Journal of formative design in learning最新文献

Instructional designers (IDs) are charged with what some might argue is the impossible: implementing innovative technologies and new pedagogical approaches within complex systems that often implicitly discourage change. This 6-year case study examined key factors influencing the exploration, multi-course pilot, and ultimate end of an adaptive learning (AL) project. AL has been recognized as a potentially transformative approach for online learning that individualizes instruction to each student based on demonstrated competencies. Past research has considered performance comparisons, learner characteristics, course design, and teaching practices, but what has been largely overlooked is an examination of the ways in which the university context itself impacts, and is impacted by, AL. Our study showed that while IDs and instructors easily recognize the potential benefits of AL, it is significantly more difficult to gain sustained administrative leadership advocacy. Primary challenges encountered were (1) AL’s disruption to the online teaching and learning status quo and (2) ongoing tensions between institutional structure, culture, and best practices for AL. The findings of this study suggest that a systems-based approach to organizational change is necessary for the successful implementation of multifaceted approaches like AL. The paper offers IDs greater insight into what can happen “behind the scenes” to support or challenge the success of educational technology implementations. While they may not always be able to impact these factors directly, having more awareness about the system complexity can allow them to be more strategic in asking for resources and buy-in from leadership.

This article is a formative reflection that walks the reader through the experience of taking an existing body of research and then using one aspect of that analytical framework to conduct a new and original study. This reflection presents an account of that research process. Hattie (2009) has conducted extensive research examining influences on student achievement. This article describes how a researcher took the domains he defined to categorize the influences on student achievement and used them to frame the newly developed investigation. This article reflects on the unique application of Hattie’s domains as a lens to examine a K-12 organization. An overview of the study and a summary of the findings are presented to give the reader context. The focus of this article is a detailed reflection on how the research was conceived and formed. The following six questions guide this reflection:

1. Was the experience useful?

2. What was learned?

3. How did this experience facilitate personal growth/development?

4. How was this experience impactful?

5. What would, on reflection, be done differently?

6. Were the research choices well-reasoned?

A thoughtful reflection on the process serves to inform decisions critical to formulate potential additional studies. Reflecting on the past process provides thoughtful insights for future research.

Student mental health is a critical issue that institutions are struggling to tackle proactively. The wellbeing of students is largely invisible to institutions unless specific mental health conditions are diagnosed and disclosed. In comparison to the importance placed on academic aspects, the affective experiences of education throughout the study journeys of students are rarely acknowledged. Approaches for students to develop emotional awareness, through which they learn to understand and manage their emotions, are limited. In this article, we describe the design and evaluation of Our Journey, a platform for students to represent their study journeys through describing the events and emotions they experience. The conceptual and user experience design of the platform was derived from participatory activities with students and staff and has been further refined via several physical and online iterations. In this paper, we report findings from an exploratory pilot trial of Our Journey with 54 students studying for a range of qualifications at an online learning institution. Through an analysis of the journeys that the students produced and a post-trial survey, we found that Our Journey can support representations of emotional awareness in relation to study events which prompted students to reflect on important aspects of their study and personal development. The design and use of the platform have also prompted important considerations around how emotion is represented, as well as how the privacy and ownership of these representations of personal experiences can be managed to support students and institutions to potentially benefit from novel tools such as Our Journey.

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) is a significant cause of morbidity for adolescents. Currently, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions to address common sequelae of mTBI. To address this gap, we designed a program to promote recovery for adolescents following mTBI. Preliminary testing of the Self-Monitoring Activity Regulation and Relaxation Treatment (SMART) program demonstrated good usability but indicated a need for modifications to the program. The SMART application was redesigned with the addition of more interactive and gamified components. Content was also reframed to specifically target and engage adolescents with mTBI. We describe the usability evaluation of the updated SMART application. Children aged 11-18 years diagnosed with mTBI who were 1 to 6 months post mTBI were recruited to participate in a 1-2-hour usability session in which they thought aloud and responded to targeted usability-related questions during their interaction with the SMART program. After completing the session, participants rated their usability experience using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and rated the overall user-friendliness of the program. Participants' responses during the session were qualitatively coded and analyzed. Six adolescents participated in a usability session (average age = 13.7 years). On the SUS, participants rated the program as highly usable (M = 85.6, SD = 3.24). They also had overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the content, design and structure of the program. Overall, findings suggest that the redesigned SMART program was usable, acceptable, and relevant to adolescents with mTBI. Based on adolescents' feedback, additional modifications were made before the program undergoes efficacy testing.