Know Thy Learner: Understanding Learner Characteristics to Enhance

Online Course Design Kenneth Silvestri, MS, MA

BACKGROUND

• Master’s Degree in Educational Technology

• Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology and Design

• Over 4 years of online teaching experience

(1) Information Processing and Encoding

(2) Engagement and Motivation

KNOW THY LEARNER

KNOW THY LEARNER: Cognitive Load Theory

JOHN SWELLER

“A theory that focuses the load on

working memory during instruction.”.

KNOW THY LEARNER: Cognitive Load Theory

Source: Research Into Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Design, Dr. Graham Cooper

Cognitive Limit Exercise: Slide #1

WO UIB MES LUS A

Cognitive Limit Exercise: Slide #2

WOU IBM ESL USA

Cognitive Limit Exercise

Why is the second slide easier?

– Answer: Arranged in chunks that make sense to our mind.

KNOW THY LEARNER: Cognitive Load

MAGIC NUMBER = 7 +/- 2

KNOW THY LEARNER: Cognitive Load

WO UIB MES LUS A (12)

WOU IBM ESL USA (4)

CHUNKING: Course-Level

MODULE 1 (Topic 1 and 2)

Overview

Instructional Materials

Readings

Videos

Discussion

Application (Assignment, Activity)

Quiz

●Be consistent

●Keep everything in one place

CHUNKING: Text-Based Instructional Materials

Source: Fareeza Marican, Senior Learning Designer, Basics of Chunking SlideShare

CHUNKING: Text-Based Instructional Materials

Source: Fareeza Marican, Senior Learning Designer, Basics of Chunking SlideShare

CHUNKING: Text-Based Instructional Materials

Source: Fareeza Marican, Senior Learning Designer, Basics of Chunking SlideShare

DESIGNING FOR THE WEB: Text-Based Instructional Materials

(1) Use meaningful headings and subheadings

(2) Use tables – large data sets

(3) Use bulleted and numbered lists

(4) Select a typeface for onscreen readability- 12-point font in Verdana, Georgia, Trebuchet,

or Lucida (5) Align text and headings to the left

Integrating Multimedia

AUDIO IMAGES VIDEO

INTEGRATING MULTIMEDIA: Images

YES: SPATIAL CONTIGUITY PRINCIPLE NO: SPLIT ATTENTION EFFECT

SOURCE: Connie Malamed, How To Integrate Multimedia for Effective Learning, the elearningcoach.com

INTEGRATING MULTIMEDIA: Images

YES: SPATIAL CONTIGUITY PRINCIPLE

NO: SPLIT ATTENTION EFFECT

INTEGRATING MULTIMEDIA: Audio and Video

“I do appreciate that the instructor took the time to create presentation videos which highlighted the instruction content for the module. He really took time to give the students all the resources they would need to be successful.” – CCJ 314 Student

Source: Andrew Wuff

ENGAGEMENT

Student

Instructor

Content

Peers

ENGAGEMENT: Instructor

• Welcome message

• Instructor Bio

• Contact Policy

• Feedback

• Discussion comments

• Summaries after each module and quarterly updates

Source: https://shsuonline.wordpress.com

ENGAGEMENT: Content – Capture Attention

ROBERT GAGNE

STEP 1 – Gain Attention: “Present a story, problem, or a new situation that will grab the learner’s attention.”

ENGAGEMENT: Content

PASSIVE LEARNING

ENGAGEMENT: Content

PASSIVE LEARNING

ACTIVE LEARNING

Source: Cone of Learning, Edgar Dale

Engagement: Content

Lower Order Thinking Skills

Higher Order Thinking Skills

Source: David Bloom

ENGAGEMENT: Content – Web 2.0 Technologies

• Blog Example

“Although I do not think it was easier than an essay, I think I was more motivated to put more effort into the blog. It was actually fun.” – CCJ 341 Student

Source: M. Fisher, 2009

ENGAGEMENT: Content - Interactive

Basics of Eye Anatomy

ENGAGEMENT: Content - Simulations

Examples

American Politics (GovernmentInAction)

Anthropology (eLucy)

Nursing

ENGAGEMENT: Content - Storytelling

ENGAGEMENT: Peer - Discussions

• Stagger deadlines

• Use grading rubric and feedback strategically

• Engaging Activity

• Avoid Questions with Yes/No or Factual Answers

• Target Reflection, Analysis, Evaluation, Problem-Solving

ENGAGEMENT: Online Group Work

QUESTIONS

?

RESOURCES

(1) FACULTY FOCUShttp://www.facultyfocus.com

(2) Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology, by Michelle D. Miller

(3) MERLOT II – Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching

https://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

(4) PhET: Interactive Simulations

https://phet.colorado.edu

SOURCES

(1) Bloom B. S. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. (1956) New York: David McKay Co Inc.

(2) Cooper, Graham. (1998) Research into Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Design

(3) Fareeza, Marican, Senior Learning Designer. Basics of Chunking. http://www.slideshare.net/FareezaM/basics-of-chunking

(4) Kelly, Rob. “Seven Guidelines for Designing Effective Course Pages for the Online Classroom.” Facutly Focus: Higher Ed Teaching Strategies From Magna Publications. June 18, 2013.

(5) Mayer, Richard. (2009) Multimedia Learning (2nd Edition). Cambridge University Press

(6) Miller, Michelle D. (2014) Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology. Harvard University Press

(7) Rose, D. & Meyer, A. Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. (2002). ASCD: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/

THANK YOU!

Kenneth SilvestriProject Manager

Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success406.994.4951

Kenneth.silvestri@montana.edu