The Design and Sequencing of e-Learning Interactions: A

Grounded Approachby Atsusi Hirumi

Presented by Chris InmanAIL 604Benson

Overview: Key Questions

Hirumi considers three questions in this article: 1. How does e-Learning differ from other modes

of instruction? 2. What are meaningful e-Learning

interactions? 3. How do you design and sequence

meaningful e-Learning interactions? (p.19)

How does e-Learning differ?

Traditional Classroom Key interactions occur

spontaneously In real-time Good instructors can

make up for unclear material or flaws in design

Good instructors interpret verbal and non-verbal cues

Instructor charisma (p.20)

e-Learning Classroom Communication is

mostly asynchronous Mediated by technology Interaction must be

carefully designed and sequenced properly

Time must be spent visualizing how technology can enhance learning and performance (p.20)

Problems Instructors Face

Insufficient time, tools or training (p.20)How do they respond?

Use traditional, instructor directed methods Post lecture notes Take exams online “Might” use a discussion board or email (p.20)

What are meaningful e-Learning Interactions?

“…interactivity can mean different things to different people.” (p.20

No universal definition of “meaningful interaction”

Simple definition of “meaningful interaction”: Interactivity may consist of a learner accessing

a page of text via a web interface and reading some content (p.20)

Different Interpretations of “Meaningful Interactions”

Borsook (1991)-programs should have these characteristics: Immediacy of response Non-sequential access of

information Adaptability Feedback Options Bi-directional interruptability

Merrill, Li, and Jones (1990) and Weller (1988) emphasize: The nature of the

interaction Requirement of the

learner and the technology to adapt to each other (p.20)

Three Key Interactions (Moore, 1998)

Student-Student Interactions between learners, with or without

instructors Student-Teacher

Teacher attempts to motivate learner, and clarify any misunderstandings

Student-Content How students interact with content to increase learning (p.21)

Student-Interface (proposed by Hillman, Willis and Gunawardena, 1994)

“Purpose-based” Interaction Frameworks

Hannifin (1989): a) confirmation b) pacing c) inquiry d) navigation e) elaboration

American Society for Training and Development (2001): a) synchronous communication b) asynchronous communication

c) browsing and clicking d) branching e) tracking f) help g) practice h) feedback i) coaching

Northrup (2001): a) to interact with content b) to collaborate c) to converse d) to

help monitor and regulate learning e) to support performance

“Tool-based” Interactions (Bonk and King, 1998)

Five basic tool-based interactions 1. E-mail and delayed messaging 2. Remote access and delayed collaboration 3. Real-time brainstorming and conversation 4. Real-time text collaboration 5. Real-time multimedia and/or hypermedia

collaboration

“Activity-based” Interactions

Bonk and Reynolds (1997), Harris (1994a, 1994b, 1994c) Critical thinking Creative thinking Information searching Information sharing Collaborative problem solving

How do you design and sequence meaningful e-Learning interactions?

Hirumi posits a five-step process (p.22)Step 1: Identify essential experiences that

are necessary for learners to achieve specified goals and objectives Step is optional because experienced designers

tend to identify essential experiences in Step 3 Novice designers should keep Step 1 in mind

Steps continued… Step 2: Select a grounded instructional strategy

based on specified objectives, learner characteristics, context and epistemological beliefs. Teacher-directed approaches?; inquiry learning?;

experiential learning?; student-centered? (p.22)

Step 3: Operationalize each event, embedding experiences identified in Step 1 and describing how the selected strategy will be applied during instruction. How will you gain and sustain learners’ attention? How will

you present learners with the instructional objectives? How will you stimulate the recall prior knowledge? (p.24)

Steps continued…

Step 4: Define the type of interaction(s) that will be used to facilitate each event and analyze the quantity and quality of planned interactions. Does the learner require learner-teacher interactions?

Learner-learner interactions? Learner-content interactions? (p.24)

Step 5: Select the telecommunication tool(s)-chat, email, bulletin board system-that will be based on the nature of the interaction What tools will you use? Are audio, video, text and

graphics needed? Is communication one to one, one to some, or one to many? (p.25)

Wrapping it Up

Many authors have proposed systems or models for designing training and instruction

However, all of these approaches have these five phases in common: analyze, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (A.D.D.I.E.) p.25

Tips for Online Course Design

Ground instructional design decisions on a combination of experience, research and theory. (p.26)

Keep in mind that with online courses you, as the professor, will not always be present

Online courses and traditional courses differ; traditional courses need proper modification to be presented online

Criticisms/Challenges

I do not have any criticisms or challenges, as Hirumi merely posits a five-step process for designing and sequencing e-Learning interactions that instructional designers may want to consider

If I had to point to one criticism, it would be that the proposed five-step process is rather broad; however this could also be considered a strength

Event Description Interaction Tool

1.Gain Attention Description of how instruction will gain learners attention.

Learner-Instructor

BBS

2. Inform learners of objectives

Description of how instruction will inform learners of objectives.

Learner-Content

Web Page

3. Stimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge

Description of how instruction will stimulate recall.

Learner-Content; Learner-Lrner

Web Page

BBS

4. Present Stimulus Description of how instruction will present stimulus information.

Learner-Content

Web Page

5. Provide Learning Guidance

Description of how instruction will provide learning guidance.

Learner-Instructor

Chat

6. Elicit Performance Description of how instruction will elicit learner performance.

Lrner-Cntnt; Lrner-Lrner

Learner Web Page

7. Provide Feedback Description of how instruction will provide feedback.

Learner-Instructor

White-

board

8. Assessment Performance

Description of how instruction will assess learner performance.

Learner-Content

Web Page

9. Enhance Retention and Transfer

Description of how instruction will enhance retention and transfer.

Lrner-Instor; Lrner-Lrner

BBS

Discussion Questions

1. What do you consider to be a meaningful e-Learning interaction?

2. Would you use the five-step process? Why or why not?

Article Presented

Hirumi, A. (2002). The design and sequencing of elearning interactions: A grounded approach. International Journal on E-Learning, 1(1), 19-27. Available at http://bama.ua.edu/~abenson/ail604/hirumi_ijel.pdf