a different manner. These images that are transmitted to the brain triggers diverse emotions, which can then be interpreted and constructed into a hundred different things. What these “things” mean is entirely based on the perspective of the individual. Therefore, visual designers must be clear of what they are trying to portray in their images or graphics. The visual information being presented must in some way relate to the viewers in order for them to extract meaning and understanding.

I think what I am trying to say is that no two people ever see things the exact same way. This is often affected by cultural differences, knowledge level, an individual’s psychology and socialisation with other people. These are all factors that influence a person’s behaviour and more importantly, their perception.

After reviewing the four basic principles of design (CRAP), I have come to the conclusion that there must be “balance” to a page. It is often better to keep things simple and straightforward.

The following is a brief overview of these four principles:

1. Contrast – this can be the most important visual aspect of a page. The principle is to avoid elements on the page that are merely similar, if they are not the same then make them very different.

2. Repetition – involves repeating visual elements throughout the entire course or site etc. For example, colours, shapes and so on. This develops organisation and strengthens the unity.

3. Alignment – nothing should be placed on the page randomly. Every element should have some visual connection with another element on the page. This creates a more sophisticated, clean look.

4. Proximity – means that items relating to each other should be grouped close together. Items in close proximity become one visual unit rather than several separate, unrelated items. This reduces clutter and will prevent confusion.

(Williams, 1994)

A multimedia instructional message is a communiction using words and pictures that is intended to promote learning. The 7 principles of multimedia design are listed below:

1. Multimedia principle – students learn better from words and pictures than from words alone
2. Spatial Contiguity Principle – students learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen
3. Temporal Contiguity Principle – students learn better when corresponding words and pictures are presented simultaneously rather than successively
4. Coherence Principle – students learn better when extraneous words, pictures, and sounds are excluded rther than included
5. Modality Principle – students learn better from animation and narration than from animation, narration, and on-screen text
6. Redundancy Principle – students learn better rom animation and narration than from animation, narration, and on-screen text
7. Individual Differences Principle – design effects are stronger or low-knowledge learners than or high-knowledge learners and or high-spatial learners rather than low-spatial learners

The elements of a multimedia product may be computer generated graphics (2D and 3D), animations, video and sound (music, voice, sound effects). Each of these elements needs to be specified in detail. It is also necessary to show how each will be seamlessly integrated to contribute to the multimedia product as a whole. A desiner needs to made sure that any media element is able to mmet the technical specifications of the product.

I have created a new page titled ‘My e-Learning Course’. This is where all the materials for module 2 will go. It took me awhile to figure out how to upload my storyboard document so I hope it looks and works ok.

What is instructional design?

Instructional design is the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of instruction.When releasing online courses, instructional designers must consider the following aspects:

• The teaching strategy should enhance the learning process by facilitating all sensors, focussing the learner’s attention by highlighting important and critical information, reasoning each instruction, and matching the cognitive level of the learner.

• The instructional designer should tie up to new information with existing information from long-term memory using advanced organisers to activate existing cognitive structures or to incorporate the details of the lesson.

• The learning content should be chunked to prevent cognitive overload. When exceeding a number of five to nine items to learn, linear, hierarchical, or spider-shaped information maps should be provided.

• Strategies requiring the learner to apply, analyse, synthesise, and evaluate should be used to promote deep processing of information and higher-level learning.

• Online learning materials should include activities for the different learning and cognitive styles. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide adequate and the right type of support for students with different types of learners.

• Information should be presented in different modes to accommodate individual differences in processing and to facilitate transfer to long-term memory.

• The teaching strategy should enforce learners to use their meta-cognitive skills by reflecting on what they learn, collaborating with other learners or checking their progress.

• Finally, the teaching strategy should connect learning content with different real-life situations, so that the learners can tie up to own experiences and, therefore, memorise things better.

Albert Bandura (1977) combines behaviourist reinforcement with cognitive processes for understandin the behaviour of others. Bandura emphasises the importance of observing and modeling. His two key elements for learning are experience and expectations:

• experience enables us to learn the consequences of our actions
• expectations are formed by our experiences

4 processes underlie this type of observational learning:

1. Attention: focus on the features of behaviour to be modeled
2. Retention: how well the behaviour is remembered
3. Reproduction: observed behaviour must be turned into action, practice and feedback
4. Reinforcement: to motivate learners to reproduce and perform the behaviours

(Burns, R. 1995, The Adult Learner at Work.)

Bruner’s Constructivist Theory

Bruner (1996) based his theory on learning by discovery – information should be organised in a spiral manner that allows the learner to re-arrane and re-assemble content to create new insights. Accordin to Bruner, discovery and meaningful learning enhances recall and transfer of learning. The main objective is to build upon knowledge the learner already has.

By creatin learning environments that foster the self-development of learners as they explore a situation or problem, teachers can enable learners to arrange, re-arrange and trasnform evidence so hey can gain new insights and experience a sense of achievement in making their own discoveries. The problem-solving strategies they develop are more transferable, as they have personal meaning and value in terms of the learner’s own purposes and intentions.

Applying principles of Bruner’s theory:

1. Instruction must be concerned with the experiences and context that make the learner willing and able to learn – readiness
2. Instruction must be structured so that it can be easily grasped by the learner – spiral organisation
3. Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation and/or fill in the gaps – going beyond the information given

Characteristics of the 2 types of instruction:

Directed Instruction:

• Focus on teaching sequences of skills that begin with lower-level skills and build to higher-level skills
• Clearly state objectives with test items matced to them
• Stress more individualised work than group work
• Emphasise traditional teaching and assessment methods; skills worksheets, activities and tests with expected outcomes

Constructivist Learning:

• Focus on learning through posing problems, exploring possible answers, and developing products and presentations
• Pursue global goals that specify general abilities such as problem-solving and research skills
• Stress more group work than individualised work
• Emphasise alternative learning and assessment methods; exploration of open-ended questions and scenarios, doing research and developing products, assessment by porfolios, and performance checklists

(Burns, R. 1995, The Adult Learner at Work.)

The humanist approach developed from the cognitive theory but focuses on experiential learning and the assumption that the individual is ever seeking greater personal adequacy, self-esteem and self-actualisation. Humanists emphasise the individual’s innate need to achieve personal work, dignity and creativity and believe a better society will evolve by nurturing these qualities.

Humanist teachers can create a positive classroom climate and encourage the psychological growth towards the creation of self-actualising people. Humanists believe that learners respond to their environments as they experience it. Part of that is the person themselves – the self. Feeling and emotions play an important part in humanist learning.

Principles emphasised by the humanist theory:

• People learn by relating the world to their previous experience – they learn by doing
• People learn in a free environment that permits and encourages development of potential, self- expression and self-determination
• People learn co-operatively, which includes constructive feedback in a non-competitive environment
• The learning that has most meaning for people is that which is constructed by individuals out of their experience

(Burns, R. 1995, The Adult Learner at Work.)