Week 9 Reflection

Do You See What I'm Saying?

This week we learned about creating interactive documents through InDesign.  Working on eLearning modules through Adobe Captivate, it was a pretty intuitive process for me.  That being said, I still had some issues with the program that I had to work through. 

Through the process of creating the last few projects, I definitely see the benefits of using multiple channels of media versus only one type of media.  Using multiple types of media allows us to reach different kinds of learners in a way that best suits their learning style.  It also allows us to maximize the learner’s comprehension by providing instruction through multiple channels- thereby reducing the cognitive load and improving memory.  Our reading this week, Defining Audio/Video Redundancy From a Limited- Capacity Information Processing Perspective by Annie Lang, discussed just that notion- that used properly, multiple-channel redundant presentations are better than single-channel presentations.  The key is not confusing the learner by providing audio that just reads what’s on the screen or by using contradictory images.   This knowledge has already impacted my learning by guiding the eLearning modules I’m creating.  I’m now very conscious of the impact my images and audio (if I use any) will have on my learners when I design new modules.

Week 8 Reflection

Music To My Ears

This week we changed the design of our instruction to audio-only.  I used Audacity to create my audio and I separated the different steps of my recipe into tracks.  I created a PDF file that listed the steps with playable audio next to each step.  There’s definitely a difference using only audio versus using images or text.  The primary difference, for me at least, was the loss of control.  When using images or text for my instructional design, I’m in full control of what words or pictures I use to get my message across.  With audio, I can control what I say, but I have very limited control over the quality of the audio- things like the background noise, the quality of my equipment, and my voice.  I know that mastery of the audio software and better equipment will help me combat a lot of these hurdles, but they’re definitely going to be problems for someone operating on a limited manpower/cash budget. 

Developing the instruction using audio felt efficient because I had my script written out and it was simply a matter of recording myself and making minor edits here and there.  The hardest part was writing the script, so once that was done, everything else fell into place.  I could use audio to instruct someone in a few different ways.  If I teach a class and record it, then giving students that recording afterward is an efficient way for them to catch up without having to repeat the lesson.  If my class has a lot of people that can’t sit still for a live session, providing it via podcast will allow them to listen to it in the car or on the subway. 

The big limitation with using only audio is that my message has to be crystal clear and I have to break the audio into chunks or tracks, otherwise I may overwhelm my learners.  The benefit to using audio is that once it’s recorded, the session becomes extremely mobile, and my learners can access it anywhere they have a music player.  

Week 7 Reflection

A Pep Talk From Captain America

This week we got to play around with audio editing software.  I was given a choice between Garage Band, Adobe Sound Booth, and Audacity for my audio software.  I have a Mac and an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, but in the end I chose Audacity because it was platform agnostic.  I have to say, creating this audio file opened up a new world for me!

The audio file itself was a mashup of an old Captain America speech I loved where he quoted Mark Twain while giving an inspirational pep-talk to Spider-Man.  I've always been a comic geek, and as an Army veteran, Captain America has always been one of the purest examples of a superhero to me. I had some military-style drumbeats playing in the background as I read his speech.  It was a blast to throw together.

It was pure coincidence, but I was recently forwarded a TED Talks podcast and listened to it on the way to work a few days earlier this week.  I was amazed at how the presentation jumped from the interviewer talking to the guest, to the actual live presentation of the speaker, to the music and sound effects used whenever the presenter told a story.  It was so different from the normal geeky technology podcasts I listen to every morning!  That immediately got me thinking.

Audio-only instruction can be a great benefit for teaching and learning.  In my line of work, it's very hard to get advisors who are always on the road working with their clients to set an hour aside to attend a class.  This is the kind of just-in-time learning that makes it possible to reach a large section of learners regardless of their individual schedules.  If the audio is presented in an engaging and entertaining manner, the material will be easier to absorb.  Potential issues with the use of audio can include equipment and time limitations.  The equipment limitations apply to both educator and learner.  The educator needs mics and a room to record in, as well as a computer with the software he/she needs to build the audio with.  The learner needs to be able to play the audio.  That means they need to have an mp3 or dvd player to listen to the recording.  The time limitation refers to the additional amount of time needed to build the recording.  In addition to sitting with the speakers in a room for an hour, I'll now need to spend another hour or two throwing everything together, and this doesn't even include the time I'll spend setting up the equipment.  

The most helpful aspect of using audio-only instruction is that it's accessible almost anywhere.  If you have a smartphone, you probably have access to the podcast.  You can stream a podcast live or you can download it for listening later, and because it's a recording, you can listen any time you're free.  The big difference between using audio versus using images or text in my instruction, as I've done the last couple of weeks, is that it's extra important to make the audio engaging, since there are no other elements to catch the listener's attention.  That means breaking the audio up into manageable chunks and pacing it appropriately.

Despite these potential issues, however, I really think I've got a great idea on my hands.  Just this Friday I had my 2016 training calendar brainstorming session with my boss and I pitched the idea of using podcasts to reach out to our advisors on the road.  We could pre-record the classes, many in an interview/discussion type of format, use music to separate different sections, and maybe even have an "advertisement" or two inviting the listener to view our LMS for more available classes.  He loved it!  We're going to pilot the idea with one of our business lines, but if it works, we'll start presenting it to our other teams.  Very exciting!

Week 6 Reflection

Recipe Booklet

This week, our assignment was to create our instructional document using a mix of images and text.  To accomplish this, we used InDesign, another program in the Adobe creative suite.  I can see a lot of cool possibilities opening up with using this software, but unfortunately this program gave me a bit of difficulty.  I'm going to have to go back and practice a bit more and get better at it!

Using both images and text combined made the process a lot simpler.  Whereas two weeks ago, I had to keep things simple and be creative when choosing my images, this week I was able to use text on areas that might otherwise seem confusing.  In terms of efficiency, the combination of images and text are definitely better than using only one of the elements.  

I think that a visual/text document, at least the way I designed mine, would cause me to teach differently.  For one thing, the combination of the images and the text give very clear instructions to students using my recipe booklet.  There would be very little that I would have to do other than standing back and facilitating their own self-guided learning.  If I had a document with only text or only images, it would be a little more necessary that I be nearby to direct the students.  Limitations for the combined text/image document focuses mainly around the images themselves and time.  Because I'm forced to find images online and then use Photoshop to edit them, I'm limited to only the pictures I can either locate or create myself.  And that added difficulty of finding images to supplement my text adds additional time to the design of my lesson.  Time is something that I may not always have when creating new material.

The benefits of using this combined visual/text document are obvious... for one, the material is much easier for them to understand.  I mentioned in last week's reflection how the mind is able to absorb more information when both audio and visual elements are in play.  The visual element adds an additional element that will help the student recall the information later.  Finally, if the images are sufficient to teach the material, it can potentially be taught to a speaker in any language.  

It's been very interesting exploring the different options available to me using different types of technology.  I'm looking forward to playing around with some of our audio options next week!

Week 5 Reflection

Lessons Learned

I’ve been lucky enough to have been taking two classes that have complemented each other this semester.  In addition to my Multimedia in Technology Applications class, I am also taking a Cognitive Psychology course.  While at first glance, one would think that the psychology course would not have a direct relationship with a technology class, I’m finding the opposite to be true.  This is especially true in my study of Dual Coding theory and Cognitive Load.  Without diving into too much detail, the Dual Coding theory states that we have two input channels- verbal and image pathways- and that utilizing both of these pathways in instruction allows learners to better absorb and recall information later.  The Cognitive Load theory focuses on our limited amount of working memory and suggests that utilizing both pathways (an example would be using pictures to support a lecture) lessens the load on the learner’s working memory.  When discussing these related theories, there are also concepts known as the split-attention theory and redundancy principle, both of which discuss how the images being displayed (or how the text accompanying the images) can, if not properly designed, overload the working memory and hurt the learning process. 

This is all to say that I see how the use of visual-textual instruction can benefit teaching and learning.  By utilizing different pathways, we give our students as many opportunities as we can for them to learn the information we’re teaching.  I also see that there is a danger in using visual-textual instruction improperly, particularly the risk of overwhelming a student if the material is too confusing or improperly designed.  This knowledge impacts my teaching and learning by promoting awareness of the benefits and pitfalls of the different kinds of media I use in my lessons, and even more so, by emphasizing the importance of proper instructional design when I create my material.

For our next project, I get to use images and text.  I feel confident that this will allow me to build a better lesson because I can use the text to clarify important points that images alone would not allow.  In the same respect, images can bring a whole new level of understanding that words on a page do not, by themselves, have the ability to convey.  But in using multiple forms of media, I need to exercise caution.  The images I created are mostly sufficient to get the point of my lesson across- I need to avoid adding excessive text and overwhelming the reader.  By keeping the lesson as simple as possible, I’ll increase the likelihood that my learners will be able to understand my instruction.  As I move into my next project, I’ll keep the lessons I’ve learned in mind and keep it simple!

Week 4 Reflection

More Than Words

This week I got the chance to design an instructional piece using only a single media- in this case graphics- to teach.  I used Photoshop to gather images and put them together into a step-by-step recipe, all without a single word of text.  I've got to admit, it was much more challenging than I expected!  With a recipe, you've got to communicate important things like the temperature of the oven and the amount of time the meal needs to cook.  I had to get creative, and used a picture of an oven dial with an arrow pointing to the correct temperature, and I used two pictures of a clock showing the start and end times for the cooking.  It was challenging, but I loved working in Photoshop for the first time!

I learned a lot from this lesson... first, designing from a single media perspective forces you to make the lesson as easy to understand as possible.  The absence of text in this lesson ensured that I couldn't rely on writing to get my message across, and that forced me to simplify the instruction.  Using only graphics for a lesson does have the limitation of decreased clarification in some areas- while text can potentially confuse a reader, so can graphics.  A combination of the two, even if the text is used sparingly, might be best.  A graphics-only design would be beneficial if you're teaching someone who has difficulties reading or speaking the English language.  The lesson I designed could potentially be used by anyone speaking any language.  In the future, I can definitely see myself creating more step-by-step guides using only graphics.  Besides the fact that it simplifies the instruction, it's also novel and fun.  And when you're training bored employees in a financial services setting, sometimes using something a little different can help grab their attention for a bit!

The main limit I see to using media in general for learning and teaching is to not rely too much on only one type of media.  We need to change it up- one, to keep the material from getting predictable and boring, and two, to engage our learners in every way possible.  In our reading this week by Richard Clark, he argued that the underlying learning theory is what produces learning, not the media itself.  I agree with that to a certain degree, but not completely.  I know that certain media makes it easier for learners to absorb information.  I, for example, learn much better by watching a video than I would by reading a book.  That's just the way my brain works.  Others might learn differently.  But Clark is right regarding the need for incorporating that underlying learning theory.  When I design training for work, do I start at the virtual class or eLearning module and work my way backward?  Of course not!  I start with the problem, see if it even needs to be addressed with training, and if so, I look at the competency level of the learners and the tasks that need to be learned, and I work up from there.  The media is a tool, not the end goal.  

Week 3 Reflection

Winter is Coming!

This week’s assignments focused on visual literacy and the design of instruction.  I read articles on visual literacy, color theory, and visual design.  Part of my assignment involved finding websites that displayed good visual design principles. I found a really great Game of Thrones website that I had never seen before. In addition to great design, it was also very thorough in its coverage of the source material!

It was interesting getting to read the science behind design. Many of the things I read about color and design principles were things that, on an subconscious level, I already knew… when you think about it, we all have a decent idea of what makes a good design and a bad design because we’ve all had the chance to experience both! But learning the “whys” behind the design choices, as well as the steps to consider when designing in the future, was really illuminating.

In particular, I found the discussion of color very helpful.  When developing eLearning for my job, I try to create an environment that is clean while still being stimulating. Because I don’t want to clutter my screen up with unnecessary distractions, I use strategically placed color to highlight images and text. While I’ve been given a color palette from our Marketing team, I have the creative freedom to make different choices. The discussion of the color wheel and different color schemes has opened my eyes to new ways of looking at the design of my eLearning modules. I also see how design can detract from the learning process, if done poorly.  I’ve personally seen colors that were too garish, inappropriate, or clashed with the material being taught. I do my best to avoid those design mistakes when I can! 

I believe that visual design is an absolutely integral part of the development of media for learning.  While text alone has its uses, we want to try to engage our students on multiple levels to keep them engaged. Providing stimulation to both their verbal and visual channels helps to balance the students’ cognitive load and makes the material easier to remember and recall.  Good visual design transcends media formats. On an unconscious level we respond to good visual design, and as instructional designers, don’t we have the responsibility to give our learners every advantage we can provide?