Learning Tools Rationale
For me, the learner, the non-linear affordances of my personally directed Web Based Instructional method, meant that I could stop, digress, re-align, digress, explore and re-align at will. It reflected the authentic and experiential nature by which I chose to tackle this learning project. In his blog Big Dog & Little Dog’s Learning Juxtaposition, Don Clark tells us that in the Instructional Design process “proper sequence provides the learners with a pattern of relationship so that each activity has a definite purpose. The more meaningful the content, the easier it is to learn and, consequently, the more effective the instruction. Proper sequencing also helps to avoid inconsistencies in the content of the instruction.” (Clark, 1995, p.2) He also directs that sequencing can be ordered or designed in consideration of:
· Job Performance Order: The learning sequence is the same as the job sequence.
· From Simple to Complex: Objectives may be sequenced in terms of increasing complexity.
· Critical Sequence: Objects are ordered in terms of their relative importance.
· Known to Unknown: Familiar topics are considered before unfamiliar ones.
· Dependent Relationship: Mastery of one objective requires prior mastery of another.
· Supportive Relationship: Transfer of learning takes place from one objective to another, usually because common elements are included in each objective. These should be placed as close together as possible so that the maximum transfer of learning can take place.
· Cause to Effect: Objectives are sequenced from cause to effect. (Clark, 1995, p.2)
I see these as both considerations (or needs), and also as states of learning. For some tasks, the need or the next logical step was determined by my own progression from say; Simple to Complex; or Known to Unknown; or based on the Critical (and necessary) sequence.
Given the self-directed nature of this endeavour, I routinely vacillated between these sequences and related learning content and delivery tools based on what my need was or where my base knowledge level was. If a particular content or set of instructions was too complex, I would seek to find common elements of Known, or Simple to support my transfer of learning. The challenge for a self-directed and self-motivated learner is to recognize which knowledge acquisition is dependent upon having prior knowledge and more likely to facilitate mastery, or at minimum competent comprehension. In other words – the curation of what is necessary or relevant to spend time learning.
The learning and instructional objects that I utilized were sourced and consumed completely asynchronously and independently online in the form of written word tutorials and blogs, video and presentation style demos and instruction, anecdotal advice, modeling of exemplars, and search engine hits.
Throughout this project, I was aware that my experience was mirroring the Mayer’s precepts – 14 Principles of Multimedia Learning – and as Koichi Sato tells us in the video “14 Principles of Multimedia Learning”, those 14 principles are not just for teaching and instructional design, but they guide learning as well. (Sato, 2012)
Of the 14 principles, the following ones were evident within the resources I exploited (somewhat weighted in order of importance and/or impact) and the application of these principles engendered more successful learning:
· Modality Principle
· Multimedia Principal
· Interactivity Principle
· Redundancy Principle
· Spatial and Temporal Contiguity Principles
· Pre-training principle
· Individual Differences Principle
· Segmenting Principle
· Coherence Principle
· Signaling Principle (more in the selection than consumption of resource) (Sato, 2012)