The study of how people process information, store and retrieve knowledge and how they are motivated is a critical study for instructors and instructional designers alike. As the primary goal of teaching is to “promote long-term retention and transfer” (Ormrod, 2009), the study of learning theories and styles, adult learning, technology and motivation are critical for effective instructional design.
It is striking how important the role of motivation is in the success of a course, and a learner. The importance the individual’s characteristics play in this success is also striking, as are the changes, and advancements technology is creating in instructional design and learning. “Students are more likely to be intrinsically motivated when they feel confident they can succeed” (Ormrod, 2009). This is why students need choice, in manners of demonstrating knowledge, feedback, in order to adjust practices, and self-regulate learning to meet objectives, and a social setting, for support of learning. “A machine…has no inherent meaning or sentience, but in humans something is doing the filtering, the creating, and the development of meaning.” (Atkisson, 2010). All learners bring different past experiences, prior knowledge and often different goals for the outcome of the course with them into the learning environment; therefore, this diversity must not only be acknowledged by designers, but the course design should allow for, and support using this diversity for the benefit of the learning group as a whole. It is particularly important, and a challenge to create a meaningful social setting in an online learning setting where engagement, and motivation tend to drop off part way through a course. This is where the advancements in technology, and the student’s own, personal network are ever more crucial. Advancements in adaptive technologies, and hands on learning experiences will see a rise in order to meet these needs, as technology “allow(s) professors to edit, add to, or otherwise customize material for their own purposes, so that their students receive a tailored copy that exactly suits the style and pace of the course.” (Johnson, Levine, Smith, 2009).
The learning process is multi-dimensional, and as such, instruction needs to reflect this complexity as well. Learning is multi-layered, and changeable, and needs to be adaptive, as a result. It is understandable; therefore, that I enjoy variety in my learning experiences and employ it greatly in my instructional techniques. I get bored and impatient easily, and enjoy new and varied experiences. Many of the readings from this course explain how these same attributes have helped me to better serve a diverse population of learners as an instructor, and how this will be imperative for me to employ as an instructional designer. “Learning is a multi-layered word that tends to get treated as if it were just one thing…and it is not…there are too many levels for one of school of thought or one model to do it all” (Kapp, 2007). “Methods are not equally appropriate with all types of tasks” (Ormrod, 2009). Variety in instructional practices is important on several levels. One is that “the more links in LTM and the more uses stored with skimming, the better the transfer” (Ormrod, 2009). When information is presented in a variety of ways, and methods, and using different approaches to convey the same learning objectives, this presents the learner with multiple hooks for retrieving the information, and increases the success rate of learner retention and retrieval, thus creating a more meaningful, and lasting learning experience. On another level, variation increases attention and engagement.
Educational technology gives instructional designers the means to help motivate learners due to the ability to adapt to their needs, gain attention through relevance, and increase engagement. It allows the ability to cater to diverse learning styles and may be employed to support all of the learning theories as well. It is important for designers to understand how little information remains in short-term memory. The use of matrices and hierarchies and other methods of organizing information is crucial to help learners commit knowledge to long-term memory. It is also important to provide as many hooks as possible for any given piece of information, because the more connections a learner has to a piece of information, the more connections they can make, and the more readily the information can be pulled back to working memory. “Dual coded knowledge may be remembered better” (Ormrod, 2009). People have different strengths and preferences, and these must be acknowledged in designing learning experiences. A knowledge of Gardner’s seven intelligences is important in being able to motivate diverse learners, and serves to heighten motivation through attention since learners are often bored and disengaged from material when it is always presented in the same format. Age and experience are also factors in creating learning experiences. Adult learners bring a wealth of prior knowledge and experiences to the classroom with them that can benefit the class as a whole if tapped into, but developers need to be aware that adult learners’ past learning experiences can cause predispositions for good or bad, and obstacles to learning as well. It is important to “know what they (learners) already know so that they can relate the new information to their existing knowledge” (Orey, 2001). Similarly, “storage problems can occur when students have no preexisting propositions with which to link new information” (Ormrod, 2009). Technology has, and will, continue to change the face of learning. Connectivism and the idea that learners have networks of technological sources for information, and access to experts from around the world at their fingertips, means that learning experiences are very different now, than they were even one year ago.
As instructional designers, knowledgeable use of the information on how to incorporate the different learning theories and styles is critical. It is also important to understand how to motivate, and serve diverse groups of learners. There are many new technologies that are available, and many that are on the horizon, for improving educational experiences and enhancing instruction which makes the field of instructional design an exciting, and changing field.
References
Atkisson, M. (2010, October 12). Ways of knowing: Examining perception, practice, learning, and design [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://woknowing.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/behaviorism-vs-cognitivisim/
Gardner, H. (2003, April 21). Multiple intelligences after 20 years. Paper presented to the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from http://www.consorzionettuno.it/materiali/B/697/773/16/Testi/Gardner/Gardner_multiple_intelligent.pdf
Johnson, L., Levine, A., & Smith, R. (2009). The Horizon Report (2009 ed.). Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/
Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://karlkapp.com/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/
Orey, M. (2001). Information processing. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Information_processing
Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., &Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition) New York: Pearson.
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